SKYHAWK MEN’S HOOPS MAKES BIG PLAYS LATE IN 79-76 OVC ROAD WIN AT SIUE

Saturday, January 25

Edwardsville, Ill.

4:30 p.m.

UT Martin

6-13,2-6OVC

SIUE

5-16,2-6OVC

UT Martin

SIUE

SKYHAWK MEN’S HOOPS MAKES BIG PLAYS LATE IN 79-76 OVC ROAD WIN AT SIUE

1/25/2020 9:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball squad answered the challenge today, stepping up for its first road Ohio Valley Conference road victory of the season in a 79-76 triumph at SIUE.

The Skyhawks won their fifth consecutive game in the Vadalabene Center thanks to a balanced scoring offense and clutch defensive play down the stretch. UT Martin overcame a seven-point halftime deficit by shooting 60.9 percent (14-of-23) in the second half, improving to 6-13 overall with a 2-6 OVC mark in the process.

Quintin Dove came off the bench for the first time today, compiling a game-high 18 points for the Skyhawks. Freshman Ja'Darius Harris earned the first start of his career and excelled, posting 16 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting (3-for-3 from three-point range) and a 3-for-3 effort at the free throw line. He also set career-highs in assists (four) and minutes played (36).

Parker Stewart (16 points, career-high seven assists, three steals), Miles Thomas (14 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals) and Derek Hawthorne, Jr. (game-high nine rebounds, four assists) also helped carry UT Martin to the finish line.

SIUE (5-16, 2-6 OVC) received 18 points out of Shamar Wright while Mike Adewunmi (15 points), Brandon Jackson (14) and Cam Williams (10) also reached double-digits in the scoring column. The Cougars led for 29:31 of clock time but the Skyhawks outrebounded the Cougars by a 31-27 margin and set a season-high in assists against a Division I opponent (20).

"We did what we needed to do – we were not leaving here without a win," UT Martin head coach Anthony Stewart said. "I'm so proud – it was an all-around team effort. We had a long practice here yesterday and we didn't shoot one ball – it was all about defense. When the team buys in, we are pretty good."

Stewart (three-pointer) and Hawthorne (pull-up jumper) scored the first five points of the game as the Skyhawks held a lead for the first five-plus minutes. Thomas sank a three-pointer and had a thunderous dunk off an alley-oop on consecutive scoring possessions to help UT Martin build a 17-12 advantage before SIUE unreeled 10 unanswered points. The Cougars used that momentum to take a 40-33 lead into the locker room at the break.

The Skyhawks were led by Stewart's nine points at the half while Jackson's 10 points paced SIUE.

Dove began the second half with eight straight UT Martin points and Harris soon took over. The Trenton, Tenn. native was responsible for nine consecutive points in a span of 1:33, completing an old-fashioned three-point play before canning a pair of trifectas. The Cougars withstood the Skyhawk push and took their biggest lead of the day (64-55) with 10:49 remaining. A swooping left-handed dunk by Thomas capped off a 12-2 run and made the score 67-66 in favor of UT Martin. The lead traded hands eight times and the score was tied twice over the final 6:41 as Thomas (three) and Stewart joined forces to make three free throws with under a minute left to play. On the other hand, the Skyhawk defense held SIUE without a field goal for the last 3:44 of the contest.

UT Martin heads back on the road for its next two OVC outings, taking on Eastern Kentucky on Thursday, Jan. 30 before traveling to Morehead State on Saturday Feb. 1.

Gallery: (1/25/2020) MBB at SIUE