UT Martin Men Defeat Tennessee Tech 64-49

Skyhawks clinch top-4 seed and first-round bye in OVC Championship tournament

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball team defeated Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee Tech 64-49 in a defensive-minded victory at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. The Skyhawks held the Golden Eagles to just 25% shooting and forced 16 turnovers, leading by as many as 22 points in the second half.

Why it matters

This win clinches a top-4 seed and first-round bye for UT Martin in the upcoming OVC Championship tournament, a significant accomplishment for the Skyhawks as they look to make a deep postseason run.

The details

UT Martin's stifling defense held Tennessee Tech scoreless for the first 13:55 of the game, building an early double-digit lead. The Skyhawks limited the Golden Eagles to 25% shooting overall and just 21.7% from three-point range. Lamine Niang led UT Martin with 12 points off the bench, while Vladimir Khryapa added 9 points on 3-of-4 shooting from deep.

  • The game was played on February 27, 2026.
  • UT Martin concludes the regular season on February 28, 2026 when they host Tennessee State.

The players

Lamine Niang

Came off the bench to tie a game-high with 12 points, shooting 6-of-8 from the floor with a pair of blocks in 20 minutes.

Filip Radaković

Added 10 points for UT Martin.

Vladimir Khryapa

Produced a career-best 9 points on 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range.

Andrija Bukumirović

Hauled in a game-high 8 rebounds to pace the Skyhawks.

Mekhi Cameron

Scored 12 points for Tennessee Tech.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We talk about next man up and being ready all the time. We had a lot of people in foul trouble and Lamine was awesome – he had some bigtime moves offensively and got better throughout the game defensively. Tennessee Tech had been on a roll and we got sped up a lot in the first half. It was a much more enjoyable second half because we got back to doing things our way.”

— Jeremy Shulman, UT Martin head coach

What’s next

UT Martin concludes the regular season on Saturday, February 28, 2026 when the Skyhawks host OVC foe Tennessee State.

The takeaway

This win solidifies UT Martin's position as a top contender in the OVC, clinching a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The Skyhawks' stifling defense and balanced scoring attack will make them a tough out as they look to make a deep postseason run.