EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Interstat) — In a tense Ohio Valley Conference tournament quarterfinal that came down to the final second, Filip Radaković sank two decisive free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining to lift Tennessee-Martin to a 66-63 victory over Eastern Illinois on Thursday night at the Ford Center.

The Skyhawks, the seed, survived a furious second-half rally from the seventh-seeded Panthers to advance to the semifinals. The game was a defensive struggle defined by runs, with neither team able to secure a comfortable lead until the frantic final minute.

Tennessee-Martin built its advantage on the strength of a strong first half, taking a 27-22 lead into the break. The Skyhawks’ defense was stifling early, forcing nine Eastern Illinois turnovers and blocking three shots in the opening period. Matas Deniusas, the 6-foot-9 forward from Vilnius, Lithuania, was instrumental, scoring 10 of his 17 points before halftime to help establish the lead.

Eastern Illinois, which finished its season at 13-20, refused to fade. The Panthers opened the second half with increased energy, chipping away at the deficit behind the scoring of Preston Turner. The junior guard from Ellsinore, Missouri, erupted for all of his game-high 18 points in the second half, including four three-pointers, to keep the Panthers within striking distance.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final 30 seconds. With Tennessee-Martin clinging to a 62-60 lead, Eastern Illinois’ Terry McMorris blocked a Deniusas layup attempt, leading to a scramble and a jump ball that gave possession to the Panthers with 21 seconds left. Out of a timeout, Turner drove and hit a difficult floating jumper to tie the game at 62 with 17 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing possession, Tennessee-Martin worked the ball to its star, Radaković. The 6-foot-7 guard from Belgrade, Serbia, drove the left side of the lane and drew a foul on McMorris with just 0.7 seconds on the clock. Radaković, who finished with 17 points and four assists, calmly sank both free throws to put the Skyhawks ahead 64-62.

Eastern Illinois had one final chance, inbounding from half-court. Turner was fouled by Radaković on a desperate three-point attempt as time expired, sending him to the line for three shots with 0.1 seconds left and his team down by two. Turner made the first free throw but, attempting to miss the second for a potential tip-in, inadvertently made it, finalizing the score at 66-63. His intentional miss on the third attempt was grabbed by Tennessee-Martin as the clock hit zero.

The victory improved Tennessee-Martin to 22-10 overall and avenged a regular-season split, as each team had won on its home floor. The Skyhawks’ defense was key, holding Eastern Illinois to 38% shooting from the field and generating 12 turnovers. Andrija Bukumirović provided a vital all-around performance for the winners with 11 points, two blocks and several key defensive rebounds.

For Eastern Illinois, McMorris complemented Turner’s scoring with 15 points, three blocks and two assists. Meechie White added 12 points and Kooper Jacobi chipped in 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds in the losing effort.

The game, which had a pregame over/under of 122.5, finished with a total of 129 points. Tennessee-Martin will face the winner of the Morehead State and Southern Indiana quarterfinal in the semifinals on Friday.