MOREHEAD, Ky. – A strong defensive effort gave the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball squad a chance today but the Skyhawks could not get over the hump late in a 56-38 setback at Morehead State in Ohio Valley Conference play.
UT Martin led for a majority of the first 15-plus minutes before the host Eagles took their first lead with under five minutes to go in the second quarter. Morehead State eventually led by double figures in the third quarter but the Skyhawks battled back to pull within one possession with seven minutes remaining. However, the Eagles concluded the contest on an 18-2 run.
Kenley McCarn paced UT Martin (6-11, 3-3 OVC) in scoring for the 10th time this season, pumping in 17 points. Lexi Rubel (six points, team-best eight rebounds, game-high three steals and two assists) and Anaya Brown (six points, six rebounds, two blocks, two steals) also stuffed the statsheet for the Skyhawks but UT Martin could not overcome 21 turnovers.
Morehead State (10-7, 5-1 OVC) was guided by the duo of Skylar Barnes (20 points) and Veronica Charles (17). The Eagles shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the field in the second half and won the rebounding battle by a 41-25 margin.
“We played like freshmen and sophomores,” Skyhawk head coach Kevin McMillan said. “We were outrebounded 41 to 25 and didn’t have any toughness about us tonight. We couldn’t stay out of foul trouble and we didn’t know how to respond on the fly. We overcame all of that to have a chance late but didn’t play well down the stretch.”
The UT Martin defense set the tone early, limiting Morehead State to 1-of-9 shooting (including 0-for-5 from three-point land) with three turnovers in the opening 6:48. That allowed the Skyhawks to take an 8-2 lead before settling for a 10-7 advantage through 10 minutes. McCarn had six points to guide UT Martin in the first quarter.
After a McCarn jumper from the elbow gave the Skyhawks a 16-12 edge at the 6:51 mark of the second quarter, the Eagles went on an 8-0 run to take its first lead of the contest. A Josie Storey three-pointer and McCarn free throw inside the final 79 seconds of the half knotted the score at 20-all but Morehead State was able to claim a two-point advantage at the break.
McCarn and Barnes each had game-highs of nine points to lead their respective squads at the intermission.
The Eagles accounted for the first seven points of the second half before a turnaround jumper in the paint by Brown at the 3:56 mark. After Morehead State went ahead by 11 points with under two minutes to go in the third quarter, the Skyhawks struck for seven quick unanswered points to get within four before trailing 36-30 after 30 minutes of play.
Back-to-back buckets from Rubel in the early portion of the fourth quarter willed UT Martin to within two points at 38-36. However, the Eagles responsible for the next 11 points, sparking their game-ending run.
The Skyhawks off the rest of the week and will return to the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center for their next two outings, starting with a Thursday, Jan. 25 outing against Southeast Missouri. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. as the game will serve as the frontend of a doubleheader with the men’s team.
