UT MARTIN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLAIMS OVC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 78-72 WIN OVER SEMO

Saturday, February 29

Martin, Tenn.

2 p.m.

UT Martin

20-9, 16-2OVC

Southeast Missouri

22-7, 14-4OVC

Southeast Missouri

UT Martin

UT MARTIN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLAIMS OVC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 78-72 WIN OVER SEMO

2/29/2020 8:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score PDF Postgame Press Conference Photo Gallery

MARTIN, Tenn. – For the first time since the 2015-16 season the University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team has reigned supreme over the Ohio Valley Conference, tallying the program's sixth league title with a 78-72 victory over Southeast Missouri on Saturday afternoon.

The Skyhawks (20-9, 16-2 OVC) added to its championship history by clinching a share of the OVC title, joining the championship campaigns of 1998-99, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16. The win also marked the 10th time in which UT Martin has posted 20 wins in a single season. As a result of a tie-breaker with Belmont, the Skyhawks have earned the No. 1 seed in next week's OVC Basketball Championship.

Saturday's game had a tournament feel from the opening tip as the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center buzzed with anticipation and energy throughout the 40-minute contest. While UT Martin held control of the advantage for over 37 minutes of the contest, the game went back-and-forth in the final quarter of play as the score became tied twice and changed hands four times.

Junior forward Chelsey Perry put the finishing touches on her outstanding regular season and potential OVC Player of the Year résumé with a game-high 38 points while tallying six rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks in the contest. Perry finishes the regular season with 479 points scored (26.6 ppg) in OVC play which ranks as the highest single-season scoring output in league play in the past 20 years, surpassing Murray State's Ashley Hayes who held the previous mark with 450 points back in 2009.

Also posting a strong afternoon was fellow junior forward Maddie Waldrop who tallied 17 points, four rebounds and four blocks to rank as the other Skyhawk in double figures. As a whole, the post combination of Perry and Waldrop combined to score 55 of the team's 78 points while Kyannah Grant (nine) and Dasia Young (eight) just missed out on double-digit performances.

Gallery: (2/29/2020) WBB vs. Southeast Missouri

"I tell you what. I don't know if we will win the tournament, but I cannot be more proud of this team," UT Martin head coach Kevin McMillan said. "With all of the adversity this team has faced with injuries all season, I don't know what to say about our kids for what they have done. We have players playing out of position all year, they don't make excuses and someone just continues to step up. We have our work cut out for us next week because I think the league is probably the best that it has been but I am so proud of this team. I hope we can make a really fun run next week."

Southeast Missouri (22-7, 14-4 OVC) answered every blow UT Martin made in the contest with the lead never exceeding nine points. The Redhawks will now advance to the OVC Basketball Championship as the No. 3 seed after the loss. SEMO was led in scoring by Carrie Shephard with 22 points – including six three-pointers – while Roshala Scott (12 points) and Tesia Thompson (11 points) also scored in double figures.

UT Martin will now shift its focus to the OVC Basketball Championship which will be held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. beginning on Wednesday, March 6 in a matchup against No. 8 seed Murray State. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.