UTM women take good shot at finals

Posted: Friday, March 2, 2012 2:40 pm

NASHVILLE — Top-seed UT Martin scored the second-most points in Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Tournament history in a 102-77 victory over Murray State in today’s semifinals
The Skyhawks (22-8) — winners of 13 in a row — will play for their second straight OVC tourney championship and back-to-back berths in the NCAA Tournament Saturday at 4:30 against the winner of the second tourney semifinal between second-seed Eastern Illinois and No. 3 Tennessee Tech.
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
UTM, No. 2 in the nation in made 3-pointers, hit a combined nine in the first half — five by Jaclissa Haislip, four by Taylor Hall — to take a 45-33 halftime lead over the Lady Racers.
The Skyhawks ended up shooting 50 percent (14-of-28) from beyond the arc with Haislip (23 points, six 3-pointers) and Hall (15 points, five 3-pointers) combining for 11 of those triples.
Despite making just 12-of-37 field goal attempts between them, the decorated UT Martin backcourt tandem of Heather Butler and Jasmine Newsome both posted double-doubles.
Butler made Haislip’s game-high point total despite not making a first-half field goal. She also chased down 11 rebounds. Newsome, the league’s Player of the Year, finished with 20 points and 11 assists.