By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Matched up against a much taller and deeper opponent for its season opener, the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball turned to a unique strategy focused on limiting offensive possessions and smothering post defense to threaten Big 12 foe Kansas State. The Skyhawks executed the plan nearly flawlessly but could not find the needed shots on the offensive end to complete the upset attempt, ultimately falling 44-30 in the opening contest of the WNIT Preseason Classic.
The Skyhawks (0-1) entered the contest with a reworked roster which looked notably smaller than some teams in recent history as none of the five starters measured over six feet tall. Meanwhile on the opposite end of the court, the Wildcats featured a squad that exuded size and length – with 10 six-footers, including a 6-5 force in Ayoka Lee who was coming off a 43-point performance in the season-opener against Central Arkansas. After K-State rattled off 104 points in their opener just three nights earlier en route to a 64-point victory, UT Martin looked to find ways to alter the pace of the game from the opening tip.
With a game plan in mind to limit offensive possessions in the game, keep scoring to a minimum and defend the post – the Skyhawks got to work and rose to the occasion. UT Martin limited Kansas State to just 44 points in the contest – their lowest scoring output since No. 1 Baylor held them to 40 two seasons ago – while shooting just 32.1 percent for the game. Meanwhile in the post, Lee was held drastically below her season scoring average with a game-high 10 points and nine rebounds.
UT Martin jumped out to an early lead themselves to put some pressure on Kansas State by scoring the first seven points of the game while shooting 41.7 percent in the opening quarter. Ultimately the Skyhawks would hold the game’s lead for the first 12 minutes and change of the contest before a layup by Lee with 5:32 to play in the second quarter gave the Wildcats their first lead and one which they would not relinquish down the stretch.
After the hot start to the contest, the Skyhawks finished the game by shooting jut 24.4 percent from the field while making 2-of-12 three-point attempts. Despite playing inspiring and frustrating defense throughout the contest, the shots just never seemed to fall when they needed to in order to significantly cut into the margin.
Junior Paige Pipkin paced the Skyhawks with nine points in the contest while both Holly Forbes and Hayley Harrison chipped in six points each. Forbes and Kyannah Grant did a nice job on the boards by finishing with a team-high eight rebounds each.
UT Martin now has a quick turnaround with two more games in the next three days. The Skyhawks will return to action with a matchup against North Carolina A&T on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 3:30 p.m. with the game being broadcast on YouTube.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information