UT MARTIN MEN’S HOOPS CANNOT PROTECT HALFTIME LEAD IN 80-62 LOSS AT ETSU

Saturday, December 8

Johnson City, Tenn.

3 P.M.

UT Martin

3-4

ETSU

8-3

UT Martin

ETSU

UT MARTIN MEN’S HOOPS CANNOT PROTECT HALFTIME LEAD IN 80-62 LOSS AT ETSU

12/8/2018 6:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Despite 21 points off the bench from junior guard Preston Parks, the University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball team let an eight-point second half lead slip away in an 80-62 setback at ETSU this afternoon.

The Skyhawks (3-4) took a 38-33 advantage into the locker room at the halftime break and went on top by a 41-33 margin after an old-fashioned three-point play by Quintin Dove on the first possession of the second half. However, the host Buccaneers went on an 11-0 run midway through the second half and would not relinquish the lead over the final 10:25 of the contest.

Parks went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line and also added three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 36 minutes. Dove made six of his 12 field goal attempts and also went 6-of-7 from the charity stripe for a total of 18 points. Derek Hawthorne, Jr. (six points, five rebounds, four steals, two assists), Kevin Little (team-high three assists, three steals) and Parrish Hewitt (team-high seven rebounds) also led a UT Martin squad who shot 83.3 percent (15-of-18) from the free throw line but could only manage a 35.0 percent shooting effort from the floor (21-of-60).

ETSU improved to 8-3 after Jeromy Rodriguez compiled game-highs of 21 points and 16 rebounds. Tray Boyd III notched 20 points while Patrick Good and Mladen Armus tallied 14 and 10 points, respectively. The Buccaneers were forced into 17 turnovers but shot 50.8 percent (31-of-61) – including a near-59 percent clip in the last 20 minutes.

The Skyhawks scored the first five points of the game as the duo of Dove and Parks carried the offense for a majority of the opening half. The eighth tie of the first half (27-all) took place at the 5:42 mark but UT Martin would soon score 11 of 13 points during one span to claim a 36-29 advantage with just under three minutes to go in the half. ETSU answered with five straight points before Fatodd Lewis made a layup to provide the 38-33 halftime score. Dove (13 points) and Parks (11) were the only double-digit scorers in the first half while Boyd's eight points guided the Buccaneers.

The Skyhawks maintained their eight-point advantage after a Delfincko Bogan trifecta at the 18:07 mark but ETSU managed three treys in a four-minute span to start chipping away. A layup by Jailen Gill and three-pointer from Parks helped UT Martin keep its lead before the aforementioned 11-0 Buccaneer run. The Skyhawks could only tally three field goals over the final 10:45 as ETSU added another 9-2 run in the closing minutes.

UT Martin will take this week off for fall final exams before returning home to take on Brescia on Saturday, Dec. 15. Tipoff from the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center is set for 7:30 p.m.