Skyhawks recovering from sluggish opening

After Tennessee-Martin lost arguably its top two players to season-ending injuries, the Skyhawks would probably have had every reason to close up shop and look toward next year.

Much to Skyhawks coach Bret Campbell's delight, however, they have done anything but. Tennessee-Martin (8-12, 3-5) is one of the Ohio Valley Conference's hottest teams entering tonight's 7:30 game at the Show Me Center against struggling Southeast Missouri State University (9-10, 2-6).

"I'm extremely proud of the way they've responded," said Campbell, whose squad has posted three straight victories.

Senior guard Earl Bullock, the OVC's sixth-leading scorer last season when he averaged 16 points per game and led the league in 3-pointers made, played just five games this year before going down with a knee injury.

And that was just the first major blow to the Skyhawks. Junior guard Justin Smith, leading UTM in scoring at 15.7 points per game, ruptured his Achilles tendon during the 15th game.

"Those were obviously two big losses for us," Campbell said.

The Skyhawks suffered narrow defeats at Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State to start OVC play, and then they lost Smith to an injury during their third conference game, a home loss to Jacksonville State.

A home setback to Samford followed, then came a 24-point blowout loss at Murray State as UTM was saddled with an 0-5 league mark. It was then that Campbell thought the Skyhawks' season was all but over.

"I actually thought the Murray game, our fifth loss, I may have lost them for the season. That night I really didn't think we competed for 40 minutes," Campbell said. "But I'm really proud of the way they've hung in there."

The Skyhawks gained their first OVC triumph at Tennessee State, then last week posted home victories over Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky. The three-game winning streak has them back in the thick of the conference race. Although tied for seventh place, UTM trails third-place Samford by just two games.

"The win at Tennessee State was the biggest win. It put that taste back in our mouths," Campbell said.

UTM has received strong play from 6-foot-5 junior guard Jeremy Kelly (13.4 ppg) and a pair of junior-college transfers, 6-5 sophomore forward Jared Newson (12.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and 5-9 junior point guard Tyler George, who is third in the league in assists with 5.4 per game.

"Newson has really stepped up with the loss of Smith, and Kelly has stepped up," Campbell said.

Southeast coach Gary Garner marvels at the way Campbell has been able to keep the Skyhawks above water.

"You have to give him a lot of credit," Garner said. "When they lost their top two players, I really thought their season was over. But they've really responded.

"Before they lost their two best players, their best scorers, I thought they could be the darkhorse in the league. But they're evidently playing really well now and they're going to come in here with some confidence."

Confidence is what the Indians need to gain in a hurry if they are going to become a factor in the OVC race. Southeast is on a four-game losing streak, with all four defeats away from home, to fall into 10th place out of 11 teams. But the Indians' next three games are at the Show Me Center.

"We've got to get this thing turned around at home and I think we can," Garner said.

Before falling decisively at Jacksonville State and Samford last week, Southeast's first four OVC losses were by a total of nine points, including two narrow setbacks against first-place Austin Peay.

Campbell believes the Indians are much better than their record suggests.

"With a bounce here or there, they may be one of the top teams in the league," Campbell said. "I know their backs are to the wall and I'm very nervous going into Cape Girardeau."