Tech plays hard, nearly upsets #23 Cincinnatti

By TTU Sports Information

November 25, 2002

Tennessee Tech pushed #23 Cincinnati to the edge Saturday night before falling 54-48 before 11,198 nervous fans in the Shoemaker Center in the season opener for both teams. Leonard Stokes scored a game-high 21 points to lead Cincinnati to the win, while Taron Barker added 12 points and hit a key three-point shot down the stretch for the Bearcats (1-0), who won their 37th straight home opener. Cameron Crisp had 16 points for the Golden Eagles (0-1), who held as much as a six-point lead midway through the second half. Greg Morgan chipped in 13 points. Jason Maxiell hit a jumper to open the second half and give Cincinnati a 29-23 lead, but coach Mike Sutton's Golden Eagles scored the next 12 points to grab a 35-29 edge with 10:23 remaining. Stokes then scored 13 points in a 15-6 burst to give the Bearcats a 44-41 lead with 3:56 left. Morgan's layup cut the lead to 44-43 with just 3:30 remaining, but Field Williams drilled a three-pointer to give the Bearcats a 47-43 lead with 1:28 left. Cincinnati then made 7-of-10 free throws in the final minute to seal the win. A 9-0 run gave Tennessee Tech a 17-15 lead with 7:43 left in the first half, but the Bearcats answered with eight straight to take a 23-17 advantage. Cincinnati would then carry a 27-23 lead into the locker room. Cincinnati shot just 28 percent from the field and made only 4-of-22 attempts from three-point range, but the Golden Eagles couldn't take advantage of their sterling defensive effort, turning the ball over 17 times.

Tech hosts Milligan College Monday night in the second game of a doubleheader in Eblen Center. The Tech women host Middle Tennessee at 5:30 p.m. to open the night's action.