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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Morehead State men's basketball team stayed within striking distance all night, but host Tennessee Tech grabbed an offensive rebound and got a put-back shot with 0.4 seconds to defeat the Eagles 69-67 Thursday at Eblen Center.
 
Morehead State slid to 4-8 overall in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams.
 
Junior guard A.J. Hicks stole a pass and raced down to hit a layup with 32 seconds left to tie the game 67-all. Tech used almost the entire shot clock before Kajon Mack missed a shot. But Curtis Phillips grabbed a loose-ball rebound and laid it in with less than a second remaining. It was just the third offensive rebound for TTU as MSU out-rebounded the hosts 41-29.
 
"I thought we fought hard and defended well for the most part all night," said head coach Preston Spradlin. "And I really thought we put ourselves in a great position to force overtime, but we didn't go get a rebound. I've told this team over and over once we get into the league play, down the stretch you must execute and make free throws to win."
 
MSU finished 16-of-25 from the free throw line but was just 10-for-19 in the second half.
 
Sophomore guard Jordan Walker led Morehead State with 20 points and hit all seven of his free throws. He has now made his last 25 charity tosses. Sophomore forward Londell King posted his third double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds – to tie his career high.
 
Hicks added 11 points, while junior forward Lamontray Harris poured in 10. Tech shot 52 percent for the game, while the Eagles hit 40 percent (23-of-58).
 
The Eagles trimmed Tech's lead down to 50-49 with a 9-0 run in the middle of the second half, but Tech used a 7-0 spurt immediately after to pull back ahead.
 
The game sat at 60-56 Tech with 4:53 remaining, but two subsequent turnovers led to a pair of Tech fast break buckets to push TTU's cushion back to 64-56.
 
The Eagles continue the OVC slate on Saturday at Jacksonville State. Tip-off is at 5:30 p.m. ET following the Eagle women vs. JSU.