UT Martin asserted their dominance over Southern Indiana, cruising to a 76-54 victory at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Pedro Santos led the charge for the Skyhawks, posting 19 points and 7 rebounds to pace the team. The win marked a strong performance by UT Martin, who never trailed in the game and led by as many as 25 points in the second half.
The Skyhawks came out strong, taking a 38-26 lead into halftime. Southern Indiana struggled to find their rhythm, shooting just 36% from the field in the first half. UT Martin, on the other hand, shot 48% from the field and 40% from three, setting the tone for the rest of the game. In the second half, UT Martin continued to pull away, with Matas Deniusas and Filip Radaković contributing 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Amaree Brown was the lone bright spot for Southern Indiana, scoring 14 points in the losing effort. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the balanced attack of UT Martin, who had three players score in double figures. The Skyhawks' defense was also impressive, holding Southern Indiana to just 28% shooting from three and forcing 12 turnovers.
CHD Scout Report Card
CORRECTPredicted
Final
CHD Scout's pre-game prediction had UT Martin winning by 10.6 points, and while the actual margin of victory was larger than expected, the prediction ultimately proved correct. The 22-point win was a convincing statement by UT Martin, who improved to 19-5 on the season.
The victory, however, doesn't significantly boost UT Martin's tournament resume, as it was classified as a Quadrant 4 win. Southern Indiana, on the other hand, fell to 5-18 and saw their already slim tournament hopes dwindle further. The loss was a Quadrant 3 game for the Screaming Eagles, but it won't have a major impact on their postseason chances, which are already extremely low.
As UT Martin looks to build on this win, they'll need to continue to dominate against weaker opponents and pull off some upsets against tougher competition. With a current NET ranking of 170, the Skyhawks still have work to do to become a serious tournament contender. For now, they'll take the convincing win and look to keep their momentum going. The loss for Southern Indiana, meanwhile, is just another setback in a tough season, and they'll need to regroup and refocus if they hope to finish the year on a high note.