By: Andrew Gavin (@GBGavin)
GreenBayPhoenix.com

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - Sophomore Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill.) scored 18 points and senior Brennan Cougill (Sioux City, Iowa) added 17 points as Green Bay (3-5) continued its brutal road schedule on Thursday night, but Tennessee Tech (5-3) pulled out a hard-fought 74-68 win in non-conference men's basketball action. Green Bay, currently on a three-game road trip, is in the midst of seven of eight games away from home.

Leading 38-36 at the break despite playing all but 16 minutes without junior Alec Brown (Winona, Minn.), Green Bay fell behind by nine early in the second half after the Golden Eagles started on an 11-2 lead. The Phoenix still trailed by seven (59-52) with 6:12 to play, but Cougill scored six-straight points and Sykes converted a three-point play as part of a 9-2 run to tie it at 61-61 with 4:10 to play.

After a triple by Lanerryl Johnson, Cougill scored on a layup and Sykes split a pair of free throws to tie it again with 2:59 remaining. The teams traded stops before Sykes cut the margin to two with 52 ticks on the clock. On the other end, Johnson hit a tough layup to make it 70-66, and the Golden Eagles made their last four free throws to win the game.

Sykes made 7-of-13 shots from the field to lead the team with 18 points. Cougill, who hit a buzzer beater to end the first half, was an efficient 7-of-11 from the floor in adding his 17. Brown was limited to just six points in 22 minutes.

Senior Jud Dillard led TTU with 23 points while Johnson added 22 off the bench. The Golden Eagles shot 45.3 percent from the field and knocked down 9-of-21 from long range. Green Bay made 23-of-50 shots from the field (46 percent) but connected on just 4-of-14 three-pointers.

Freshman Jordan Fouse (Racine, Wis.) had another great game on the glass for the Phoenix, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.

Green Bay will conclude its three-game road trip on Wednesday night at Wisconsin, with tip-off at the Kohl Center set for 8 p.m. The game will be televised live by the Big Ten Network.

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