The UTM men’s basketball team played one of its best defensive games of the season this evening, gliding past Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) rival Tennessee Tech by a 74-62 margin at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center.
The Skyhawks led by as many as 31 points tonight, relying on defensive intensity to create some separation on the scoreboard. The 62 points were the fewest by a UTM Division I opponent this season while the Skyhawks limited the Golden Eagles to 39.1 percent shooting (25-of-64) and 25.7 percent accuracy from three-point range (9-of-35) – both season-lows by a UTM Division I opponent in 2019-20.
Not to be overshadowed, the Skyhawk offense connected on 50 percent (28-for-56) of their field goal tries, recording 21 assists on 28 made baskets. Quintin Dove compiled a team-best 19 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists this evening, leading UTM in scoring for the ninth time this season. Parker Stewart flirted with a triple-double (16 points, eight rebounds, career-best eight assists) while Derek Hawthorne, Jr. (16 points, seven rebounds, four assists) and Ja’Darrius Harris (10 points) also scored in double figures for the Skyhawks (7-15, 3-8 OVC).
Tennessee Tech (5-19, 2-9 OVC) was keyed by Jr. Clay’s 17 points, six assists and three steals. Keishawn Davidson chipped in 13 points for a Golden Eagle squad who never led during the contest.
“I’m proud of my guys,” UTM head coach Anthony Stewart said. “I challenged them – we guarded hard in practice this week. Tonight, we closed out on their shooters, we were willing to take charges, we were in our gaps, we defensive rebounded and we played as hard as we could on defense so I was happy with that effort.”
The first half was all Skyhawks as Dove scored eight points during the Skyhawks’ 15-5 lead to begin the game. A layup by Eric Rustin at the 9:53 mark pushed UTM’s advantage out to 24-10 before a 10-0 Skyhawk run extended their lead out to 36-14 with 3:36 to go before the break. Miles Thomas and Harris each added a three-pointer before an electric fast break dunk by Harris doubled up Tennessee Tech (44-22) at the intermission.
Dove and Harris tallied 15 and 10 points, respectively, for UTM in the first stanza as the Golden Eagles could only manage a 30 percent (9-of-30) shooting effort from the floor in the opening 20 minutes.
Dunks by Miles Thomas and Dove began the second-half scoring for the Skyhawks before Hawthorne splashed a three-pointer at the 14:23 mark that resulted in UTM’s biggest lead of the contest (58-27). Tennessee Tech soon went on a 9-0 run but another Hawthorne trifecta with 8:48 remaining increased the Skyhawk advantage out to 68-40 and UT Martin’s lead was never in jeopardy throughout.
The Skyhawks close out a short two-game homestand this Saturday, Feb. 8 when they take on Jacksonville State at approximately 4 p.m. as part of an “Alumni Day” doubleheader. Immediately following the conclusion of the women’s game, all-time UTM great Jared Newson will have his jersey retired alongside Skyhawk women’s legends Heather Butler and Jasmine Newsome.
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