UT MARTIN MEN’S BASKETBALL HOLDS FIRST OFFICIAL PRACTICE OF 2019-20 SEASON

MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball team opened its practice season this morning as the Skyhawks took the floor at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center.

Expectations are high around the UT Martin men's basketball program in 2019-20 as the Skyhawks have been picked to finish third in the Ohio Valley Conference by both Blue Ribbon and Lindy's national publications. UT Martin returns three starters and welcome in a plethora of talented newcomers as fourth-year head coach Anthony Stewart looks to guide the Skyhawks back to the top of the OVC.

The senior trio of Quintin Dove, Craig Randall II and Derek Hawthorne, Jr. give UT Martin an experienced core. Dove earned All-OVC second team honors last season after averaging 13.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in only 23.8 minutes per game. He ranked fourth in the OVC (and 24^th nationally) with a .597 field goal percentage and also ranked sixth in the league with an .810 free throw percentage. Randall joined the Skyhawks as a mid-year transfer on Jan. 7 and made an immediate splash, averaging 16.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest. He became just the 11^th player in OVC history to win the league's Newcomer of the Week award three consecutive times. Hawthorne was a model of consistency in 2018-19, averaging 9.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 28.0 minutes per game. He ranked ninth in the OVC in three-point field goal percentage (.412) in league play and scored in double-digits 13 different times.

A duo of backcourt returners also return for UT Martin after sitting out last season. Parker Stewart, the son of head coach Anthony Stewart, will make his highly anticipated Skyhawk debut after transferring from Pittsburgh. As a freshman, he ranked in the top-five in the Atlantic Coast Conference in three-point field goal percentage (.425) and three-pointers (2.7 per game) in league play. Trenten Williams averaged 13.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game in his final season at Gillette College in 2017-18 but will redshirt for the second straight season after suffering an injury in the offseason.

Stewart inked 10 newcomers to UT Martin's 2019-20 roster – landing five juniors, one sophomore and four freshmen. Miles Thomas was a first team All-American last season at Walters State Community College, tossing in 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals per outing. He and Steve Wooten, Jr. (14.6 points, 7.6 rebounds last year at Mineral Area College) look to provide some frontcourt scoring punch.

Four newcomers measure in at 6-10 or higher as the Skyhawks look to enforce the paint in 2019-20. Hannes Polla (6-11 Oklahoma transfer) and Jordan Pierce (7-0 from Odessa College) are juniors while freshmen Isaac Aguiar (6-10) and Eric Rustin (7-1) also give UT Martin one of the tallest frontcourts in the mid-major ranks.

Speedster Jalen Riley, knockdown shooter Eman Sertovic and do-it-all Ja'Darius Harris provide the Skyhawks with firepower in the backcourt.

Ajani Kennedy, who led the Big West Conference with a .464 three-point field goal percentage as a sophomore last year at UC Riverside, also joined UT Martin but will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Gallery: (9/27/2019) MBB First Practice

UT MARTIN MEN’S BASKETBALL HOLDS FIRST OFFICIAL PRACTICE OF 2019-20 SEASON

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Players Mentioned

Isaac Aguiar

Quintin Dove

Ja'Darius Harris

Derek Hawthorne, Jr.

Ajani Kennedy

Jordan Pierce

Hannes Polla

Jalen Riley

Eric Rustin

Eman Sertovic

Parker Stewart

Miles Thomas

Trenten Williams

Steve Wooten, Jr.

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