Panthers Fall in OVC Action at UT Martin

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Published on March 1 2013 6:09 am
Last Updated on March 1 2013 6:09 am
Written by Millie Lange

MARTIN, Tenn.  – UT Martin hit a season-high 16 three pointers en route to an 82-62 win over the Panther women’s basketball team on Thursday night. The loss snapped the Panthers eight-game win streak and dropped the squad to 19-9 (12-3 OVC).

The Panthers started the contest going 9-for-14 from the floor to take their largest lead of the game, 22-13, with 11:23 on the clock. UT Martin bounced back by outscoring EIU 36-11 for the remainder of the half, taking a 49-33 advantage into intermission. The Skyhawks (15-14, 10-5 OVC) went 10-for-19 from behind the arc in the first stanza and hit 57.6 percent of their field goals (19-for-33).

UT Martin hit six more three pointers in the second half to take their largest lead of the game 75-46 with 5:44 left in the contest. The Skyhawks finished the day connecting on 48.5 percent of their shot attempts (32-for-66).

Ta’Kenya Nixon led the Panthers with 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Mariah King nearly missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. EIU posted nine more rebounds than UT Martin (43-34) in the loss.

Sabina Oroszova added 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks while Taryn Olson chipped in seven rebounds. EIU finished the night connecting on 36.9 percent of its field-goal attempts (24-for-65) and 18.2 percent of its three-point attempts (6-for-23).

EIU finished the game with six three pointers, increasing their season total to 184 – a new EIU team single-season record to break the previous mark of 180 three pointers set by the 2008-09 squad.

The Panthers return to action on Saturday, March 2 against SIU Edwardsville at 6:30 p.m. inside Lantz Arena. In addition to senior day ceremonies following the women’s contest, the Panthers basketball teams are teaming up with EIU Student Life for a Blue Out Lantz Game against the Cougars.  All fans are encouraged to wear blue and support the Panthers.

A win on Saturday over the Cougars clinches the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title for the Panthers and locks up the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament on March 6-9 in Nashville, Tenn.