Leatherneck Nation

WGEM Prediction:  UT Martin 71, Western Illinois 68
 
 

Massey Ratings says 33% chance of a WIU victory, with a predicted score of 70-63 for UT Martin: https://masseyratings.com/game.php?gid=939108195

The Skyhawks started the season with a rough stretch, losing 6 straight, but against a pretty tough schedule: Marquette, Vanderbilt, Central Arkansas, South Dakota State, North Alabama, and Murray State. They got their first win against Evansville, followed up by a loss to Troy, a win over NAIA Freed-Hardeman, an OT loss to South Dakota, and a win over Arkansas State.
In the OVC they have wins over Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech, and a 2-point loss to EIU last week. They're currently 5-9 overall and 2-1 in the OVC.
https://utmsports.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule

Tennessee-Martin wins 68-49

Western was out-scored 40-25 in the second half.

Addi Brownfield led the Western scoring with 12 points.

Western was 3 of 23 (13%) on three-point attempts.

Western shot 30%.  UTM shot 51%.

Attendance at Tennessee-Martin = 1,112
 

OUCH!

Watched almost entire game on ESPN+.

WIU opened 6-0 and then UT-M switched to a combo 1-3-1 defense with the gaps filled with a full-court press. Crowded the paint to make it hard for WIU to get inside while making WIU tentative per 3-pointers (3 of 23) with double-team in-your-face. If well-played (and they did) the 1-3-1 allows one of the "3" to move out to double-team or two or all three to drop inside to clog the paint.

Raegan McGowan limited to 10 pts. TOs were about even, but UT-M got 19 pts off TOs while WIU got 10. Rebounds about even. wiu712 above posted most of the rest of the bad news.

Note: While WIU came in 11-3 and UT-M 5-9 overall, both were 2-1 in the OVC. Maybe OVC WBB tougher than thought.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Too many turnovers - I'm used to seeing the Leathernecks force them, not get them that badly. A lot of them looked like UT Martin playing our game against us to me.

We really miss a dominating big in the paint who can draw in the defense and free up the others for open looks from perimeter.  Of course, so does most of the other midmajors.

Watching us not be able to get across the court and set up an offense really makes me miss Kaufman and Lutz