BOX SCORE
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Second-year freshman center
Johni Broome scored a season-high 25 points and added 14 rebounds and five blocked shots, while third-year sophomore point guard Ta'Lon Cooper dished out nine assists to go along with 10 points and a career-high five steals as the Morehead State men's basketball team shook off Tennessee Tech for a 75-68 win at Johnson Arena in a Thursday afternoon matinee moved up to avoid incoming winter weather.
The Eagles won their 19th consecutive home game as they rank in the top four in the nation in Division I in consecutive home victories. MSU (18-6/10-1 OVC) also swept the season series from Tech, defeating the Golden Eagles (5-17/2-7 OVC) again just three days after knocking off TTU on its home floor.
Broome, who leads the OVC in rebounds and blocks, nearly accomplished a double-double just in the final 20 minutes with 19 points and eight rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting. His five rejections also marked the 12th game this season with 5+ swat-aways, upping his season total to 89 blocks. He now has 16 double-doubles this season and 29 for his career.
Cooper, who already has two point-assist double-doubles this year, nearly dd it again with just one assist short. He still upped his OVC-high assist total to 153, which is now the ninth-best single-season total in program history.
But, those two weren't the only Eagles to contribute to the win. Junior guard
Skyelar Potter was 5-of-7 from the floor and had his seventh straight double-figure effort with 14 points. Junior transfer
Jake Wolfe scored in double digits for just the third time this season with 11 points while also getting two steals and two assists.Â
The home team finished at 48 percent from the field and also hit 11 of 16 free throws. After being out-rebounded in four of the last five contests, MSU also got back to its usual business on the glass, out-rebounding TTU 43-31.Â
A fast 5-0 start for the Eagles didn't quite hold up as TTU fought back. While never taking a lead, the Golden Eagles kept it close. MSU ended with a 31-25 halftime advantage.Â
MSU ended up pushing its lead to as much as nine (39-30) in the final half but then saw Tech fight all the way back to eventually tie the game 57-all with just 6:26 remaining. Broome connected on a bucket and an and-1 foul shot and scored the Eagles' next bucket too, while Potter drained a three-ball at the end of the shot clock, and MSU led again by six. Tech never got closer than four (72-68) in the final 15 seconds.
Jr. Clay paced the visiting Golden Eagles with 22 points.
Morehead State stays at home this wekend as it hosts Austin Peay on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.
