Cats Meet UTM Tuesday in Exhibition in Martin
MARTIN, Tenn. – The Bethel Wildcats return to the hardwood Tuesday morning in Martin, facing the UTM SkyHawks in an exhibition. The tip-off is slated for 11 a.m. at the E Kathleen and Tom Elam Center.
Game Coverage:
Listen:
WEIO, 100.9 The Countdown to Tip-off Show begins at 10.30 a.m.
https://streamdb6web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WEIO
Watch:
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/2ea2c6c7-54fa-46eb-8d6b-323c2a4b0988#bucketId=1
Stats:
https://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=428457
The exhibition is deemed as the "UTM Character Counts" game with approximately 3,100 students from 20 different local elementary, middle and high schools in attendance. The "Character Counts" field trip initiative, which began at UT Martin in 2008, is taking place for the first time since 2019.
The Wildcats are coming off a 70-59 setback at Cumberland on Saturday. Bethel held a 38-33 halftime advantage but were hampered by 21 turnovers and a season-low 35 percent (7-of-20) effort from the free throw line. Yassine Zlitni (11 points), Keyshawn Kennedy (11) and Connor Guthrie (10) all reached double digits in the scoring column for head coach Jeff Britt, who accumulated his 500th career victory last Thursday with a 70-60 triumph over UT Southern. Bethel is 7-5 on the season.
The Skyhawks will be in action for the second time in less than 48 hours as UT Martin picked up a 75-74 overtime victory over Chicago State on Sunday afternoon. Parker Stewart tossed in
seven of his team-best 22 points in overtime while Chris Nix posted the first double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) by any Skyhawk in 2022-23. KJ Simon (13 points) and Desmond Williams (season-high 12 points, career-best five steals) also scored in double figures for UT Martin.
Sunday's result was the latest in a long string of close contests for the Skyhawks. Each of UT Martin's last six outings have been decided by seven points or less, marking the first time since Jan. 14-30, 2006, that the Skyhawks have been involved in six consecutive single-digit affairs. The Hawks are 5-5 on the year.
The programs first met back in the 1951-52 season. They last met back in December of 2020 with UTM winning 95-60.
UT Martin has won 14 straight decisions against Bethel and leads the series 22-7. Overall, the Skyhawks are 63-0 against non-NCAA Division I opponents since transitioning to the Division I ranks in 1992.
Querrion Gadson leads the Cats averaging 11.2 points and almost three assists per game. Tyler Neely follows at 9.4 pace per outing. Jose Nazarrio pops in 8.3 points per game. Brennen Marsh leads the squad in rebounding at 6.3 per game.
Stewart leads UTM averaging 16.0 points per outing. Simon follows at 15.7.
Ryan Ridder is in his second year at UTM and is 13-27 with the Hawks.