Exactly one year after UTM defeated the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks by 33 points, the Skyhawk women’s basketball team followed that up with a 74-47 win over the very same Redhawk squad.
The win comes as a huge momentum boost as they prepare for a rough five-game road test against non-conference opponents Cincinnati, Vanderbilt and Louisville and Ohio Valley Conference opponents Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State.
The Skyhawks shot well to open the game and grabbed a quick lead early in the first quarter. However, Miami was able to bounce back and took the lead away from UTM before the halfway point in the first quarter, but a four minute scoring drought and a 13-1 UTM run gave the Skyhawks a 25-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The UTM defense stepped up big time in the second quarter, holding the Redhawks to seven points off of 15 percent shooting (2-13). In the meantime, UTM went on several runs in the second quarter to extend their lead and eventually went to the locker room at halftime with a 50-22 advantage.
The second half was a different story shooting the ball for the Skyhawks. UTM started the third quarter shooting well and actually extended their lead to 37 midway through the quarter, but an 11-0 run by Miami cut the Skyhawk’s lead to 26. UTM rebounded a little before the end of the third quarter and managed to extend their lead back out to 31 points at the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter was not a good quarter for the Skyhawks shooting-wise. The Skyhawks only scored nine points and shot 15 percent (2-13) in the quarter. Fortunately for the Skyhawks, Miami could not muster enough offense to get over the large hump UTM set in the first half. Miami would close the gap, but UTM would later go on to defeat the Redhawks 74-47.
The Skyhawks were led by senior guard Haley Howard, who finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Daijia Ruffin and Katie Schubert both finished behind her with 11 points and Shy Copney, who tallied 11 points in her Skyhawk debut Saturday against Evansville, scored 10 points. Miami’s leading scorer was Baleigh Reid, who tallied 16 points.
Despite shooting 50 percent in the first half, the Skyhawks finished the game shooting only 39 percent (23-59). The Skyhawks also shot 34 percent from 3-point range (13-38) and 63 percent from the free-throw line (15-24). Miami finished the game shooting 31 percent (16-52), 50 percent from 3-point range (5-20) and 77 percent from the free-throw line (10-13). The Skyhawks also out-rebounded the Redhawks 43-34.
UTM’s next game is Friday, Dec. 18 against Cincinnati. Tipoff between the Skyhawks and the Bearcats is scheduled for 6 p.m.
