By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – With three players scoring in double figures and 25 forced turnovers to its credit, the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team opened the month of February with a 70-66 Ohio Valley Conference victory over visiting Southeast Missouri on Thursday afternoon.
While the weather outside was icy with a winter storm hitting the area, the Skyhawks’ (6-14, 3-6 OVC) play was heating up inside the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. UT Martin picked up its third conference win of the season after forcing 25 turnovers and equaling a season-best with 15 steals.
In addition to the team’s work on the defensive end, the Skyhawks reached the 70-point plateau for the third time this season – which has been a benchmark of success for the team over the years. UT Martin found that success from the field where it shot 47.3 percent from the field while knocking down 6 three-pointers.
The contest featured a fast-paced, back-and-forth action with 10 lead changes and six ties. Much of the game’s drama came in the second quarter where the lead changed hands seven times before the Skyhawks took a 30-27 advantage into the locker room.
Then the third quarter saw both teams turn it up offensively with 43 combined points while SEMO shot 80 percent from the floor to knot the score up at the end of the third. With just 10 minutes left to decide the game’s outcome, UT Martin took the lead and stretched out its advantage to seven points midway through the quarter before Southeast Missouri trimmed the margin back down to two on a pair of occasions – including with 23 seconds to play. With the game in the balance, the Skyhawks held on with a pair of clutch free throws by Kyannah Grant in the final seconds to hold on to the four-point victory.
UT Martin was led in scoring once again by junior guard Paige Pipkin who tossed in a game-high 19 points while tallying three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Sophomore Seygan Robins also joined in the action with 13 points of her own – including a trio of three-pointers – while dishing out three assists. Freshman Shae Littleford rounded out the trio in double figures with 11 points and three assists.
“I thought we had a lot of chances to take control of the game and we never would,” UT Martin head coach Kevin McMillan said. “That’s probably the sign of a team that is inexperience/hasn’t been doing it. We are a team that if we have an opportunity to take control of a game, we have to take control of the game and I didn’t think we ever did. That is why we had to squeak it out at the end. There is a lot of work to do, but we will keep plugging.”
Southeast Missouri (5-17, 1-10 OVC) was led by junior guard Taelour Pruitt who scored 16 points – while knocking down four three-pointers – along with five rebounds, four steals and three assists. She was joined in double figures by fellow guard Deanay Watson recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Skyhawks will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 5 when playing host to Tennessee State. Tipoff from the Elam Center is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information