TOUGH SHOOTING DAY PROVES COSTLY AS UT MARTIN FALLS TO NEBRASKA IN FIRST ROUND OF WNIT 72-46

Friday, March 19

Collierville, Tenn.

11 a.m.

UT Martin

20-6

Nebraska

13-12

UT Martin

Nebraska

TOUGH SHOOTING DAY PROVES COSTLY AS UT MARTIN FALLS TO NEBRASKA IN FIRST ROUND OF WNIT 72-46

3/19/2021 4:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. – After heading into the half trailing by three points, the University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team could not get its shots to fall to offset a second half run by Nebraska, ultimately falling 72-46 in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament at My Town Movers Fieldhouse.

With the loss, the Skyhawks (20-6) will move into the consolation bracket of the Memphis Regional. UT Martin will play Louisiana in the consolation semifinals on Saturday, March 20 at 11 a.m.

UT Martin jumped out to a quick start in the contest, growing a lead as large as six points in the first quarter while holding the advantage for nearly 12 minutes of the first half. Both teams would go back and forth in the opening half in a game which featured 10 lead changes before Nebraska scored a pair of field goals on its final two possession of the half to take an advantage it would not relinquish down the stretch.

Coming out of the intermission, the Huskers would outscore the Skyhawks by 13 in the third quarter behind a 67 percent clip from the field and eight free throws. The four quarter would feature much of the same as the Skyhawks could not find their shooting stroke while the Huskers pushed their lead out to as much as 29 to put the game away.

Outside of the first quarter, the Skyhawks struggled offensively throughout the contest in a game in which they shot just 30.9 percent for the game and 23.8 percent from beyond the arc. UT Martin senior Chelsey Perry returned to the starting lineup and recorded her 17^th career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The game marked the 85^th double-figure contest of Perry's career and 40^th 20-point outing while bringing her career scoring total to 1908 points. Just missing out on double figures was Paige Pipkin with nine points while Maddie Waldrop chipped in eight.

Gallery: (3-19-2021) WBB vs. Nebraska (WNIT)

"I thought we had a great start to the game," UT Martin head coach Kevin McMillan said. "We were all kind of shocked at how they were guarding us because they were letting Chelsey and Maddie shoot. I sat there thinking, if they kept doing that, those two will start making shots and they will be in trouble, that just never happened. I thought we had control of the pace and we executed our gameplan, we just couldn't get our shots to fall today and that was the difference in the contest."

Nebraska (13-12) went shot-for-shot with the Skyhawks in the first half before blowing the game open in the second half by shooting 62.5 percent from the floor while knocking down six three-pointers. The Huskers found good balance throughout their scoring column as well as Isabelle Bourne and Ashley Scoggin led the team with 13 points each while Whitney Brown (12) and Mi'Col Cayton (10) also scored in double figures.

UT Martin will have to quickly recover with a contest against Louisiana scheduled for Saturday, March 20. Action from My Town Movers Fieldhouse is scheduled for 11 a.m.