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University of North Carolina Athletics
Sophomore Sterling Manley
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Know Your Opponent: Tennessee Tech
November 16, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Location: Cookeville, Tenn.
Rankings: No. 316 KenPom, NR AP
Record: 0-3
Carolina Series History (Last Meeting): UNC leads 1-0 (Carolina 85, Tennessee Tech 59, Dec. 12, 1999, Smith Center)
Tennessee Tech returns to Chapel Hill for its first visit in nearly 20 years Friday when the Eagles come to town for a Las Vegas Invitational campus game. The turn-of-the-century Golden Eagles were coached by former Tar Heel Jeff Lebo, who won a pair of OVC regular season titles in four years at TTU before stops at Chattanooga, Auburn and ECU.
The current version is led by head coach Steve Payne, who is in his eighth season at the helm after nine years as an assistant. The Eagles have alternated winning and losing seasons under Payne, a trend they will hope to buck after finishing 19-14 in 2018.
Tennessee Tech features 11 newcomers on this year's roster after losing its top five scorers from a season ago. Senior Courtney Alexander, son of the former Fresno State star of the same name, is the Golden Eagles' top returning scorer and rebounder. Alexander, who is averaging a double-double through the season's first three games, is a 6-8 forward who switched to an underhand free throw technique after missing more than half of his attempts from the charity stripe as an underclassman.
Alexander is joined as a double-digit scorer by 6-9 junior Micaiah Henry (15.3 ppg) and 6-4 redshirt freshman Hunter Vick (13.3 ppg). Vick and Northwestern transfer Johnnie Vassar have been the team's top outside shooters to start the season, though junior Corey Tillery leads the Golden Eagles in 3-point attempts (7 of 25).
TTU was picked to finish fifth in the OVC, with Belmont the favorite in what figures to be a one-bid league. For the Golden Eagles to challenge for a postseason bid, it will be key for Alexander and Henry to continue playing at a high level.
Tennessee Tech returns to Chapel Hill for its first visit in nearly 20 years Friday when the Eagles come to town for a Las Vegas Invitational campus game. The turn-of-the-century Golden Eagles were coached by former Tar Heel Jeff Lebo, who won a pair of OVC regular season titles in four years at TTU before stops at Chattanooga, Auburn and ECU.
The current version is led by head coach Steve Payne, who is in his eighth season at the helm after nine years as an assistant. The Eagles have alternated winning and losing seasons under Payne, a trend they will hope to buck after finishing 19-14 in 2018.
Tennessee Tech features 11 newcomers on this year's roster after losing its top five scorers from a season ago. Senior Courtney Alexander, son of the former Fresno State star of the same name, is the Golden Eagles' top returning scorer and rebounder. Alexander, who is averaging a double-double through the season's first three games, is a 6-8 forward who switched to an underhand free throw technique after missing more than half of his attempts from the charity stripe as an underclassman.
Alexander is joined as a double-digit scorer by 6-9 junior Micaiah Henry (15.3 ppg) and 6-4 redshirt freshman Hunter Vick (13.3 ppg). Vick and Northwestern transfer Johnnie Vassar have been the team's top outside shooters to start the season, though junior Corey Tillery leads the Golden Eagles in 3-point attempts (7 of 25).
TTU was picked to finish fifth in the OVC, with Belmont the favorite in what figures to be a one-bid league. For the Golden Eagles to challenge for a postseason bid, it will be key for Alexander and Henry to continue playing at a high level.
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