Skyhawks hold on despite late drought
Skyhawks hold on despite late drought Skyhawks hold on despite late drought Check out this story on jacksonsun.com: http://www.jacksonsun.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2015/01/17/skyhawks-hold-despite-late-drought/21940083/
Craig Thomas, cthomas2@jacksonsun.com Published 8:56 p.m. CT Jan. 17, 2015
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MARTIN – Senior guard Deville Smith came through for his team's biggest moment Saturday night, dropping in a short, go-ahead bank shot and adding a free throw on separate possessions with less than a minute left as UT Martin hosted Jacksonville State.
It shouldn't have come to that, but the Skyhawks aren't complaining after a 55-52 win over Jacksonville State that looked briefly like it would end as a massive collapse.
The Skyhawks (11-6, 3-1 Ohio Valley) led by 21 points early in the second half, but they scored only six points in the final 13-and-a-half minutes as their shot selection suffered and JSU rallied.
"We have to learn how to handle success," UTM coach Heath Schroyer said. "They've never really had that here, these guys in the locker room, so it's a new kind of pressure. There's a new kind of expectation, and being up 21 in a league game – there's no one in that locker room that's ever done that at UT Martin."
JSU (8-12, 1-5 OVC) tied the game at 52 with 2:47 left, and Smith's bank put UTM back up with 54 seconds left. On ensuing possessions, Smith missed a free throw and then made one, but importantly JSU went 0-for-3 on its final three chances to score.
JaQuail Townser's 3 from the top of the key at the buzzer hit the rim.
Senior guard Marshun Newell led the Skyhawks with 17 points and had a great sequence early in the second half with seven quick points and a pretty pass to Javier Martinez for a lay-up.
Smith scored 11. Twymond Howard had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Alex Anderson scored nine. Each of those four played at least 36 minutes, and the Skyhawks will have to find ways to keep them as rested as possible because they are so valuable.
"We're trying to manage the minutes the best we can, but we have to do a good job and continue to do a good job as we go on of developing our bench and getting those [bench] guys some reps, too," Schroyer said.
The Skyhawk men visit traditional league power Belmont for a 7 p.m. game Thursday and then return home to play Southeast Missouri at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Taylor update: Schroyer said he still plans on a medical redshirt for senior forward Myles Taylor, who injured his knee early this year and was at Saturday's game in street clothes. Schroyer said Taylor is still laboring to move around and not ready for games, and he said Taylor should qualify for the redshirt because he played less than 30 percent of this season.
Big shot pays off: UT Martin sophomore Don Mitchell swished a half-court shot during a first-half timeout and won $500 worth of books for class. He is a business management major.
UT Martin 67, JSU 47
Sophomore post Ashia Jones might be where Heather Butler and Jasmine Newsome got as star guards a couple years ago, when 30-point days and take-over-the-game moments don't surprise anyone any more.
What those two had, but Jones lacks for now, is a partner-in-crime.
Still, the Skyhawks (9-9, 5-0 Ohio Valley) in their present form once again looked good enough for conference play.
Newcomers Danielle Woolfolk, Haley Howard and Monique Jackson and reserve Karisma Tyson were on the floor with Jones for part of a key 16-0 second-half run as UTM pulled away.
"I thought that was the key to the whole game, and those guys had a little bounce about 'em that we hadn't had," UTM coach Kevin McMillan said.
Jones scored 30 points and had 12 rebounds for the Skyhawks. Sophomore post Tiara Caldwell had 14 points and McMillan acknowledged she's improving, but Caldwell missed several close shots and he is waiting for her to assert herself the way Jones does.
"I'm going to church in the morning, and I'm going to hopefully make a real good prayer and she'll figure it out," McMillan said.
UTM hosts Eastern Illinois (7-12, 4-2 OVC) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Craig Thomas, 425-9634