By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Reigning Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week Sharnecce Currie-Jelks posted her fifth 20-point performance of the season, but it was a jumper with four seconds to play in overtime which lifted the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team to a 77-76 victory over SIUE.
In a critical matchup which featured two teams scratching and clawing for a top-four seed in the upcoming OVC Basketball Championship, the Skyhawks (11-15, 7-8 OVC) snapped a three-game conference losing streak with a gutsy home victory against the Cougars. In a game which featured eight lead changes and saw the score reach a tie on eight separate occasions, UT Martin found a needed stop at the end of regulation and overcame a four-point deficit in overtime to claim the win.
After recently claiming her school record seventh OVC Freshman of the Week honor earlier in the week, Currie-Jelks posted another impressive outing on Thursday night. She not only led the game with 26 points but scored 15 points in the second half and overtime to key the Skyhawks. Her night marked the fifth 20-point outing of her debut campaign while stretching out a streak of seven consecutive games in double figures.
While Currie-Jelks stole the show down the stretch, the Skyhawks had a well-rounded effort on the offensive end as four players scored in double figures for the eighth time this season. Freshman Anaya Brown ranked second on the team with 15 points while adding seven rebounds and four steals. Graduate guard Paige Pipkin also reached double figures in her second straight game since rejoining the starting lineup with 14 points while adding five assists and four steals. Rounding out the group was Josie Storey with 11 points and seven rebounds in the win.
“To be honest, SIUE outplayed us without Thatha,” UT Martin head coach said. “Give our girls credit though, we made baskets when we had to. Their defense kept us from executing but when we had to make a play, we made it.”
SIUE (17-11, 8-7 OVC) outshot the Skyhawks from the field by knocking down 49.1 percent of its attempts – including nine three pointers. While the Skyhawks were able to keep five-time OVC Player of the Week Ajulu Thatha to a season-long zero points, the Cougars found offense from a variety of players with four players scoring in double figures. KK Rodriguez paced the team with 19 points while Sofie Lewis added 17 points. Both Macey Silvey and Mikayla Kinnard also chipped in 13 points in the contest.
UT Martin hits the road for its next matchup against Tennessee Tech on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tipoff from the Eblen Center is slated for 1 p.m.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information