UT MARTIN MEN’S BASKETBALL SCRAPS BUT SECOND HALF TOO MUCH AGAINST NO. 10 BAYLOR

Wednesday, December 18

Houston, Texas

9 p.m.

UT Martin

3-7

Baylor

9-1

UT Martin

Baylor

UT MARTIN MEN’S BASKETBALL SCRAPS BUT SECOND HALF TOO MUCH AGAINST NO. 10 BAYLOR

12/19/2019 1:40:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score PDF Boxscore

HOUSTON, Texas – The University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball team traded blows with No. 10 Baylor during the first half this evening but the Bears pulled away late in a 91-63 decision in the first-ever Battleground2k19 event.

UT Martin (3-7) outrebounded the Big 12 Conference opponent by a 40-38 margin, snagging 19 offensive rebounds. The Skyhawks played an inspired first half, trailing by just one point with three minutes to go but Baylor began the second stanza on a 17-7 run and never looked back.

Parker Stewart led UT Martin in scoring for the sixth time this season, generating 18 points thanks in large part to five 3-pointers. Miles Thomas tallied a career-best 17 points (on 7-of-9 shooting) in only 20 minutes off the bench while Quintin Dove contributed 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Baylor (9-1) placed five scorers in double figures, led by Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell's 19 points apiece. MaCio Teague (12), Mark Vital (11) and Flo Thamba (11) each added double-digit scoring performances for the Bears, who won their eighth consecutive game behind an offense that shot 62.2 percent (23-of-37) in the final 20 minutes.

The Skyhawks led early after a Hannes Polla lay-in at the 18:34 mark of the first half. A 16-3 Baylor run followed but UT Martin accounted for the next nine points of the game behind Stewart (three-pointer), Eric Rustin (old-fashioned three-point play) and Thomas (three-pointer). The Skyhawks later went on an 8-2 run as a Dove dunk sliced the Bear lead to 31-30 with 3:04 to play before the halftime break. Baylor scored the final seven points of the first half to claim a 38-30 advantage at the intermission.

Stewart's 12 points led all scorers in the first half while Butler notched nine points to guide the Bears.

Following a Baylor bucket on its opening possession of the second half, Stewart knocked down a trifecta to get UT Martin back within single-digits (40-33). Following a free throw by Jordan Pierce with 17:45 remaining, the Bears unreeled eight unanswered points. A long two-pointer by Eman Sertovic at the 11:21 mark was the Skyhawks' lone field goal over a five-minute stretch to aid Baylor in extending its lead out to 76-45. Thomas compiled 12 of UT Martin's final 18 points in the last 6:14 of the contest as he enjoyed the best game of his young Skyhawk career.

After a 50-day layoff inbetween home games, UT Martin finally returns to the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center for its next contest. The Skyhawks will play host to NCAA Division III opponent Mount St. Joseph on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m.

Gallery: (12/19/2019) MBB vs. Baylor (Battleground2k19)