Skyhawk teams post impressive wins

Playing in front of 4,513 raucous fans from local schools on Tuesday, UT Martin soared to a 73-56 triumph over Charleston Southern on Education Day at the Elam Center.
The Skyhawks led for 30:39 of clock time and iced the victory with a 20-2 run midway through the second half.
UT Martin is now 6-2 to match the program’s best eight-game start to a season in the school’s NCAA Division I era (since 1992) — joining the teams from 2016-17, 2014-15, 2002-03 and 2001-02.
Matas Deniusas went off for a career-best 25 points, eclipsing his previous high of 20 points set against Prairie View A&M (Nov. 22) and Bradley (Nov. 12).
Filip Radakovi additionally set a career-high with 16 points, while Andrija Bukumirovi collected his fifth double-double of the season (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Luca Colceag (10 points, seven rebounds in 23 minutes) also paced the Skyhawks.
The Buccaneers (5-5) were led by 19 points out of Luke Williams, while Brycen Blaine tallied a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds in addition to a game-high five assists.
Charleston Southern was held to 34.5 percent (20-of-58) shooting for the game — including a 23.7 percent (9-for-38) clip on 3-pointers — and 26.9 percent (7-of-26) clip over the final 20 minutes.
“I’m so enthused and so grateful for this crowd today,” UT Martin head coach Jeremy Shulman said. “Education Day is one of those special games where it’s a memory that’s going to last a lifetime for myself, our players and hopefully everybody in attendance.
“Charleston Southern has one of the best offenses in the country, but our guys played with confidence and executed the gameplan against a really good team.”
Neither side led by more than three points until the Skyhawks scored nine unanswered points to make the score 28-19 with 6:28 to go in the first half. Radakovi dialed up the first seven points of that run to create some separation for UT Martin.
The Skyhawks close out their season-long three-game homestand on Sunday against defending SouthWestern Athletic Conference champion Alabama State. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
UTM 75, Brescia 50
Each of the 13 Skyhawks who saw action scored as the Skyhawks never trailed in a 25-point win over Brescia inside the Elam Center on Tuesday.
UT Martin more than doubled up the visiting Bearcats in rebounds, nabbing 61 caroms, including 24 on the offensive end, while conceding just 27 boards. That led to a 24-2 Skyhawk advantage in second chance points. UTM also outscored Brescia 44-20 in the paint and 38-11 in bench points.
Matas Deniusas (14 points) topped the Skyhawks in scoring for the third time in the last five outings while Andrija Bukumirovi (13 points, 10 rebounds) collected his fourth double-double of the season.
Ty Price splashed three triples, and Lamine Niang (season-highs of eight points, 11 rebounds) barely missed a double-double for UT Martin. Filip Radakovi added a game-high six assists with seven rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench for the Skyhawks, who limited the Bearcats to 26.7 percent shooting overall (16-for-60) and 20 percent (5-of-25) from beyond the three-point arc.
Hailing from Owensboro, Ky., Brescia (0-7) got a game-high 16 points from Jaunte Jenkins, while Israel Momudu tallied 10 points for the NAIA squad.
WOMEN
UTM 78, Oakwood 53
The Skyhawks had little trouble with Oakwood on Sunday as it cruised to the 25-point victory at the Elam Center.
The outcome was never really in doubt, thanks to a strong second quarter in which the Skyhawks scored 29 points. UT Martin outshot the Ambassadors 42.6 percent to 32.7 percent and out-rebounded them as well 46-36.
The UTM reserves also shone Sunday, combining for a season-high 28 points off the bench.
Noah Clark led the Skyhawks in scoring with 14 points to go along with two assists and a career-high four blocks. Kenley McCarn was next in line for UT Martin with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals, while Zy Thompson added 11 points, a game-high nine rebounds, three steals and two assists.
The Skyhawks have a busy week ahead with games at Lipscomb on Thursday and at Arkansas State on Saturday.