WOMEN'S HOOPS TO HOST OVC WEST LEADER EASTERN ILLINOIS IN HOME FINALE
Game Notes OVC Digital Network Live Stats
The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team will look to extend its three-game Ohio Valley Conference winning streak Thursday night when it plays OVC West leader Eastern Illinois in the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
The Skyhawks, currently tied for fourth in the OVC, are coming off a 72-60 victory over host Murray State. Junior Jasmine Newsome scored 31 points and senior Rickiesha Bryant recorded her seventh career double-double with 13 points, 15 rebounds and a career-best eight blocks to lead UT Martin to a 72-60 victory over host Murray State.
Junior Heather Butler tossed in 18 points, while Newsome’s 31 points marked the second consecutive game the Millington native has poured in 31 points and the seventh time in her career she has scored 30 or more points in a game.
Murray State jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead with 16:15 to play in the first half, but UT Martin answered with a 32-7 run that culminated with a Butler jumper with 2:42 to play before the break. However, Murray State closed out the first half with a 10-0 run. UT Martin led at the break 35-24.
Murray State made a late 11-1 run and cut the UT Martin lead to nine points when Alyssa Like knocked down a jumper in the paint with 1:17 to play in the game.
UT Martin closed out the game with five consecutive free throws. Newsome made four of those five free throws. She was 8-for-8 from the line in the game, while the Skyhawks shot 86 percent (18-for-21) from the charity stripe.
The Skyhawks drained 10 treys in the game and shot 60 percent from behind the arc in the second half.
Eastern Illinois wrapped up the Ohio Valley Conference West Division title with a 60-43 win over Belmont Saturday.
The Panthers limited the Bruins to just 24 percent shooting from the field as they improved to 19-8 overall, 12-2 in the OVC.
Ta'Kenya Nixon finished the game with 23 points making 11-of-12 free throws. Nixon added nine rebounds and six assists.
Fans can tune into WUTM 90.3 FM, The Hawk at http://www.utm.edu/organizations/wutm/WUTM_90.3/Home.html to listen to the game or they can watch a free live stream on the OVC Digital Network at http://www.ovcdigitalnetwork.com/showcase/. Live stats will be available at http://www.utmsports.com/livestats/wbasketball/xlive.htm.