By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Tennessee Tech (0-1, 0-0) opened the 2025-26 season with an 82-70 loss at Western Kentucky (1-0, 0-0) on Monday evening.
The Golden Eagles were as close as five points but ultimately couldn’t complete the comeback as they fell 82-70 to drop the season opener on Monday night in Bowling Green, Ky. Brandon Muntu and Mekhi Cameron led the team in scoring with 13 points apiece, JaJuan Nicholls, Ty Owens, and Dani Pounds added eight points apiece as the Golden Eagles fell by 12.
Nicholls made 4-of-5 shots from the field and grabbed one rebound, Cameron made 4-of-10, including 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and sank 1-of-2 free throws while collecting three rebounds and dishing out two assists, Jacobe Whitted added seven points and grabbed seven rebounds, alongside three assists.
Jacobe Whitted hit a three-pointer with 3:41 left in the first half to cut it to a five-point deficit, 30-25, but a Hilltoppers’ 11-3 run closed the half with WKU in front by 13, 41-28.
Tech responded with a three-pointer by Cameron to cut it to eight, and off an offensive board, a Muntu runner with the foul to pull the Golden Eagles to within five, 41-36, for the second time in the game.
2nd chance points!
Muntu with the bucket and ONE!
WKU 41
Tech 36
17:44 – 2nd Half
��: @ESPNPlus #WingsUp pic.twitter.com/zXrIF0ikTh— TTU Men’s Basketball (@TTU_Basketball) November 4, 2025
The Golden Eagles traded baskets with the Hilltoppers as Pounds made a jumper, but Terrion Murdix responded with a made layup, and Tech found itself down by nine, 47-38. Murdix picked up a foul on a make two-pointer, sank the free-throw, and WKU extended its advantage to 50-38.
TTU found itself falling further behind and used two of its timeouts with 11:25 left to play, trailing by 13. The Eagles responded with Grant Slatten making a pair of shots sandwiched around a layup by Nicholls to cut the deficit to 11.
Out of the second timeout, Cameron made a big three-pointer to pull Tech within eight, 60-52. After a missed three-ball by WKU, the Eagles ran the floor coast-to-coast for a layup by Nicholls to make it a six-point game, 60-54. WKU responded with a timeout in a big moment as the momentum swung Tech’s way.
Owens drilled a big three-ball to put the deficit at six once again, 63-57, but a missed shot allowed WKU to regain a double-digit lead, 67-57, with 4:24 left to play.
Whitted swished a three-pointer, cutting it to 67-60, and Pounds followed it with a big contested two-point bucket, but the Hilltoppers and Golden Eagles traded baskets until the clock ran out, and the final 82-70.
Pounds with a contested 2️⃣ makes it a 7️⃣-point game!
WKU 69
Tech 62
3:30 – 2nd Half
��: @ESPNPlus #WingsUp pic.twitter.com/VPOLRJkUq7— TTU Men’s Basketball (@TTU_Basketball) November 4, 2025
Tech was outrebounded 42-to-36 by WKU. TTU shot 44.3 percent (27-61) from the field, including 32.3 percent (10-31) from three-point range, and made 50 percent of its free throws (6-12). The Golden Eagles made one more shot than the Hilltoppers (27-26), and sank eight more three-pointers (10-2), but WKU held an overwhelming advantage at the free throw line, taking 35 opportunities from the stripe and converting on 28 of them, while the Eagles were granted only 12 free throw chances and made six.
There were four ties and six total lead changes in the game.
NEXT UP
The Golden Eagles are back in action on Friday, Oct. 7, at Charlotte. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
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Tickets for Tennessee Tech Football are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office, or order online at TTUsports.com.
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