Tennessee Tech women are in 2023 NCAA Tournament. Here's what to know about Golden Eagles
The Tennessee Tech women's basketball team got into the NCAA Tournament by winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
The Golden Eagles (22-9) swing into March Madness on Thursday (8 p.m. CT) against Monmouth (18-15) in a first four in game in the Greenville Region. Both teams are No. 16 seeds. The winner faces No. 1 seed Indiana on Saturday.
Here are three things to know about Tennessee Tech:
Back in the Big Dance
This marks the 11th time Tennessee Tech has been in the NCAA Tournament. It is the first since 2000.
The Golden Eagles made all over their previous appearances over a span of 18 seasons (1982-2000).
They have two wins in the NCAA Tournament. The first came in 1988-89, when they beat South Carolina 77-73, and the second the following season when they beat Richmond 77-59.
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Steady improvement
Since enduring one of the low points in program history, which included five consecutive losing seasons, Tech has strung together five straight winning seasons.
The Golden Eagles, traditionally one of the top teams in the OVC, went 53-102 from 2013-14 to 2017-18.
Kim Rosamond, a former longtime Vanderbilt assistant, took over as coach in 2016-17. Over the last five seasons Rosamond has led the Golden Eagles to a 97-54 record.
Maaliya Owens steps up
Once Tech guard Maaliya Owens earned a starting position she made the best of it. The 5-foot-9 senior from Georgetown, Kentucky, who started two games in her first three seasons, led the Golden Eagles in scoring and 3-point shooting after earning a starting job this season.
She averaged 14.9 points and made 40.9% (83-of-203) of her 3-point shots. She was Tech's only player on the All-OVC first team.
Jada Guinn, a senior from Oak Ridge, is Tech's second-leading scorer (10.5 points).
The Golden Eagles' leading rebounder is Reghan Grimes (5.8). She is a freshman from Ravenwood and the daughter of Reggie Grimes, who played football at Hunters Lane, Alabama and in the NFL. Her brother Reggie Grimes II, is a defensive end at Oklahoma. Her mother Mikaela Perry-Grimes competed in track and field at Nebraska and Alabama, and her sister Maya Perry-Grimes ran track at Austin Peay.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: In March Madness, Tennessee Tech women face Monmouth in NCAA Tournament
