UT MARTIN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK OVC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP; WALDROP JOINS 1,000 POINT CLUB IN 68-52 WIN AT SIUE

Thursday, February 25

Edwardsville, Ill.

1 p.m.

UT Martin

17-4, 16-2OVC

SIUE

6-18, 3-16OVC

UT Martin

SIUE

UT MARTIN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK OVC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP; WALDROP JOINS 1,000 POINT CLUB IN 68-52 WIN AT SIUE

2/25/2021 5:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team reigns supreme once again with the program's seventh Ohio Valley Conference regular season title and back-to-back championship crown following a 68-52 road victory at SIUE on Thursday afternoon.

The Skyhawks (17-4, 16-2 OVC) clinched the program's seventh league title and sixth under head coach Kevin McMillan. This title joins other championship campaigns in 1998-99, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2019-20. With the team's sixth regular season title since 2011-12, UT Martin is the most decorated program in the OVC this decade. The Skyhawks also tied their program record for most OVC wins in a season with 16 – matching its 2014-15 and 2019-20 squads.

"Of all of the championships we have been able to win, this one has to be one of the toughest ones overall because of all of the issues we have had to face," McMillan said. "We have had to play without our best player – arguably the Player of the Year – for almost half of the conference season. We have four kids that we have had to manage their minutes because of injuries. Then when you add in all of the COVID stuff, it has been hard. I have been impressed with this team because we have had so many different players step in and contribute to a conference championship. The real measuring stick is can you win night in and night out and these kids did. I am extremely proud of what they have been able to do."

Along with the team success, senior Maddie Waldrop placed her name amongst the program's elite by becoming the 17^th member of the 1,000 Point Club – joining teammate Chelsey Perry. With 6:54 to play in the third quarter, Waldrop sank a pair of free throws to notch her 1,000^th point and join former greats Heather Butler, Jasmine Newsome, Mary Kate Long, Zabrina Harris, Tara Tansil-Gentry, Pat Head Summitt, Andreika Jackson, Gwen Long, Emanye Robertson, Amy Watson, Phyllisha Mitchell, Angela Reaves, Ashia Jones, Gina Warren and Crystal Fuller.

"Maddie is very, very deserving for a player that is as selfless as she is," McMillan said. "She is not someone that comes in and says she is going to go out and score a lot of points. She just wants to do what her team needs her to do. I'm glad that she could get to 1,000 because that is a phenomenal feat for anybody in their career."

Waldrop led all scorers with 19 points on the afternoon while securing her 14^th career double-double with 10 rebounds and four assists. Dasia Young extended her streak of scoring in double figures to eight games with 15 points while Damiah Griffin posted a new season-high with 14 points off the bench.

"I am proud of the kids for finishing with a win," McMillan stated. "SIUE was extremely physical and played really hard early. This was their tournament because their season is over this weekend and they played with a lot of energy and effort. I did not think our kids answered it early but then the game sped up and played into our hands. Once we got going, we did a decent job of controlling until we got up big and started to relax a little too much. That team plays really hard and we were fortunate to win here because it's such a hard place to play."

SIUE (6-18, 3-16 OVC) posted one of its better offensive performances of the season, especially in the first half when the team shot 50 percent from the floor and led by as much as 11 points. The Cougars placed three players in double figures led by Ajulu Thatha with 16 points and seven rebounds. Prima Chellis and Kelsie Williams joined Thatha with 11 points each.

UT Martin got off to a sluggish start to the contest, missing its first seven shots and falling behind 11 points with 2:04 to play in the first quarter. The Skyhawks would fight back to trim the deficit to six points heading into the second quarter before later taking their first lead of the contest with 5:30 to play in the first half off a three-pointer by Waldrop on the left wing. The visitors held a lead as large as four points in the first half before heading into the break tied at 31-all.

The Skyhawks would find the needed adjustments during the intermission and score the first six points of the second half to take a lead they would not relinquish. After pushing the margin out to double figures in the third quarter, UT Martin would lead by as much as 20 points midway through the fourth. The Cougars made one final push in the final minutes but could not get closer than 14 points as the Skyhawks recorded their sixth straight road victory.

UT Martin will close out the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 27 with a road matchup at Eastern Illinois. Tipoff from Lantz Arena is scheduled for 1 p.m.