The short handed Skyhawks found a way to grab a big conference win yesterday. UT Martin was without Shae Littleford and Anaya Brown, but saw the return of Paige Pipkin on a minutes restriction. The first half of the contest between the Screaming Eagles and the Skyhawks saw the Eagles take a 9 point lead going into the break. In the half UT Martin found themselves only shooting 29.6 percent from the field, including being 1-10 from beyond the arc. Sharnecce Currie-Jelks charted 8 points while shooting 3-4 from the field. Meanwhile, the graduate Seygan Robins struggled, shooting 3-8 from the field and 1-5 from three.
Photo Credits to UTM Athletics
The start of the third quarter didn't seem to be any different as Southern Indiana came out of the break on a 5-0 run, extending the lead to 14. The next three and a half minutes would be all UT Martin. Seygan Robins would go 3-3 from downtown in that time frame, as the Skyhawks exploded for a 16-0 run that netted them a 39-37 lead. From there UT Martin would never look back on the way to a 12 point victory that gave them the season sweep over Southern Indiana and got them back to .500 in conference play. Robins would finish with a career high 30 points on 10-18 shooting and 7-11 from 3.
Sharpshooter Josie Story had a quiet day on offense, but made her impact known on the defensive side of the court. The freshman picked up 8 steals, 7 rebounds, and a block. Currie-Jelks tallied 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks, and Lexi Rubel finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Skyhawks have been battle tested this season and have risen to the challenge no matter who or how many they have available. UT Martin starts a three game road trip on Thursday as they visit SIUE. Tip off is set for 11am on ESPN+.