MARTIN, Tenn. -- The Morehead State men's basketball team wraps up its four-game Ohio Valley Conference road trip on Saturday at UT Martin. Tip-off from the Elam Center is set for approximately 7 p.m. ET.
The contest will follow a Morehead State vs. UT Martin women's basketball game at 5 p.m. The Skyhawk women claimed both OVC championships last year en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Eagle men, who snapped an eight-game road skid on Thursday, are 9-10 overall and 3-2 in the OVC. The Skyhawk men, who have lost nine of their last 10, are 4-14 on the season and 1-5 in league play.
Morehead State has won six consecutive meetings against UT Martin and owns a 29-13 upper hand in the all-time series. The Eagles tallied a 62-56 victory over the Skyhawks last year at Johnson Arena.
After Saturday, Morehead State will play six of its next eight at home. The stretch includes match-ups with division foes Belmont (5-0) and Tennessee State (6-0), who are both undefeated in conference action.
Ways to follow the game:
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO (CPU) | LIVE AUDIO (mobile) | LIVE STATS | TWITTER
The game will be webcast free of charge on OVCDigitalNetwork.com. It will also be broadcast on WIVY-96.3 FM in Morehead, MSUEagles.com (computers) and m.Morehead.EZStream.com (mobile devices). Chuck Mraz will call the play-by-play on radio, while Jason Blanton provides analysis.
Releases and pre-game information:
MOREHEAD STATE | UT MARTIN | OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE
Ten notes heading into the contest:
THE LAST TIME OUT
Morehead State used a 45-23 rebounding advantage to post a 75-59 victory over Southeast Missouri on Thursday at the Show Me Center. The Eagles, who snapped an eight-game road skid, improved to 9-10 overall and 3-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
A BIG ROAD VICTORY
Thursday was Morehead State’s largest road win since a 64-45 decision at Binghamton on Dec. 19, 2011, and its biggest Ohio Valley Conference road victory since a 76-60 count at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 5, 2011. The Eagles are 2-8 on the road this year.
THE ASSIST MAN CAN
Senior Devon Atkinson owns 98 assists through 19 games this season (5.2 apg). He is looking to become the first Eagle to post 100+ assists since Demonte Harper collected 120 in 2010-11. Last year’s leader, Lamont Austin, tallied just 98 for MSU in 31 affairs.
A REBOUNDING MACHINE
Junior Chad Posthumus is averaging 5.4 offensive rebounds and 10.4 total boards in five Ohio Valley Conference tilts this season. He has recorded 10+ caroms on three occasions, including a career-best 19 vs. SIU Edwardsville and 13 at Southeast Missouri.
KELLY IS IN A GROOVE
Junior Drew Kelly registered his sixth straight and 30th career double-figure scoring performance on Thursday at Southeast Missouri. He is averaging a team-best 13.4 points, plus 5.0 rebounds, in five Ohio Valley Conference games this year.
TURNER IS PICKING IT UP
Junior Bakari Turner has posted double-figure scoring efforts in each of the past three contests. He is averaging 13.3 points on 44 percent from the field during the stretch after averaging just 5.1 on 31 percent over his first 16 games this season.
TURNING IT AROUND AT THE STRIPE
Morehead State is +11 in free-throw attempts during Ohio Valley Conference action (five games) after being -140 in non-league play (14 games). The Eagles attempted a season-high 34 foul shots, making 25, on Thursday at Southeast Missouri.
TALKING ABOUT TEAM RANKINGS
Morehead State ranks in the Ohio Valley Conference’s top three for steals (1st, 10.3), rebounds (1st, 38.2), offensive rebounds (1st, 14.9) and rebounding margin (1st, +5.4).
ASSIGNED TO THE TOUGHER DIVISION
The Ohio Valley Conference’s East Division owns a 23-10 record (.697) in league affairs to this point in the season, while the OVC’s West Division owns just a 10-23 mark (.303).
LIVING IN HOTELS AND ON THE BUS
Morehead State wraps up a four-game Ohio Valley Conference road trip on Saturday at UT Martin. The Eagles are 19-19 (.500) in OVC road affairs over the past five seasons, but just 8-26 (.235) in non-league road tilts. Starting Thursday, MSU will play six of its next eight at home.
