A close two-point loss last year at home and a season opener this year will make for a good game to be played Friday in the annual ETSU vs. Tennessee Tech game.
The Lady Bucs’ season opener will be played in Cookeville this year as part of the series that has been going on between the two schools. Since 2000, the Golden Eagles have led the series 3-1, but last year’s two-point loss at home was the closest the Lady Bucs have lost to the Golden Eagles.
“I really like playing the Bucs,” said Golden Eagles coach Bill Worrell.
The Lady Bucs are ready to start the season with early success. This year Tiffani Mayes and Brooke Wilhoit lead the Bucs, and the team is looking for revenge. During last season Mayes was able to average 16 points a game while Brooke put in another seven. The two were also able to pull down 13 rebounds together. Mayes’s all-round playing and excellent leading of the team has gotten her voted on to the Preseason Coaches All Conference Team.
The Lady Golden Eagles are coming in with high expectations for their season. They were picked to win the Ohio Valley Conference earlier this month. Co-captains Tynisha Alexander and Casey Bradford will be leading Tennessee Tech this season in their hopes for a 16th conference championship.
The Golden Eagles will face tough competition in their season opener against the Lady Bucs.
“It is going to be a tough game, they are a well-prepared team and last year they almost beat us,” Worrell said.
Alexander has returned for her third year as the starting point guard. Last year Alexander was able to average 9.4 points and pulled down 4.9 rebounds a game while being co-captain. Alexander also led the team in steals and was second in three-point accuracy.
Bradford returned this year for her second year as a starter after playing multiple roles her first two seasons. Bradford averaged 7.9 points and 4.3 rebounds a game last year. Bradford did her best for the team from the free-throw line winning their free-throw title. Bradford shot 88 percent for the season.
In their exhibition game of the year against Cumberland University they were able to win 66-53. Cumberland’s defense kept the game close by allowing the duo only five points combined.
Also helping the Golden Eagles will be the returning class. Over the summer the Golden Eagles only lost two players and their starting line-up includes two senior standouts, two sophomores and a junior.
The Lady Bucs will play against Tennessee Tech Friday before their game Saturday at Tennessee State.

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