GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LINKS TO LIVE VIDEO, LIVE AUDIO AND LIVE STATS)
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State's and Tennessee Tech's men's basketball teams are set to meet for the 160th time in their program histories Thursday night, the longest-running series for MSU within the current OVC lineup. Tip-off time in Cookeville, Tenn., is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.
MSU has won five straight over TTU and is 27-6 against the Golden Eagles since 2007. In the last five wins for MSU over TTU, the Eagles have held TTU to just 57.6 points per game.
The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network (WIVY-96.3 FM) with Chuck
Mraz and Tom Lewis. It is also available on MSUEagles.com as well as network partner
WGOH 100.9 FM/1370 AM. The game will also air live on ESPN+.
2022-23 RECORDS
MSU: 10-7/3-1 OVC | TTU: 6-11/2-2 OVC
SERIES RECORD
Record vs. TTU: 92-67
First Meeting: 1/7/50 MOR won 59-57 at TTU
Last Meeting: 3/3/22 MOR won 73-56 at Evansville, Ind.
Streak: MOR, 5 games
Record in Cookeville, Tenn.: 27-47
Record in Morehead: 56-17
Neutral Record: 9-3
NOTABLE
•
Preston Spradlin ranks first among the 10 current OVC head coaches in wins at their current school (102), winning percentage at their current school (.519), conference wins at the school (62) and conference winning percentage (.555).
• In the Eagles' last four victories, they have averaged 35 minutes with the lead. Prior to that, MSU only led for 16 seconds versus ETSU but still won 61-57.
•
Mark Freeman ranks first in the OVC in scoring average in league games, pouring in 24.0 points per game in the first two weeks of league action. He is shooting 96 percent from the free throw line against OVC teams. Freeman made 31 consecutive free throws in a seven-game span as well from Dec. 11-Jan. 5.
•
Alex Gross is one of just 15 current players on Division I teams to score 2,000+ career points in college. He is the ONLY current player in Division I to record 2,000+ points AND 1,200+ career rebounds in college (Gross' first four seasons were in NAIA). His career college totals stand at 2,219 points and 1,350 career rebounds.
• Morehead State has three 1,000+ point college scorers on the same team this year.
Alex Gross (2,219) and
Branden Maughmer (1,825) already have well surpassed 1,000.
Mark Freeman just got there too, now with 1,026.
• With
Mark Freeman missing the EIU game due to injury,
Drew Thelwell picked up his game. Thelwell exploded for a career-high 20 points while shooting 6-of-7 overall and 3-of-3 from distance.
• In the last five games,
Drew Thelwell scored in double figures in all of them, averaged 13.2 points and hit 59 percent (22-of-37) from the field overall.
• MSU is now 20-1 overall in January games in the last three seasons and has won 14 consecutive January home games as well, with the last loss coming on Jan. 2, 2020 to Jacksonville State.
•
Jake Wolfe scored a career-high 22 points against USI. Wolfe averages 9.9 points overall but has increased his contribution to 14.0 points in league play.
• Morehead State is the league's best free throw shooting team currently. The Eagles hit 75 percent overall and 81 percent in league games. MSU ranks 31st nationally in free throws made per game at 16.1. In the past three seasons, Morehead State has made more free throws in 53 different games, winning 43 of those.
• Morehead State ranks first in the conference in scoring defense (68.4), thanks in part to a stellar defense outside the arc. MSU leads the league and ranks 20th nationally in 3-point defense (.288).
• Among the 8 Division I men's basketball programs in Kentucky, Morehead State continues to rank first in wins in the last three seasons - 56.
• The Eagles will face TTU's top scorer in graduate transfer
Jaylen Sebree, who spent two seasons at Morehead State and helped MSU win the 2020-21 OVC Tournament title.
