MOREHEAD, Ky. – For the second time in the last three University of Tennessee at Martin games, 40 minutes was not enough to decide a winner. Unfortunately for the Skyhawks, host Morehead State converted a go-ahead layup with 15 seconds to go in the extra period to escape with a 70-69 win in the Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball opener for both sides.
UT Martin (4-8, 0-1 OVC) did not trail in the entire second half, leading by as many as 11 points with 15:54 remaining in regulation. The Skyhawks also held a five-point advantage with 1:18 to go in overtime before the Eagles scored the final six points of the night.
Tarence Guinyard led UT Martin with 17 points while adding three assists and two steals. Three other Skyhawks scored in double figures as Matija Žužić (12 points), Vladimer Salaridze (10 points, five rebounds, four assists) and Afan Trnka (10 points, team-best five assists) helped lead UT Martin, who won the turnover battle by a 16-9 margin.
Morehead State (5-6, 1-0 OVC) was led by Jerone Morton’s 18 points and seven assists while Tyler Brelsford (13 points) and Steven Clay (11 points) additionally guided the Eagles. Morton scored four of Morehead State’s 10 points in overtime, including the eventual game-winner.
“I’m really proud of our guys but my heart just breaks for them that we couldn’t finish it out,” Skyhawk head coach Jeremy Shulman said. “Credit goes to Morehead State but I thought we made enough plays to win the game, we just came up one play short. Our guys competed their tails off and executed for the most part. It’s hard to be 0-1 in league play but we have a lot to build on from tonight.”
UT Martin trailed 9-2 to begin the night but charged back for a 10-2 run to take its first lead of the night. It was a one-possession game back-and-forth in the final 7:25 of the opening half as a pair of Guinyard free throws with two ticks left evened the score at 31-all heading into the locker room. Guinyard was responsible for a game-high 10 points at the break while Clay’s eight points guided the Eagles.
The Skyhawks scored the first five points of the second half and did not trail again until 15 seconds to go in overtime. Five different UT Martin players (Salaridze, Trnka, Filip Radaković, Guinyard, Žužić) combined to score the Skyhawks’ first 13 points of the half as UT Martin took a 44-33 advantage with 15:54 to go in regulation.
Morehead State tied the game at the 2:42 mark of the second half, which was the first of three ties down the stretch in regulation. Morton scored the final four points in a 63-second span for the Eagles to send the game into overtime.
UT Martin struck first in overtime, holding a four-point advantage before Žužić reeled off five straight points to make the score 69-64 with 1:18 to go. However, that would be the Skyhawks’ final points of the evening. UT Martin would get a pair of contested looks for a potential game-winner in the waning moments but both attempts barely rimmed out.
The Skyhawks go back on the road for their next contest, paying a visit to Southern Indiana on Saturday, Dec. 21. Tipoff from Evansville, Ind. is set for 3:30 p.m.
