In their First-Round NCAA Tournament Matchup with Holy Cross, the Skyhawks Women's Hoops Team Loses

In the NCAA Tournament First Four at Carver-Hawkeye Arena women’s basketball team from the University of Tennessee at Martin had an unusually poor shooting night, falling to Patriot League winner Holy Cross 72-45 . The Skyhawks finish the 2023–24 season with an overall record of 16–17.

In the first half, the Crusaders made 10 of their season-high 12 three-pointers, while UT Martin shot 26.2 percent (16-for-61) from the field. In UT Martin’s first NCAA Tournament trip since 2014, all ten of the Skyhawk players who donned costumes had a chance to play.

For the 12th match this season, Anaya Brown led UT Martin in scoring, finishing with 15 points and tying a team record with six rebounds. For the sixth game this season, Love Mays (10 points) scored in double digits while grabbing six rebounds, while Kenley McCarn (12 points) scored with six boards and three steals. The fourth Skyhawk to reach a team-high six rebounds was Lexi Rubel.

Cara McCormack led the Crusaders (21–12) with 24 points, while Bronagh Power-Cassidy chipped in with 15 points.

The game was started with a three-pointer from Holy Cross, and the Skyhawks weren’t on the scoreboard until a McCarn floater at 7:49 in the first quarter. With six minutes left in the first quarter, Brown scored the next four points for UT Martin, cutting the Skyhawk lead to just two. After 10 minutes, the Crusaders came back with an 8-0 run and finally led 22–13.

After three straight treys by Holy Cross to start the second quarter, Brown’s short jumper put a halt to the run. In the second quarter, Mays scored five of UT Martin’s nine points in the closing minutes, leaving the Skyhawks behind 45–24 at the half.

UT Martin was led by Mays and Brown, who each had eight points at the half, while the Crusaders were led by McCormack (18 points) and Power-Cassidy (11 points).

Five of the Skyhawks’ eight points in the third quarter came from Brown. At 3:17, Mays made a fast break layup, and Holy Cross surged ahead 8–0 to close the stanza.

In the last quarter, UT Martin had five different players score. The Skyhawks were led by McCarn’s six points at the beginning of the game. In the last four minutes of play, Josie Storey (free throw), Brown (putback off an offensive rebound), Sophie Singleton (two free throws), and Mah Minthe (floater) all added points.