Featured Image: Head coach Jeremey Shulman coaching freshman forward Matas Deniusas through a scenario on the court on Tuesday Dec. 2, 2025, at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. (UTM Athletics)

With a packed crowd for education day, the UT Martin Skyhawks men’s basketball team found another win on the season at home 73-56 against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Tuesday.

With this win UT Martin has tripled their win total from this same point in last season. Head coach Jeremey Shulman has helped lead this team through crucial changes such as a young starting line up consisting of three freshman, one sophomore and one junior.

UT Martin showed strong offense against Charleston Southern, lead by freshman forward Matas Deniusas, who started off the game hot. From the three-point line he went 3-for-5 within the first 10 minutes; he also grabbed a career high 25 points as he shot 6-for-16 from the field with nine of those points off of free throws. Adding a double-double to the mix for UT Martin was junior guard/forward Andrija Bukumirović with 10 points and 11 rebounds. 

From start to finish in this matchup UT Martin played physical. While Charleston Southern out-rebounded UT Martin in the first half 21-20, UT Martin did not look back and out rebounded Charleston Southern 47-40. UT Martin also committed significantly fewer fouls then Charleston Southern with the total at 23-14 and Charleston Southern with four players at four fouls while only one Skyhawk committed more than two.

Looking ahead for UTM, the team will face the struggling Alabama State Hornets on Sunday Dec. 7. Deniusas looks to grab his fifth Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week award. Deniusas is already the owner of the third-most OVC Freshman of the Week awards in school history. He trails only former UT Martin guard Marquis Weddle with six in 2007-08 and forward Myles Taylor with five in 2011-12.