Thursday, January 8
Morehead, Ky.
6:30 p.m.
UT Martin
12-4,4-1OVC
76
at
68
Morehead State
7-9,3-2OVC
1
2
F
UT Martin
32
44
76
Morehead St.
43
25
68
Skyhawks Rally From 16 Down For First Win At Morehead State Since 2005
1/8/2026 11:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MOREHEAD, Ky. – A trademark hard-nosed defense once again propelled the University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball squad this evening as the Skyhawks erased a 16-point deficit in a 76-68 triumph at Morehead State.
The win snapped a 16-game skid for the Skyhawks inside Ellis T. Johnson Arena as UT Martin (12-4, 4-1 Ohio Valley Conference) last won inside that building on Dec. 19, 2005 before tonight.
The Skyhawks trailed 40-24 with 1:18 to go in the first half but turned up the defensive intensity in the final 20 minutes, limiting the Eagles to 25 percent (7-of-28) shooting – including an 0-for-9 effort from three-point land – in the final 20 minutes.
Andrija Bukumirović tallied a game-high 18 points to lead five UT Martin scorers in double figures. Afan Trnka pumped in a season-best 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting (3-for-3 from three-point range) while Filip Radaković produced 13 points, five rebounds and a team-high four assists. The freshman duo of Matas Deniusas (team-best seven rebounds) and Pedro Santos (3-of-5 shooting) each scored 10 points apiece for the Skyhawks, who flipped the game with a 20-4 run in a span of 5:01.
Morehead State (7-9, 3-2 OVC) was led by 13 points and 13 rebounds out of Jon Carroll. The Eagles also received 13 points from Vince Dawson III and 12 points out of Tamaury Releford.
"Obviously, we didn't play well in the first half but I'm so proud of our guys," UT Martin head coach Jeremy Shulman. "It was a hostile environment and we stayed calm, cool and collected in the entire second half. We executed really well – we say 'players play and tough guys win' and our guys knew we were better than the effort that we showed in the first half. We dug deep but now our focus needs to be playing like that for the full 40 minutes."
Nine lead changes took place in the first 6:33 as both teams jockeyed for early momentum. Morehead State went on a 17-4 run to go on top by double digits (25-13) with 7:40 to go before the halftime break.
After the Eagles led 40-24, Filip Petkovski helped the Skyhawks trim their halftime deficit to 43-32 with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from just inside halfcourt. Bukumirović guided UT Martin with eight points in the first 20 minutes while Dawson topped Morehead State with 13 points.
Trnka and Santos began the second half with triples, lighting a fire under the Skyhawk rally. A Deniusas layup at the 16:29 mark pulled UT Martin within a single possession at 44-41.
The Eagles were able to go back ahead by nine points with 12:42 remaining but the Skyhawks scored 15 of the next 17 points, capped off with a Trnka three-pointer with 8:36 to go.
UT Martin did not trail in the final 9:05 as Bukumirović pieced together eight consecutive points to help carry the Skyhawks to the finish line. Morehead State did trim its deficit to 71-68 with 37 ticks left but the trio of Bukumirović, Deniusas and Santos combined to swish five of six free throws from that point forward.
UT Martin's OVC road trip continues on Saturday, Jan. 10 as the Skyhawks trek to Southern Indiana for a 7:30 tipoff on ESPN+.
The win snapped a 16-game skid for the Skyhawks inside Ellis T. Johnson Arena as UT Martin (12-4, 4-1 Ohio Valley Conference) last won inside that building on Dec. 19, 2005 before tonight.
The Skyhawks trailed 40-24 with 1:18 to go in the first half but turned up the defensive intensity in the final 20 minutes, limiting the Eagles to 25 percent (7-of-28) shooting – including an 0-for-9 effort from three-point land – in the final 20 minutes.
Andrija Bukumirović tallied a game-high 18 points to lead five UT Martin scorers in double figures. Afan Trnka pumped in a season-best 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting (3-for-3 from three-point range) while Filip Radaković produced 13 points, five rebounds and a team-high four assists. The freshman duo of Matas Deniusas (team-best seven rebounds) and Pedro Santos (3-of-5 shooting) each scored 10 points apiece for the Skyhawks, who flipped the game with a 20-4 run in a span of 5:01.
Morehead State (7-9, 3-2 OVC) was led by 13 points and 13 rebounds out of Jon Carroll. The Eagles also received 13 points from Vince Dawson III and 12 points out of Tamaury Releford.
"Obviously, we didn't play well in the first half but I'm so proud of our guys," UT Martin head coach Jeremy Shulman. "It was a hostile environment and we stayed calm, cool and collected in the entire second half. We executed really well – we say 'players play and tough guys win' and our guys knew we were better than the effort that we showed in the first half. We dug deep but now our focus needs to be playing like that for the full 40 minutes."
Nine lead changes took place in the first 6:33 as both teams jockeyed for early momentum. Morehead State went on a 17-4 run to go on top by double digits (25-13) with 7:40 to go before the halftime break.
After the Eagles led 40-24, Filip Petkovski helped the Skyhawks trim their halftime deficit to 43-32 with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from just inside halfcourt. Bukumirović guided UT Martin with eight points in the first 20 minutes while Dawson topped Morehead State with 13 points.
Trnka and Santos began the second half with triples, lighting a fire under the Skyhawk rally. A Deniusas layup at the 16:29 mark pulled UT Martin within a single possession at 44-41.
The Eagles were able to go back ahead by nine points with 12:42 remaining but the Skyhawks scored 15 of the next 17 points, capped off with a Trnka three-pointer with 8:36 to go.
UT Martin did not trail in the final 9:05 as Bukumirović pieced together eight consecutive points to help carry the Skyhawks to the finish line. Morehead State did trim its deficit to 71-68 with 37 ticks left but the trio of Bukumirović, Deniusas and Santos combined to swish five of six free throws from that point forward.
UT Martin's OVC road trip continues on Saturday, Jan. 10 as the Skyhawks trek to Southern Indiana for a 7:30 tipoff on ESPN+.
Team Stats
UTM
More
FG%
.472
.421
3FG%
.333
.318
FT%
.667
.684
RB
30
33
TO
10
13
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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