CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Like many times this season, the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team went on the road and came away with a victory, knocking off Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri by a final margin of 64-61.
With the win and an Eastern Illinois loss, the Skyhawks (13-14, 10-6 OVC) moved into a tie for second place in the league standings with two games remaining in the regular season. UT Martin also put a bow on its road slate, finishing conference play with a 7-2 record in enemy territory, while sweeping the season series against Southeast Missouri.
The game featured a back-and-forth narrative with the lead changing hands 11 times while SEMO held the game’s advantage for 23 minutes of action. UT Martin continued to fight however, closing the first half on a 15-3 run to take a five-point lead into halftime while also outscoring the Redhawks by eight in the fourth quarter.
Along with the lead changes, the contest was tied with 16 seconds to play following a bucket by Kiyley Flowers to keep the Redhawks in the game. The Skyhawks did not wilt however as Kenley McCarn and Lexi Rubel combined to knock down five free throws in the final seconds to lift the visitors to a three-point win.
On the shoulders of her clutch free throws down the stretch, McCarn led all scorers with 24 points while adding five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win. Sophomore forward Anaya Brown also had yet another strong performance as she tallied her eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Also contributing double figures in the scoring column was Josie Storey (12 points, four three-pointers) and Norah Clark (10 points).
“We found a way to hold on,” UT Martin head coach Kevin McMillan said. “When you are only playing five or six kids, it is interesting that we played well in the second and fourth quarters when we should be tired. I don’t think we necessarily played well and there were a lot of times where he could have put them away but we led them hang in there. Maybe that is the youth factor, but it is just scary because I hope we are not running out of gas. Give them credit though because they are fighting for their season but we find a way to win once again.”
Southeast Missouri (8-19, 5-11 OVC) saw its path to an OVC Basketball Championship take a hit with the loss on Senior Night as they cling to hopes for a top-eight seed. The Redhawks had three players reach double figures in the setback with Indiya Bowen pacing the squad with 13 points off the bench while Alecia Doyle (12 points) and Jaliyah Green (10 points) also eclipsed double-digits.
UT Martin will finish the regular season with a pair of home contests next week, beginning with a matchup against Tennessee Tech on Thursday, Feb. 29. Tipoff from the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
