Skyhawks Return Home To Host Western Illinois on New Year’s Day
12/30/2025 4:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
• The University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team couldn't withstand a second-half onslaught by Tennessee Tech in which they were outscored, 46-29, and fell to the Golden Eagles, 74-62, last Saturday in Cookeville. The Skyhawks used a big second quarter in which they outscored Tennessee Tech, 18-10, and took a five-point lead into the locker room at halftime. However, in the second half, UT Martin was outscored, 46-29, and outshot, 48.6 to 40.7, including being outperformed from 3-point range, 55.3 to 14.3. The Skyhawks were also outrebounded in the game, 43-26. Freshman Sidni Middleton notched her second consecutive 20-point game by scoring a game and career-high 25 points, including a 5-for-5 clip at the free throw line. Kenley McCarn added 16 to the Skyhawks' tally, while Brittani Wells finished with seven points and team-highs of five rebounds, six assists and five steals.
• Kenley McCarn currently leads the Skyhawks with 15.0 points per game, while Zy Thompson and Sidni Middleton follow at 11.7 and 10.1, respectively. On the boards, Thompson leads UT Martin with 6.3 rebounds per game, while Wells leads in assists and steals 3.9 and 2.3. As a team, the Skyhawks are averaging 68.4 points and 36.4 rebounds per game, while their opponents average 63.5 and 40.6. They are currently shooting 41.9-percent from the field, 30.2-percent from 3-point range and 72.0-percent at the free throw line.
• Western Illinois enters Saturday's contest at 10-1 overall, 2-0 in OVC play and on a six-game win streak. The Leathernecks currently average a league-best 82.5 points per game, while allowing 59.37. Western Illinois is shooting 46.3-percent from the floor, 33.3-percent from 3-point range and 76.9-percent from the free throw line. On the boards, Leathernecks average 38.5 rebounds per game, while giving up 31.6.
• Mia Nicastro currently leads the OVC in points and rebounds per game at 22.6 and 10.6, respectively. Raegan McCowan follows Nicastro with 17.0 points per game, while Addi Brownfield averages 12.5.
• Thursday will be the eighth all-time meeting between UT Martin and Western Illinois with the Skyhawks holding a 5-2 advantage. UT Martin swept the regular-season series with the Leathernecks last season but fell to them in the OVC tournament. In Martin, the Skyhawks are a perfect 3-0 against Western Illinois.
• Sidni Middleton was named as the OVC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 22) after setting back-to-back career highs with 20 points against Tennessee State and 25 against Tennessee Tech for an average of 22.5 points per game. Against the Tigers, she shot 54.5-percent (6-11) from the field and shot 69.2-percent (9-13) against Golden Eagles. She was also perfect at the free-throw line on the week at 13-for-13.
• Thursday will mark just the second time in program history that the Skyhawks have played on New Year's Day. The last time UT Martin played on the first day of the year it resulted in a 62-58 loss to SIUE at home.
• The Skyhawks currently have the 82nd-best field goal percentage defense in the nation at 37.1, while they rank 36th in the nation in steals per game at 11.5. UT Martin is also 52nd in the country in turnovers forced per game at 20.8.
• Zy Thompson has won all 11 jump balls to start the game this season for the Skyhawks, while Norah Clark won the jump ball to start overtime at UTEP.
• The Skyhawks have made a 3-point field goal in 524 consecutive games, a streak which dates back to Feb. 3, 2009 against Austin Peay and ranks seventh nationally.
• Kenley McCarn has scored 10 or more points in each of the Skyhawks' 11 games this season. She is averaging 15.0 points on the year and has scored 10 or more points in 20 of her last 22 games.
• Kenley McCarn currently leads the Skyhawks with 15.0 points per game, while Zy Thompson and Sidni Middleton follow at 11.7 and 10.1, respectively. On the boards, Thompson leads UT Martin with 6.3 rebounds per game, while Wells leads in assists and steals 3.9 and 2.3. As a team, the Skyhawks are averaging 68.4 points and 36.4 rebounds per game, while their opponents average 63.5 and 40.6. They are currently shooting 41.9-percent from the field, 30.2-percent from 3-point range and 72.0-percent at the free throw line.
• Western Illinois enters Saturday's contest at 10-1 overall, 2-0 in OVC play and on a six-game win streak. The Leathernecks currently average a league-best 82.5 points per game, while allowing 59.37. Western Illinois is shooting 46.3-percent from the floor, 33.3-percent from 3-point range and 76.9-percent from the free throw line. On the boards, Leathernecks average 38.5 rebounds per game, while giving up 31.6.
• Mia Nicastro currently leads the OVC in points and rebounds per game at 22.6 and 10.6, respectively. Raegan McCowan follows Nicastro with 17.0 points per game, while Addi Brownfield averages 12.5.
• Thursday will be the eighth all-time meeting between UT Martin and Western Illinois with the Skyhawks holding a 5-2 advantage. UT Martin swept the regular-season series with the Leathernecks last season but fell to them in the OVC tournament. In Martin, the Skyhawks are a perfect 3-0 against Western Illinois.
• Sidni Middleton was named as the OVC Freshman of the Week (Dec. 22) after setting back-to-back career highs with 20 points against Tennessee State and 25 against Tennessee Tech for an average of 22.5 points per game. Against the Tigers, she shot 54.5-percent (6-11) from the field and shot 69.2-percent (9-13) against Golden Eagles. She was also perfect at the free-throw line on the week at 13-for-13.
• Thursday will mark just the second time in program history that the Skyhawks have played on New Year's Day. The last time UT Martin played on the first day of the year it resulted in a 62-58 loss to SIUE at home.
• The Skyhawks currently have the 82nd-best field goal percentage defense in the nation at 37.1, while they rank 36th in the nation in steals per game at 11.5. UT Martin is also 52nd in the country in turnovers forced per game at 20.8.
• Zy Thompson has won all 11 jump balls to start the game this season for the Skyhawks, while Norah Clark won the jump ball to start overtime at UTEP.
• The Skyhawks have made a 3-point field goal in 524 consecutive games, a streak which dates back to Feb. 3, 2009 against Austin Peay and ranks seventh nationally.
• Kenley McCarn has scored 10 or more points in each of the Skyhawks' 11 games this season. She is averaging 15.0 points on the year and has scored 10 or more points in 20 of her last 22 games.
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