Deniusas Claims Second Of Back-To-Back OVC Freshman Of The Week Honors
11/17/2025 2:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the second time in as many weeks to start the 2025-26 campaign, University of Tennessee at Martin forward Matas Deniusas has been named the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week.
A 6-9, 220-pound product of Vilnius, Lithuania, Deniusas becomes just the fifth different Skyhawk to win the OVC's top rookie accolade in back-to-back weeks – joining Okechi Egbe (January 2000), Marquis Weddle (November/December 2007), Mike Liabo (November/December 2010) and Myles Taylor (December 2011).
Deniusas authored team-highs of 20 points (on just seven field goal attempts) and seven rebounds to go along with three assists in 29 minutes at Bradley, helping UT Martin claim a riveting 78-67 victory last Wednesday. He shot 5-of-7 from the floor – including a 3-for-4 effort from three-point range – and canned seven of his eight free throw tries. In the process, he became the first Skyhawk freshman to score at least 20 points in a game since Anthony Thomas posted 24 points against SIUE on Jan. 30, 2021.
Through three contests, Deniusas ranks inside the top-15 in the OVC in free throw percentage (.824, eighth), scoring (14.0 points per game, 14th) and rebounding (6.3 per contest, 14th). He is shooting an even 50 percent (4-of-8) from beyond the three-point arc and is also distributing 2.3 assists per outing in 22.8 minutes per game.
UT Martin is back in action tomorrow night, traveling to Tallahassee, Fla. for a matchup against Florida State out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tipoff time is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
A 6-9, 220-pound product of Vilnius, Lithuania, Deniusas becomes just the fifth different Skyhawk to win the OVC's top rookie accolade in back-to-back weeks – joining Okechi Egbe (January 2000), Marquis Weddle (November/December 2007), Mike Liabo (November/December 2010) and Myles Taylor (December 2011).
Deniusas authored team-highs of 20 points (on just seven field goal attempts) and seven rebounds to go along with three assists in 29 minutes at Bradley, helping UT Martin claim a riveting 78-67 victory last Wednesday. He shot 5-of-7 from the floor – including a 3-for-4 effort from three-point range – and canned seven of his eight free throw tries. In the process, he became the first Skyhawk freshman to score at least 20 points in a game since Anthony Thomas posted 24 points against SIUE on Jan. 30, 2021.
Through three contests, Deniusas ranks inside the top-15 in the OVC in free throw percentage (.824, eighth), scoring (14.0 points per game, 14th) and rebounding (6.3 per contest, 14th). He is shooting an even 50 percent (4-of-8) from beyond the three-point arc and is also distributing 2.3 assists per outing in 22.8 minutes per game.
UT Martin is back in action tomorrow night, traveling to Tallahassee, Fla. for a matchup against Florida State out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tipoff time is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballSkyhawk Sports Talk - Season 3, Episode 12
Tuesday, November 11
Skyhawk Sports Talk - Season 3, Episode 10
Tuesday, October 28
Skyhawk Sports Talk - Season 2, Episode 27
Thursday, April 10
Skyhawk Sports Talk - Season 2, Episode 26
Thursday, April 10