Golden Eagles Rally Falls Short; Vols Dominate Rice

Photo / Tennessee Tech Athletics, Jim Dillion / #11 Dani Pounds

COOKEVILLE — Monday night was a split bill of gritty effort and dominant statement play across Tennessee college hoops. First up, Tennessee Tech’s late surge came up inches short as the Golden Eagles dropped a 61-59 decision to West Georgia at the Eblen Center. Later in Knoxville, No. 20 Tennessee coasted to a 91-66 victory over Rice at Food City Center, a result that keeps Vols supporters across Middle Tennessee smiling.

Tennessee Tech (2-3) staged an 11-0 run late to make it a one-point game, but West Georgia (3-2) held on. Tech’s comeback was fueled by a stingy final defensive stretch that held West Georgia without a field goal over the last 3:12. Dani Pounds led Tech with 17 points, including 11 in the second half, and went a perfect 5-of-5 from the line. JaJuan Nicholls added nine, and Ja’Quavian Florence chipped in eight. Tech shot 41 percent (20-of-49) overall but struggled badly from long range at 2-of-20, a difference-maker in a two-point loss. West Georgia was paced by Chas Lewless and Shelton Williams-Dryden with 19 points each, and Josh Smith finished with 15. The Golden Eagles will quickly turn the page with a road trip to USC Upstate Wednesday; local fans in Nashville and beyond will be watching to see if Tech can regain home-game form on the road.

KNOXVILLE — Later, the Volunteers put on a clinic. Tennessee (4-0) led wire-to-wire and improved its season-opening homestand record, extending an historic streak to 40 straight non-conference home wins — a stat that resonates in Nashville’s Vols circles. Senior forward Felix Okpara poured in a game- and career-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Freshman Nate Ament notched his first college double-double with 19 points and a career-high 10 boards, while Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 17 points and a game-high eight assists. Ethan Burg contributed a career-best 11 points off the bench.

Defensively, Tennessee smothered Rice early, allowing just one make on the Owls’ first nine field-goal attempts and limiting Rice to 24.1 percent shooting in the first half. Tre Broadnax, Rice’s top scorer, was held to five points and an unusual 0-of-16 from the floor — a defensive accomplishment that drew notice among Vols fans across Middle Tennessee. Tennessee dominated inside, outscoring Rice 52-16 in the paint, pulling down 47 total rebounds (18 offensive), and posting a team shooting clip north of 52 percent (34-of-65).

Coach Rick Barnes recorded career victory No. 840, keeping his place atop active Division I wins, another talking point for the region. The Vols return to Food City Center Thursday against Tennessee State at 7 p.m., a matchup Nashville supporters will be eager to follow as Tennessee seeks to keep the momentum rolling.