The Skyhawks (8-3, 7-1 OVC) and Belmont Bruins (6-4, 3-2 OVC) fought until the bitter end in a game that featured 12 lead changes and six ties, but ultimately, UTM came out on top and now sit on top of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) with a 66-63 win over Belmont.
As usual, the Skyhawks were led offensively by reigning OVC Player of the Week in senior forward Chelsey Perry’s 24 points, leading all players in the contest. Fellow senior forward Maddie Waldrop came up big with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double. Perry and Waldrop were forces to be reckoned with defensively as Perry registered four blocked shots and Waldrop recorded eight defensive rebounds.
The rest of UTM’s starting lineup excelled both defensively and through their playmaking ability. Sophomore forward Dasia Young pitched in offensively with eight points (tied for third on the team) and five total rebounds. Sophomore guard Seygan Robins and junior guard Paige Pipkin both earned four assists. UTM’s bench was also getting on the scoreboard, as junior guard Kyannah Grant and junior forward Damiah Griffin both scored eight points.
The Bruins featured a well-balanced offensive attack, as four players scored into the double-digits. Guard Destinee Wells led the way with 19 points and anchored the backcourt with six defensive rebounds and two steals. Guard Maddie Cook led the Bruins in rebounds with nine total.
Two consecutive free throws by Perry opened up the scoring, allowing the Skyhawks to take an early 2-0 lead within the first minute. Over the next three minutes, both squads tied up the score three times. A three by Belmont guard Tuti Jones gave the Bruins some separation at 6:48 with a 9-6 lead. However, it was the Skyhawks that reached the double-digits first, as a Waldrop layup put UTM up 10-9 at the 3:56 mark. Following Waldrop’s tie-breaking layup, the Bruins embarked on an 11-6 run to close out the first quarter with a 22-16 lead.
Belmont appeared to keep riding their first quarter momentum when they scored the first bucket of the second quarter, going up 24-16 at the 8:41 mark. However, that layup would be the last points scored by the Bruins until the 1:33 mark of quarter two. The Skyhawks rallied and held Belmont in check on defense while Perry (five points), Young (two points) and Griffin (two points) helped the Skyhawks close the deficit and snag a brief 25-24 lead. The Bruins went on to reclaim the lead, going into halftime up 30-27.
Quarter three saw yet another tie as a three by Robins locked up both squads at 36-36 at the 6:48 mark. After another back-and-forth, the score was tied up once again by with a free throw by Wells at 4:04, but another free throw immediately broke the tie at 41-40. Griffin’s jumper at 3:07 put the Skyhawks up again 42-41. The Bruins kept clawing at their slight deficit, but combined shooting from Perry and Young kept UTM up on the scoreboard. The final quarter was set for a dramatic finish, as the Skyhawks held a slim 51-44 lead.
Despite some early scoring from UTM, a three by Jones gave Belmont the slightest of leads with a 57-56 advantage at 5:54. Wells tied up the score 58-58 at the 3:53 mark, but a three by Young and two consecutive free throws by Perry gave UTM some separation with a 63-58 score. Wells attempted to single-handedly carry Belmont back to the top with a a jumper and a three, but a layup by Waldrop sandwhiched in between Wells’ scores kept the Skyhawks afloat. Wells’ three-pointer at 0:38 was the last time Belmont would strike, and the Skyhawks defended their turf with a 66-63 victory.
Unlike most of their performances, UTM’s bench played a pivotal role on the scoreboard. UTM’s 16 points to Belmont’s seven from the bench was key, with Griffin and Grant contributing the most. The Skyhawks dominated in the paint, scoring 30 to Belmont’s 14 in that regard.
“Today was a weird game,” UTM head coach Kevin McMillan said, according to Sports Information. “I thought both teams got big leads, gave up big leads and didn’t execute well. I thought Belmont outplayed us and had better effort than we did. The only thing we did do well in this game was figure out a way to win. We are going to have to get better but I am proud that we found a way to win.”
With the win, the Skyhawks sit at the top of the OVC standings, with the reigning OVC tournament champions in Southeast Missouri (8-5, 6-2 OVC) sitting in second. The Skyhawks will look to retain their top spot on Jan. 28 when they welcome the Eastern Illinois Panthers (7-8, 5-5 OVC) to the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center.
Photo Credits / Sports Information
