Deniusas Earns Eighth Ohio Valley Conference Freshman Of The Week Award
1/19/2026 12:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The Ohio Valley Conference has crowned University of Tennessee at Martin forward Matas Deniusas as its Freshman of the Week in men's basketball for the eighth time this season, the league announced this afternoon.
Deniusas extends his own Skyhawk record for most OVC Freshman of the Week accolades and now owns the ninth-most honors in the history of the 48-year award.
A 6-9, 220-pounder out of Vilnius, Lithuania, Deniusas averaged 12.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.5 steals while helping UT Martin to a home sweep of SIUE (65-59 win on Thursday) and Lindenwood (69-55 victory on Saturday).
Deniusas came away with the first double-double of his young career against SIUE, collecting 11 points with a career-best 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He followed that with an impressive stat line of 14 points, seven rebounds, a career-high four blocks, three assists and a career-best three steals against Lindenwood.
According to StatHead Basketball, Deniusas became only the 11th NCAA Division I freshman to accomplish a stat line of at least 14 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, three assists and three steals against a Division I opponent since the 2004-05 season. His performance against Lindenwood was the first such outing since Air Force's Corbin Green reached those numbers on Nov. 30, 2022 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Deniusas currently ranks in the top-15 in the OVC in blocks (1.05 per game, seventh), free throw percentage (.764, 10th), rebounding (5.47 per contest, 12th) and scoring (13.37 points per outing, 13th).
The OVC-leading Skyhawks are back in action tomorrow as they travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo. for a 7:30 p.m. tilt against Southeast Missouri. Tipoff time from the Show Me Center is set for 7:30 p.m.
Deniusas extends his own Skyhawk record for most OVC Freshman of the Week accolades and now owns the ninth-most honors in the history of the 48-year award.
A 6-9, 220-pounder out of Vilnius, Lithuania, Deniusas averaged 12.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.5 steals while helping UT Martin to a home sweep of SIUE (65-59 win on Thursday) and Lindenwood (69-55 victory on Saturday).
Deniusas came away with the first double-double of his young career against SIUE, collecting 11 points with a career-best 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He followed that with an impressive stat line of 14 points, seven rebounds, a career-high four blocks, three assists and a career-best three steals against Lindenwood.
According to StatHead Basketball, Deniusas became only the 11th NCAA Division I freshman to accomplish a stat line of at least 14 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, three assists and three steals against a Division I opponent since the 2004-05 season. His performance against Lindenwood was the first such outing since Air Force's Corbin Green reached those numbers on Nov. 30, 2022 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Deniusas currently ranks in the top-15 in the OVC in blocks (1.05 per game, seventh), free throw percentage (.764, 10th), rebounding (5.47 per contest, 12th) and scoring (13.37 points per outing, 13th).
The OVC-leading Skyhawks are back in action tomorrow as they travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo. for a 7:30 p.m. tilt against Southeast Missouri. Tipoff time from the Show Me Center is set for 7:30 p.m.
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