Preview: Western Illinois Leathernecks at Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Two Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball teams heading in opposite directions will meet Thursday when the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles host the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Eblen Center. The Golden Eagles (9-14) enter with momentum from a 90-85 road victory over Tennessee State on Monday. Meanwhile, the Leathernecks (4-19) are mired in a 10-game losing streak, most recently suffering an 84-44 home defeat to Tennessee-Martin on Jan. 31. Tennessee Tech won the season’s first meeting, 59-54, in Macomb, Illinois, on Jan. 10. In that game, Golden Eagles guard Mekhi Cameron scored 15 points. Cameron has been a key offensive catalyst during Tech’s recent 2-1 stretch, averaging 18.3 points per game in that span, including a 23-point performance Monday. Western Illinois will look to sophomore guard Isaiah Griffin to spark an upset. Griffin scored a team-high 16 points in the first matchup against Tennessee Tech. He is averaging 12.1 points per game in conference play and had a 28-point outing at Arkansas-Little Rock on Jan. 17. The Leathernecks’ struggles are underscored by their offense, which has failed to reach 70 points in eight of their last nine games. Defensively, they allowed opponents to score 80 or more points in three of their last five contests. Tennessee Tech has shown more consistency at home in conference play, with its Jan. 31 win over Arkansas-Little Rock part of a 3-3 record at Eblen Center in OVC action. The Golden Eagles’ offense has found a rhythm, averaging 78.5 points in their last two games. For Western Illinois, ending the lengthy skid will require solving its offensive woes and containing Cameron, who has taken a leading role for the Golden Eagles. Tennessee Tech aims to build on its recent success and solidify its position in the conference standings. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CST Thursday in Algood.