Tech brings an arsenal of weapons to Southeast

Tennessee Tech likely would have contended for the Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball championship even if Damien Kinloch hadn't joined the program.

But the addition of Kinloch, a transfer from South Carolina, has elevated the Eagles to the OVC's top team, hands-down.

So says Southeast Missouri State University coach Gary Garner, whose Indians (3-14, 1-5 OVC) welcome the conference-leading Golden Eagles (12-4, 5-0) to the Show Me Center at 7 p.m. today.

"Without Kinloch, they would have been about like three or four of the other good teams in the league. It would have been a heck of a race," Garner said. "With him, there's no question they're head and shoulders the best team in the league."

Kinloch, a junior forward, is putting up impressive numbers during his first season at Tech. The 6-foot-8, 220-pounder, who started 20 games for South Carolina two years ago before transferring, is fifth in the OVC in scoring (17.1), first in rebounding (9.4) and second in field-goal percentage (62.9).

"He just gives them such a defensive and offensive presence," Garner said. "He's the kind of player other teams in the league don't have."

Tech coach Jeff Lebo doesn't dispute the impact Kinloch has had on a team that returned four starters from one of the best squads in Tech basketball history.

"Damien has been a big factor in the success we've had," Lebo said. "He's an athlete and he has size. He can move his feet and he can run."

Lebo, in his fourth season with the Eagles, has done quite a job at Tech after taking over a program that, over the years, was average. Prior to Lebo's arrival in Cookeville, Tenn., the Eagles posted just two winning records since 1990, never capturing more than 15 victories during those seasons.

Lebo's first Tech team went 12-15, but his second was 16-12 and last season the Eagles were 20-9, won their first OVC title in 15 years and tied the 54-year-old school mark for wins in a season.

Even though they're living up their preseason billing, they've faced adversity.

Nine games into this season -- before the conference schedule began -- Tech lost star point guard Leigh Gayden, a preseason first-team all-OVC pick, to an injury that will sideline him the remainder of the season.

"That was a tough blow for us, but Cameron Crisp has come in and played awfully well since Gayden went out," Lebo said.

Crisp, a sophomore, averages 10.3 points and ranks fourth in the OVC in assists with four a game. He is also the league's top 3-point shooter at 49.2 percent on 29 of 59.

Other double-figure scorers for Tech are sophomore swingman Jason Harrell (10.9) and junior guard Brent Jolly (10.6).

Tech leads the league in virtually every major team statistical category, including points (81.4), points allowed (67.3), scoring margin (plus 14.1), field-goal percentage (49.7), 3-point field-goal percentage (37.7), field-goal percentage defense (41.8) and rebounding margin (plus 9.5).

Even though the Eagles will be heavily favored over the struggling Indians, Lebo is cautious.

"I know Gary has had some problems with guys. He doesn't have the full force he usually does," Lebo said. "Any time you play on the road it's difficult, I don't care who you're playing. I know we're going to have our hands full."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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