On Thursday night, with a crowd of over 4,000 packing the Elam Center and many more watching the national broadcast on ESPNU, the Skyhawk men stole the spotlight, defeating Tennessee Tech, 88-78, led by 49 points from the high-scoring tandem of Jared Newson and Jeremy Kelly.

Newson made 11 of his 17 field goal attempts in the game as part of a hot shooting performance by the Skyhawks. As a team, the Skyhawks shot 56 percent for the game and shot well over 50 percent in each half.

“It’s important to make shots. That was the key again tonight. We shot 56 percent and got to the free throw line,” said Skyhawk head coach Bret Campbell.

The unofficial “sixth man” was the crowd, which gave its whole-hearted support to the Skyhawks from the opening tip to the final buzzer. The team was inspired by the enthusiasm displayed by the many students who filed into the Elam Center beginning more than an hour before the game and going well into the first half.

“Unbelievable. The best crowd in seven years here in the Elam Center. I can’t thank the students enough. This was a college basketball atmosphere at its best,” Campbell said.

The Skyhawks had to overcome an early deficit thanks to the Golden Eagles’ accuracy from three-point range.

The Golden Eagles made their first four three-point attempts but never pulled away as a result of the Skyhawks’ offensive execution. The Skyhawks were able to get the most out of their possessions throughout the game, turning the ball over only 11 times in the game. Also contributing to the Skyhawks’ cause was their rebounding. McKale Jones grabbed two defensive rebounds to help the Skyhawks score their first basket.

The first half saw the teams battle fiercely for control of the lead. The Golden Eagles claimed their largest lead of the half when Belton Rivers made a three-pointer to put his team ahead by a score of 11-6 less than four minutes into the game.

The Skyhawks were able to erase that lead through their defensive pressure. Kelly assisted Newson on a three-pointer, then came up with a steal that led to a three-pointer by Zerek Knight.

After falling behind 29-25 with 4:25 left in the half, the Skyhawks reeled off ten unanswered points over a two-minute span for their largest lead of the half. Aaron Ferrell beat the buzzer to end the first half and a 7-2 Golden Eagle run. The Skyhawks’ 39-36 advantage at the half was the result of a first-half performance that has become a recent trend.

The first five minutes of the second half echoed the previous 20 minutes as the two teams played to a virtual draw. The Skyhawks crashed the offensive glass, leading to 12 second-chance points in the half.

The Golden Eagles trimmed the lead to a single point at 50-49 with 15:11 remaining in the game, but that was the closest they would come to taking the lead in the second half. A 10-0 run by the Skyhawks pushed their lead to double digits, causing the crowd to reach its loudest point of the game.

With the crowd pumped up, the visiting team found it difficult to concentrate. On the other hand, the Skyhawks fed off their fans’ excitement. They kept their lead above ten points for the majority of the half, with the largest spread being a 13-point cushion, 81-68, with 2:20 remaining in the game.

The final two minutes of the game became even more exciting than usual when the Golden Eagles began to whittle away at the Skyhawks’ lead. Two free throws by Milone Clark were followed by a missed layup and turnover by Kelly on the other end.

Keyon Boyd capitalized on the turnover by making a jumper with 1:04 left to pull the Golden Eagles to within eight points. The lead was further reduced to six points after a three pointer with 36 seconds left. That was when the Skyhawks’ senior leaders stepped up in a big way.

Newson and Kelly each went to the free throw line and knocked down big shots to put the game away.

The Skyhawks’ 9-of-12 performance from the free throw line in the second half played a major role in preserving the win.

“We still need to finish out a game better. We gave up a few easy baskets in the final two minutes. I’d like for 78 to be closer to 68,” Campbell said.

The Skyhawks found their rhythm on offense by attacking the basket. This trend gave them high-percentage opportunities helped them have an advantage in free throw attempts in the game. Their stellar shooting performance included only 12 three-point attempts.

McKale Jones made six of his seven field goal attempts, while Newson and Kelly both shot well over 50 percent. Ferrell was a perfect 3-for-3 including his buzzer-beater.

Defensively, the Skyhawks kept the Golden Eagles off the free throw line in the first half. The Golden Eagles’ first free throw attempt came with 15:56 remaining in the game. The win improved the Skyhawks’ record to 9-12 overall and 6-9 in the OVC.

With the win over the third-place Golden Eagles, the Skyhawks continued their success against the top tier of the OVC.

“We beat the fourth-place team Monday and we beat the third-place team tonight, and I think it’s encouraging that we beat two good teams here at our place,” Campbell said.