Skyhawk basketball begins with tune-ups

Posted: Friday, November 2, 2012 12:00 pm

The UT Martin women’s basketball team will open its 2012-13 season with an exhibition against Martin Methodist today, tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center.
The Skyhawk women return three starters from last year’s team that won the Ohio Valley Conference, the OVC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, where they played Tennessee in the Des Moines Regional in Chicago.
“We will try to get an idea of who will contribute this season,” UT Martin head coach Kevin McMillan said. “We also want to fill any holes in our lineups.”
The Skyhawk women finished the season with a 23-9 overall record and a 15-1 OVC worksheet. The team returns starters Jasmine Newsome, Shelby Crawford and Heather Butler.
“We plan to treat this like a regular game and do the things we normally do,” the coach said. “The difference will be a lot of players will get playing time.”
The Skyhawk women will officially open their season at 7 p.m. Nov. 9, when they play at Northwestern in Evanston, Ill.
The Skyhawk men will also play a preseason exhibition.
Tip-off for the Skyhawks vs. Illinois College is set for 11 a.m. Friday in the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. The men’s exhibition is part of the fifth annual “Character Counts” game.
About 1,800 students from local elementary, middle and high schools will attend the game as part of a field trip to reward good behavior.
It will be the first time the Skyhawks take the floor in 2012-13, as fourth-year head coach Jason James will prepare his team for its regular season opener at Arkansas-Little Rock Nov. 9. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
UT Martin men’s team is led by senior Jeremy Washington, junior Mike Liabo, sophomore Terrence Smith and 2012 Freshman of the Year Myles Taylor. Both Washington and Taylor are from Little Rock, Ark.
“Friday’s exhibition is a great opportunity for our guys to play against somebody other than themselves,” UT Martin head coach Jason James said. “We really need to compete against outside competition to see where we are and what we need to get better at.”
UT Martin basketball season tickets are on sale now at the Skyhawk Ticket Office. For more information, call (731) 881-7207.
The first home game of the regular season will see the Skyhawk women in action Nov. 12 against Arkansas State, tip-off set for 7 p.m.
The men’s home opener will be two nights later when UT Martin faces Fontbonne at 7 p.m. The Skyhawks will then be back in action at home Nov. 16 against Arkansas State and Nov. 20 against Lyon College, both games beginning at 7 p.m.
The UTM women will have an impressive list home games prior to the start of the Ohio Valley Conference with Louisvile on Nov. 26 (7 p.m.), Central Arkansas on Dec. 1 (4 p.m.), Saint Louis on Dec. 6 (7 p.m.), Purdue on Dec. 9 (2 p.m.), Indiana State on Dec. 16 (2 p.m.), Southern Miss on Dec. 18 (7 p.m.) and UAB on Dec. 22.
The men, meanwhile, will host Kennesaw State on Dec. 1 (6 p.m.) and Samford on Dec. 19 (7 p.m.).
Both teams will then play eight OVC games at home prior to the league tournament’s start on March 6.
The UTM women OVC schedule includes: Jacksonville State on Dec. 31, Murray State on Jan. 5, Austin Peay on Jan. 7, Morehead State on Jan. 19, Eastern Kentucky on Feb. 4, SIU Edwardsville on Feb. 9, Southeast Missouri on Feb. 16 and Eastern Illinois on Feb. 28.
For the Skyhawk men, the league schedule will be: Jacksonville State on Dec. 31, Murray State on Jan. 3, Austin Peay on Jan.. 5, Morehead State on Jan. 19, Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 31, Eastern Illinois on Feb. 7, SIU Edwardsville on Feb. 9 and Southeast Missouri on Feb. 16.
The men will also play the ESPN BracketBuster game on Feb. 23, site and time to be determined. Published in The WCP 11.1.12