COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles remained undefeated Thursday night, overcoming a sluggish offensive start to pull away from the East Tennessee State Lady Buccaneers 61-52 in a non-conference women’s basketball game at the Eblen Center.

A crowd of 735 watched as the Golden Eagles improved to 4-0, while the Lady Buccaneers fell to 1-4.

The game was a defensive struggle for three quarters, with Tennessee Tech relying on a dominant fourth-quarter performance to secure the victory. The Golden Eagles exploded for 24 points in the final period after being held to just 37 through the first three quarters. In contrast, East Tennessee State managed only 10 points in the fourth.

The first half was a low-scoring affair defined by defense and turnovers. East Tennessee State held a 15-17 lead after the first quarter, but a strong defensive second quarter saw them limit Tennessee Tech to just six points, taking a 25-23 lead into halftime.

The Lady Buccaneers extended their lead slightly in the third quarter, outscoring the Golden Eagles 17-14 to carry a 42-37 advantage into the final period. The game turned decisively in the fourth, as Tennessee Tech found its rhythm offensively and capitalized on opportunities at the free-throw line, outscoring East Tennessee State by 14 points in the quarter.

Anala Nelson led all scorers for East Tennessee State, finishing with 17 points. SaBreya Monsanto added 11 points for the Lady Buccaneers.

Tennessee Tech’s victory was a balanced effort. Cam Mathews led the Golden Eagles with 10 points, while Reagan Hurst came off the bench to provide a crucial spark, scoring all nine of her points in the first quarter. Chloe Larry and Amaya Thomas each contributed eight points in the win.

The difference in the game came at the free-throw line and in ball security. Tennessee Tech shot 21 for 25 from the charity stripe, while East Tennessee State was 15 for 20. The Golden Eagles also committed 13 turnovers compared to 10 for the Lady Buccaneers, but East Tennessee State was unable to translate its nine steals into enough offensive production.

Both teams struggled from the field. East Tennessee State shot 31.5 percent on 17-of-54 shooting, while Tennessee Tech was slightly more efficient at 38 percent on 19-of-50 shooting. Three-point shooting was a non-factor, with the Lady Buccaneers making 3 of 18 and the Golden Eagles connecting on just 2 of 12.

Tennessee Tech looks to continue its perfect start on the road against Southern California on Tuesday. East Tennessee State will try to snap its two-game losing streak when it travels to face Memphis on Saturday.