COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (November 10, 2024) – The University of North Alabama women's basketball team led on the road at halftime against an unbeaten Tennessee Tech squad, but fell in a 73-64 bout Sunday night to the Golden Eagles from the Hooper Eblen Center.
The contest began with the home team taking the first-quarter advantage, but a defensive showing from North Alabama (1-1) slowed down the Golden Eagles (3-0) and gave the Lions a halftime lead. UNA forced Tennessee Tech into 35.7 percent shooting in the first half with the Golden Eagles missing all eight of their three-point attempts.
Tennessee Tech bounced back in the third quarter with an improved performance, hitting its first two threes of the game along with six-made free throws to take back the advantage. The final quarter proved to be the turning point of the contest, with the Golden Eagles using a 60 percent shooting outburst to separate themselves towards the eventual home victory.
The Lions led in both three-point percentage (35.3 percent to 27.3) and free-throw percentage (85.7 to 83.3) but the difference came from the frequency of the Golden Eagles at the line. The hosts converted 25 of their 30 free throws, showing a steady hand at the charity stripe.
Despite the result, the Lions had a three-headed attack on the offensive end as juniors Cameron Jones and Emma Kate Tittle and senior Charity Gallegos led the UNA scoring. Jones finished atop the score sheet with a career-high 16 points to go with eight rebounds – tied for the game high and her career high. Tittle and Gallegos followed up from the solid scoring from game one with 13 points each, rounding out the top three with nine Lions contributing scores.
Junior Jazzy Klinge totaled the second-most rebounds on the team with seven, cementing herself as a threat on the boards. Sophomore Katie Criswell played the playmaker for the Lions with a team and career-high five assists. Gallegos led with three steals, one short of tying her career high, while the duo of Criswell and Klinge registered the team's four blocks with two each.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
The matchup in Cookeville started with a fairly even first quarter as Tennessee Tech jumped out to take a three-point advantage. Both teams shot near 45 percent in the opening period, with the Lions shooting at a 43.8 percent clip compared to the 46.2 percent from the Golden Eagles. Tittle started hot from the field with eight first-quarter points including two threes from beyond the arc. Four Lions also contributed two points apiece, with Jones, Gallegos, Criswell and graduate Sara Wohlgemuth joining in on the scoring.
SECOND QUARTER
UNA's defense came to play in the second quarter, holding the Golden Eagles to 26.7 percent shooting en route to taking the halftime lead. The offense continued to provide steady scoring with 17 points on 46.7 percent shooting, but defensively, the Lions stepped it up to gain the momentum. Tennessee Tech only converted four field goals, and they were held without a three pointer on 0-8 shooting. Jones and junior Alyssa Clutter led the way with six points each on a combined 6-7 from the field, and freshman Sofia Ceppellotti secured the first points of her young career with two in the quarter.
THIRD QUARTER
The Golden Eagles got a much-needed response in quarter-number three, getting contributions from the three-point and free-throw line to set a decisive fourth quarter. Both teams exchanged scores to start the second half, with the difference coming in at the 5:33 point of the period. Tennessee Tech hit two three-pointers in a span of one minute, also converting on six-straight free throws to fuel a 16-5 run to retake the lead. The Lions ended the quarter on a high note, however, scoring four points off shots from Wohlgemuth and Gallegos to trim Tennessee Tech's lead to 49-46.
FOURTH QUARTER
Both teams had their highest scoring input of any quarter in the fourth, but hot shooting from beyond the arc led to Tennessee Tech pulling away in the final period. The Lions had the better start of the two, scoring five points within the first two minutes of the quarter thanks to Jones and Klinge. The Golden Eagles came alive soon at the eight-minute mark, outscoring UNA 20-8 in the next six minutes. Nine points came off three-straight three pointers at the 5:47 mark, with the Tennessee Tech offense giving the home team some breathing room. Jones continued her career game with four more points toward the end, but the Golden Eagles just did enough to leave with the win.
UP NEXT
The Lions host their first home game of the 2024-25 season Friday, Nov. 15 at 5:30 p.m. against South Alabama in CB&S Bank Arena.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
