MARTIN, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by frigid shooting, the Morehead State Eagles grinded out a 61-55 victory over the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Skyhawk Arena.

The Eagles, who entered as significant underdogs, snapped a two-game skid and improved to 13-12 overall. The Skyhawks, who had won eight of their last nine, fell to 19-6. The combined 116 points fell well short of the pregame over/under line of 135.5.

The game’s pivotal stretch came late in the second half with Morehead State clinging to a narrow lead. After Tennessee-Martin’s Afan Trnka hit a 3-pointer to pull the Skyhawks within three at 43-40 with just under six minutes remaining, the Eagles responded with a decisive 7-0 run. George Marshall, who led all scorers with 16 points, sparked the surge with a 3-pointer. Following a Vince Dawson steal, Marshall buried another three on the ensuing possession, pushing the Eagles’ advantage to 49-40 with 4:39 left. The Skyhawks would not get closer than five points the rest of the way.

Tennessee-Martin’s offense never found its rhythm, particularly from beyond the arc. The Skyhawks shot a dismal 16 of 62 from the field overall, a season-worst 25.8%. Their troubles were magnified from 3-point range, where they connected on only 6 of 39 attempts, good for 15.4%. Despite hauling in 21 offensive rebounds, they consistently failed to convert second-chance opportunities.

Morehead State was not much more efficient, shooting 36.5% from the field, but outperformed the Skyhawks from deep by hitting 7 of 18 threes. The Eagles also capitalized at the free-throw line, making 16 of 18 attempts, while Tennessee-Martin went 17 of 25.

The first half was a low-scoring affair, with Morehead State taking a 23-22 lead into the break. The Eagles extended their lead early in the second half, but the Skyhawks stayed within striking distance thanks to their work on the glass and a game-high 15 points from Matas Deniusas, who also blocked two shots. Andrija Bukumirović added 13 points for the home team.

For Morehead State, Marshall’s 16 points were complemented by 11 points and four assists from Chase Dawson. Anouar Mellouk provided eight points and solid interior defense. The Eagles’ backcourt of Marshall and Dawson combined for five of the team’s seven 3-pointers.

The Skyhawks won the turnover battle, committing only nine to Morehead State’s 12, and outscored the Eagles 13-9 off those miscues. They also dominated points in the paint, 20-12, and fast-break points, 9-5. However, their inability to make open shots, especially from long distance, proved insurmountable on an afternoon where both teams had 62 possessions but only the Eagles managed an offensive rating above 90.

A crowd of 2,040 watched as Morehead State avenged a 76-68 home loss to Tennessee-Martin from Jan. 8. The Eagles will look to build on the road win when they host Tennessee Tech on Thursday. The Skyhawks aim to rebound on the road at Lindenwood, also on Thursday.