UT Martin Advances to OVC Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals

Skyhawks open postseason play as No. 4 seed against No. 8 Eastern Illinois

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball team opens its 17th appearance in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship tournament today with a quarterfinals matchup at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The No. 4 seed Skyhawks will take on No. 8 Eastern Illinois in the first-round matchup, having swept the season series against both teams.

Why it matters

UT Martin is seeking to continue its recent success in the OVC tournament, having won at least one game in five of its last six appearances. The Skyhawks are one win shy of equaling the program's single-season wins record and are led by a stifling defense that ranks among the best in NCAA Division I.

The details

The Skyhawks (21-10) are powered by the frontcourt duo of All-OVC first teamer Andrija Bukumirović and 2026 OVC Freshman of the Year Matas Deniusas. UT Martin's defense entered the week ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense, fifth in field goal percentage defense, and fifth in three-point field goal percentage defense.

  • The quarterfinals matchup against Eastern Illinois takes place today.
  • UT Martin is making its 17th appearance in the OVC Championship tournament.

The players

Andrija Bukumirović

All-OVC first teamer who is second in the conference with seven double-doubles this season.

Matas Deniusas

2026 OVC Freshman of the Year who led the Skyhawks in scoring in a team-high 13 games this season.

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What’s next

The winner of the UT Martin-Eastern Illinois quarterfinals matchup will advance to the semifinals of the OVC tournament.

The takeaway

UT Martin's stifling defense and talented frontcourt duo of Bukumirović and Deniusas make the Skyhawks a formidable opponent in the OVC tournament, as they seek to continue their recent postseason success and potentially equal the program's single-season wins record.