Preview of Saturday’s Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Game

MACOMB, Ill. (Interstat) — A clash between teams at opposite ends of the Ohio Valley Conference standings unfolds Saturday when the surging Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks visit the struggling Western Illinois Leathernecks.

The game is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff at Western Hall.

Tennessee-Martin (16-5) enters riding high, having won seven of its last eight games. The Skyhawks are coming off a 76-68 road victory at Eastern Illinois on Thursday. Western Illinois (4-18) looks to halt a nine-game losing streak, its latest a 78-74 home loss to Southeast Missouri State on Thursday.

The Skyhawks, who sit near the top of the OVC, are led by guard Andrija Bukumirović. He is averaging 16.4 points over his last five games, including a 21-point performance in the win at Eastern Illinois. His defensive presence is also notable, with multiple blocks in four of the last seven contests.

Western Illinois will counter with guard Makai Kvamme, who posted 14 points and five assists in the narrow loss to SEMO. Consistency has been an issue for the Leathernecks, who have not won since Dec. 22.

This is the second meeting between the teams this season. Tennessee-Martin won the first matchup 67-60 at home on Jan. 1.

The Skyhawks’ potent offense, averaging over 73 points per game during their recent hot stretch, will test a Western Illinois defense that has allowed an average of 76.6 points during its nine-game skid. The Leathernecks will need to find scoring beyond Kvamme and forward Lucas Lorenzen, who had 20 points last time out, to keep pace.

For Tennessee-Martin, maintaining focus against a conference opponent well below them in the standings will be key as they pursue a regular-season title. For Western Illinois, the task is to find a way to break a demoralizing streak and protect its home court.

Following this game, Tennessee-Martin hosts Southern Indiana on Feb. 5. Western Illinois begins a two-game road trip at Tennessee Tech on Feb. 5.