Featured Photo: Sophomore forward Zy Thompson (12) waits for checked ball at the 2026 OVC Basketball Championship tournament game against SIUE at Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. on March 4, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Chloe Kent)

The UT Martin Skyhawks women’s basketball team fell to the SIUE Cougars in round one of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) tournament 63-49.

During the first quarter, the Skyhawks kept things close, scoring 16 to the cougars 18, although the Skyhawks were not able to create many second chance opportunities early as they were out rebounded 13-8.

The second quarter is where the Skyhawks looked promising. Outscoring the Cougars 13-7, which was enough to give UT Martin the lead going into half up 29-25.

The third is where the Skyhawks struggled. Coming out of halftime with a four-point lead, UT Martin looked poised to build momentum. However, SIUE quickly shifted the pace in the third quarter. All season UT Martin has been continuously outscored in the third, and this game was no exception. The Skyhawks would only find 10 points to the Cougars’ 20 and the Skyhawks were out rebounded in the quarter 11-5.

In an attempted fourth quarter comeback, the Skyhawks were not able to overcome the Cougars and were outscored once again. This time 18-10.

Key factors in the loss for the Skyhawks was an inability to rebound. UT Martin was only able to grab 28 rebounds to 48 for SIUE. All three starting forwards for the Skyhawks, freshman Cam Ward, Sophomore Zy Thompson and Junior Norah Clark, struggled to grab rebounds with nine combined. As for the Cougars, they had multiple girls in the double digits for rebounds. Highest of those being graduate forward Syanne Mohamed with 15 and freshman forward Lauren Miller with 10.

The leading scorer for the Skyhawks was Clark with 12 points along with two steals. Thompson followed with 11 points. Junior guard Kenley McCarn added 10 points of her own and led in rebounds with seven. McCarn was the only Skyhawk with a block on the night.

With the loss, the Skyhawks season has come to an end. UT Martin finished with a record of 13-17 and a conference record of 9-11, ending the season with seven straight losses. At home the Skyhawks finished 9-6 and 4-11 on the road and entered the OVC tournament as the sixth seed.

Despite the early exit from the OVC tournament, the Skyhawks showed flashes of promise throughout the season against strong non-conference opponents such as games against the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the North Alabama Lions.

The season leader in scoring was McCarn who averaged 15.8 points per game (PPG) and totaled 474 points. McCarn also averaged 5.3 rebounds per game (RPG) and totaled 160 rebounds. Thompson led in rebounds with 5.9 RPG and totaled 166 rebounds. Thompson also added 10.9 PPG and totaled 304 points.