MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team picked up a statement win on Saturday afternoon, knocking off the Ohio Valley Conference’s second-place team Morehead State by a 70-54 margin.
The Skyhawks (11-14, 8-6 OVC) controlled the tempo for much of the game while holding a scoring advantage for over 36 of the game’s 40 minutes. The home team did most of their damage in the paint where they scored 38 points while turning the Eagles 16 turnovers into 20 points.
The third quarter proved to be the big difference maker for UT Martin as it outscored Morehead State by 10 points. The Skyhawks shot a blistering 69.2 percent from the floor during the period while limiting the Eagles to just a 33 percent clip.
UT Martin used a balanced scoring attack to power past Morehead State and even up the season series. Sophomore Anaya Brown led the team with 18 points and eight rebounds in the win while classmate Lexi Rubel was close behind with 17 points, five assists and four rebounds. Freshman Norah Clark chipped in 15 points and six rebounds while Kenley McCarn reached double figures for the 10th consecutive game and 22nd time this season.
“I thought our kids played hard and we were fortunate to find a way to win,” UT Martin head coach Kevin McMillan said. “Between the two teams, you had seven kids in double figures and each team was balanced. Both teams had fewer turnovers and executed better than the last time that we played each other. We responded better today than we did last game and the result followed suit. I liked that we responded well with the quick turnaround because when we are really clicking, we are one of the best teams in this league.”
Morehead State (13-12, 8-6 OVC) played without its head coach following a league suspension for an accumulation of technical fouls but still found balance throughout its scoring rotation with three Eagles reaching double figures. Katie Novik scored a game-high 19 points after knocking down five three-pointers while dishing out four assists. Veronica Charles also reached double figures, adding 12 points and four steals while Hallie Rhodes chipped in 10 points and four assists.
UT Martin returns to action with its final road trip of the season next week, beginning with a matchup at Lindenwood on Thursday, Feb. 22.
