UT MARTIN MEN’S BASKETBALL GRINDS OUT 76-73 WIN OVER BOSTON UNIVERSITY; DOVE NAMED TO CANCUN CHALLENGE ALL-TOURNAMENT SQUAD

Wednesday, November 27

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

11:30 a.m.

UT Martin

3-4

Boston University

3-5

UT Martin

Boston University

UT MARTIN MEN’S BASKETBALL GRINDS OUT 76-73 WIN OVER BOSTON UNIVERSITY; DOVE NAMED TO CANCUN CHALLENGE ALL-TOURNAMENT SQUAD

11/27/2019 4:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – For the second time this season, the University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball squad overcame a double-digit deficit to emerge victorious, as the Skyhawks turned away Boston University, 76-73, in their Cancun Challenge finale.

UT Martin (3-4) found itself in a 12-point hole in the middle stages of the first half before Craig Randall II took over. Coming off the bench for the first time this season, the senior southpaw scored 20 of his game-high 25 points in the opening half – including 14 points in the final 2:48 before the halftime intermission. Six ties and eight lead changes followed in the second half before the Skyhawks held on for the impressive victory over a Terriers squad that defeated South Carolina eight days ago.

Quintin Dove tossed in 16 of his 20 points in the second half as the senior forward also snared a team-best seven rebounds. Following the second game of the day, Dove was named to the Cancun Challenge All-Tournament Team. The 6-8, 210-pound Cleveland, Ohio native averaged 19.0 points and 5.5 rebounds over the two games played in Mexico (15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in four overall games in the event).

Derek Hawthorne, Jr. extended his double-figure scoring streak to seven games, securing 11 points today to go along with six rebounds for a UT Martin squad that claimed a 40-28 advantage in points in the paint.

Boston (3-5) placed four of its starters in double-digits in the scoring column. Max Mahoney and Jonas Harper each tallied 14 points while Alex Vilarino (13) and Walter Whyte (10) also posted solid performances.

The Terriers collected the first five points of the game before a Parker Stewart layup at the 18:19 mark got the Skyhawks on the scoreboard. Boston later scored eight of 10 points during one stretch and moments later nabbed a 29-17 lead with 7:46 left to play in the first half. UT Martin charged back behind the hot left hand of Randall, who scored all of the Skyhawk points during a 14-4 run to close out the half. The Youngstown, Ohio native converted a tough layup in the middle of four trifectas – including a stepback jumper from the left wing with eight seconds left that gave UT Martin its first lead of the day (41-40) at the break.

Randall's 20 points in 14 minutes led all scorers at halftime while Harper tallied 11 points to guide the Terriers.

Boston quickly raced out to a six-point advantage just over four minutes in to the start of the second half. The Skyhawks reclaimed the lead after a 9-0 run that included five points from Randall, two from Dove and two from Jalen Riley. The Terriers would not go away, building a 63-58 lead midway through the stanza before a driving Hawthorne layup at the 3:25 mark bumped UT Martin ahead by a 70-68 margin. The two sides swapped leads on the next four possessions as Stewart toed the line for two clutch free throws to make the score 74-73 in favor of the Skyhawks with 55 seconds remaining. Following a defensive stop, Dove calmly sank a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left and UT Martin thwarted a last-second three-point try from Boston.

The Skyhawks continue an eight-game road swing next Friday, Dec. 6 when they travel to Central Michigan. Tipoff from Mount Pleasant, Mich. is set for 6 p.m.

Gallery: (11/27/2019) MBB vs. Boston Univ. (Cancun Challenge)