Box Score (PDF)

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Colonels trimmed a 12-point deficit down to two with less than a minute to play, but the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech University held on for a 53-51 win over the EKU women's basketball team Saturday at the Hooper Eblen Center.
 
EKU held TTU scoreless for the final 4:36 and the Golden Eagles hit one of their final 11 field goal attempts.
 
Trailing by 10 in the final period, senior guard Alexus Cooper connected from deep to cut the lead to single digits. After a free throw from senior Mariah Massengill on the Colonels' ensuing possession, redshirt freshman Shay Solomon knocked down a jumper to trim the TTU lead to four—the smallest margin since 5:05 to play in the first period.
 
EKU missed on its next three possessions, but were able to keep Tennessee Tech off the board as well.
 
Massengill netted a floater in the paint with 49 ticks on the clock, closing the TTU lead to two.
 
With a chance to tie the contest, the Colonels turned it back over to the Golden Eagles. However, Eastern was the beneficiary of a late call and were granted another possession but to no avail.
 
Eastern had its work cut out early, as the Golden Eagles orchestrated a 14-0 run, spanning more than four minutes in the first period.
 
As the Colonels led 5-3 early, TTU scored 14 answered and built a 19-7 advantage at the end of one.
 
Back-to-back long balls in the opening minutes of the second stanza from senior Cooper cut the TTU lead to eight.
 
After both squads went scoreless for nearly four minutes, a Tech free throw put the Golden Eagles back in front by nine with 3:41 left in the first half as TTU led 29-20 at the break.
 
EKU generated 25 points off 25 Tech turnovers. The Colonels committed 14 turnovers in the contest.
 
Cooper posted a game-high 18 points and Massengill added 14 points for the Colonels.
 
The Colonels return to McBrayer Arena Wednesday as they host Austin Peay State University. Wednesday's tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.