SEARS REACHES 1,000 CAREER COLLEIGATE POINTS IN SKYHAWK MEN’S HOOPS ROAD OUTING AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

Saturday, November 11

Starkville, Miss.

4 p.m.

UT Martin

1-1,0-0OVC

Mississippi State

2-0,0-0SEC

UT Martin

Mississippi St.

SEARS REACHES 1,000 CAREER COLLEIGATE POINTS IN SKYHAWK MEN’S HOOPS ROAD OUTING AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

11/11/2023 10:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Stats PDF

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Jordan Sears poured in a team-high 21 points to give him 1,000 points in his collegiate career today but the University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball team fell by a 87-63 margin at Mississippi State.

A junior from Daytona Beach, Fla., Sears officially joined the 1,000 point club with a free throw at the 16:38 mark of the first half. The 5-11, 185-pound guard scored 493 points in two seasons at Gardner-Webb and has tossed in 524 points in 34 games in a Skyhawk uniform.

KK Curry chipped in 13 points today for UT Martin, who shot 33.3 percent (21-of-63) from the floor. Issa Muhammad accounted for six points with seven rebounds and a game-high four assists while Jacob Crews hauled in a team-best nine rebounds for the Skyhawks (1-1).

The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 as Josh Hubbard (22 points), Cameron Matthews (12), Trey Fort (11) and Gai Chol (11) all scored in double figures.

"Give credit to Mississippi State," UT Martin head coach Ryan Ridder said. "Those guys are a top-25 program for a reason – they're one of the most physically talented and tough teams we've played. I'm not discouraged by the result – I thought our effort was good but we just struggled to make shots."

Sears (mid-range jump shot) and Muhammad (dunk) helped the Skyhawks take a 4-0 lead early. Following a Desmond Williams layup, the Bulldogs went on a 12-2 run to go ahead 15-8.

Jalen Myers knocked down a jumpshot while Sears followed with a steal and fast break dunk to pull UT Martin back within a single possession (15-12) with 12 minutes remaining in the opening half.

The score was 28-23 in favor of Mississippi State with a little under five minutes to go before the halftime break but the Bulldogs closed out the half with 13 of the final 17 points, taking a 41-27 advantage into the locker room.

Sears' 11 points led all scorers at the half while Matthews was responsible for 10 points to pace Mississippi State.

Buckets from Muhammad and Curry began the second half as the Skyhawks trimmed their deficit to 43-31 at the 18:41 mark. The Bulldogs answered with a 11-2 run but Curry (three-pointer), Williams (layup) and Sears (jumper in the paint) pitched in for a 7-0 UT Martin run immediately thereafter to cut Mississippi State's lead to 54-40.

Sears would later score six consecutive Skyhawk points down the stretch but UT Martin would not get any closer than 14 points down the stretch.

The Skyhawks are back at home this Monday, Nov. 13 as they host Brescia. Tipoff from the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.