MARTIN, Tenn. (Interstat) — Tennessee-Martin used a strong second half and superior free-throw shooting to hold off SIU Edwardsville 65-59 in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Skyhawk Arena. The Skyhawks, now 14-4, outscored the Cougars 37-32 after halftime to pull away from a one-point halftime lead. Tennessee-Martin secured the win at the line, making 17 free throws to SIU Edwardsville’s seven. The Cougars, who fell to 10-8, shot just 38.7% from the field and 4 of 23 from three-point range. Filip Radaković led Tennessee-Martin with 16 points, while Andrija Bukumirović added 14 points and three blocks. Darrion Baker scored 15 points for SIU Edwardsville, and Arnas Sakenis contributed 12 points. A crowd of 1,753 watched the Skyhawks improve their home record.

MARTIN, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a gritty, defensively focused Ohio Valley Conference clash on Thursday night, the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks used a decisive second-half surge and superior efficiency to fend off the SIU Edwardsville Cougars 65-59 at Skyhawk Arena. The game, played before a crowd of 1,753, was a tale of contrasting offensive execution. While the final margin was six points, the Skyhawks consistently generated higher-quality possessions. Tennessee-Martin scored its 65 points on just 61 possessions, translating to an offensive rating of 105.9. SIU Edwardsville, meanwhile, managed only 59 points across 66 trips, an offensive rating of 89.9, hampered by poor shooting from deep and the free-throw line. The first half was a defensive struggle, with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm. The Cougars, led by early buckets from Darrion Baker, held a narrow lead for much of the period. Tennessee-Martin’s offense was sporadic, relying on individual efforts from Filip Radaković and timely offensive rebounds to stay close. A late dunk by SIU Edwardsville’s Arnas Sakenis, set up by CJ Hall just before the halftime buzzer, gave the visitors a slim 28-27 lead at the break. The second half, however, belonged to the Skyhawks. They opened the period with increased defensive intensity, forcing rushed Cougar shots and capitalizing on the other end. A key sequence early in the half saw Tennessee-Martin extend its lead as Matas Deniusas connected on a three-pointer and Andrija Bukumirović began to impose his will on both ends. Bukumirović, the 6-foot-7 sophomore from Serbia, was instrumental in the Skyhawks’ pull-away. He finished with 14 points, three assists and three blocks, with several of his rejections and a steal coming during crucial stretches that stifled SIU Edwardsville rallies. His back-to-back blocks on driving Cougar attempts midway through the half epitomized Tennessee-Martin’s defensive resolve. While Baker fought valiantly for SIU Edwardsville, scoring a team-high 15 points, the Cougars could not overcome their shooting woes. They shot a frigid 4 of 23 from three-point range and an equally damaging 7 of 16 from the free-throw line. Missed front ends of one-and-one opportunities in the closing minutes proved particularly costly. Tennessee-Martin, though not shooting lights out, was more effective from distance at 8 of 32 and, critically, made 17 of 26 free throws. They also won the battle on the glass, securing 13 offensive rebounds to SIU Edwardsville’s nine, which led to 13 second-chance points. The Cougars made a final push in the last two minutes. Down 59-56, they forced a Tennessee-Martin shot-clock violation. On the ensuing possession, Baker drilled a clutch three-pointer off a Jo Valrie assist to tie the game at 59 with 1:26 remaining, setting up a dramatic finish. The most important part of the game unfolded in the final minute. After the Baker three-pointer, Tennessee-Martin worked the clock down. With the shot clock winding down, Filip Radaković was fouled on a three-point attempt with 25 seconds left. The sophomore from Belgrade calmly sank two of three free throws to put the Skyhawks up 61-59. SIU Edwardsville had a chance to tie or take the lead, but CJ Hall’s driving layup attempt was off the mark. Arnas Sakenis secured the offensive rebound but missed the put-back. Tennessee-Martin’s Afan Trnka grabbed the defensive board and was immediately fouled. He sank both free throws with 12 seconds left to extend the lead to 63-59. After a Cougars timeout, a desperate three-point attempt was off, and Trnka again secured the rebound, was fouled, and made two more free throws to seal the 65-59 victory. The Skyhawks’ composure at the line in the final 12 seconds, making all four attempts under pressure, was the final, decisive act. Radaković led all scorers with 16 points and added eight rebounds for Tennessee-Martin. Deniusas provided a strong all-around performance with 11 points, three assists and two blocks. For SIU Edwardsville, Sakenis posted 12 points and two blocks, while Hall contributed 11 points and four assists off the bench. With the win, Tennessee-Martin improves to 14-4 overall and solidifies its position near the top of the OVC standings. SIU Edwardsville drops to 10-8, having lost three of its last four conference games by a combined nine points. The Skyhawks will look to continue their momentum at home against Lindenwood on Saturday. The Cougars, seeking to halt their skid, travel to face Southeast Missouri State on the same day. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Edwardsville on February 14.

MARTIN, Tenn. (Interstat) — A surging Tennessee-Martin squad will look to extend its winning streak when it hosts SIU Edwardsville in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Skyhawk Arena. The Skyhawks (13-4, 4-0 OVC) have won five straight games, most recently a 75-57 road victory at Southern Indiana on Jan. 10. They are led by guard Filip Radaković, who is averaging 17.8 points over his last five contests. He scored a season-high 23 points in the win over Southern Indiana. Tennessee-Martin’s defense has been key during its streak, holding opponents to an average of 62.4 points per game in conference play. SIU Edwardsville (10-7, 2-2) aims to bounce back from a narrow 73-70 home loss to Arkansas-Little Rock on Jan. 8. The Cougars had won two straight prior to that defeat. Guard Kyle Thomas has been a consistent scorer for SIU Edwardsville, reaching double figures in three of his last five games. He led the Cougars with 15 points in the loss to Little Rock. The Cougars have struggled on the road in conference play this season, dropping an overtime decision at Eastern Illinois on Dec. 18 before securing a win at Western Illinois on Dec. 22. Tennessee-Martin holds a distinct advantage in the early conference standings and will rely on its home court, where it is 6-1 this season. SIU Edwardsville seeks a statement road win to climb back toward the top of the OVC. The teams will meet again in Edwardsville on Feb. 14.