UT Martin Hosts Kentucky Christian For Second Straight Year As Part Of Free 2025-26 Home Opener

Sunday, November 9

Martin, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

UT Martin

Kentucky Christian

UT Martin Hosts Kentucky Christian For Second Straight Year As Part Of Free 2025-26 Home Opener

11/8/2025 9:13:00 AM | Men's Basketball

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MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin's 2025-26 men's basketball home opener is against a repeat opponent from last season as the Skyhawks host Kentucky Christian at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and admission is free.

Meeting on the hardwood for the first time ever almost exactly a year ago, UT Martin posted a 114-61 victory over the NAIA opponent out of Grayson, Ky. AJ Hopkins (12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three-point range) and Afan Trnka (11 points, six assists, career-best five steals) both had big games for the Skyhawks, who sank 16 three-pointers and went a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line.

UT Martin (1-0) is coming off one of its biggest wins in recent memory, dispatching UNLV on Tuesday for the program's first win over a current Mountain West Conference opponent. The Skyhawk duo of Andrija Bukumirović and Dragos Lungu joined forces for 46 points - the highest of any UT Martin pair in a season opener since 2008 - on 15-of-21 combined shooting (71.4 percent). Filip Radaković added 10 points with team-highs of six rebounds and six assists while Matas Deniusas (11 points, team-best six rebounds) and Filip Petkovski (five points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals) became the first Skyhawk freshman tandem to crack the starting lineup in a season opener since 2010.

This will be the second exhibition against a NCAA Division I team so far in the early season for the Knights as Kentucky Christian (0-4) fell by a 98-57 margin at Liberty on Monday. The Knights have already played four games so far in 2025-26, including an 88-77 setback at Ohio Christian on Wednesday. Jayden Loydd registered 27 points and rebounds while D'Angelo Stoxstill (15 points on 6-of-8 shooting) and Parker Watts (12 points, team-best seven rebounds) also paced Kentucky Christian. Stoxstill (16 points) and fellow starter Lemar Northington II (11 points) each performed well against UT Martin last season.

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ while fans can tune into the radio broadcast locally on WCMT 1410 AM/100.5 FM. Those links – plus a link to live stats and Skyhawk game notes – can be found above.