NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Kenley McCarn scored 28 points and Sidni Middleton added 20 as Tennessee-Martin used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away from Tennessee State for an 86-79 victory in an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Howard Gentry Complex.

The Skyhawks, who trailed by as many as eight points in the first half, outscored the Tigers 34-22 in the final period to secure their second consecutive win and improve to 4-5 overall. Tennessee State, led by Erin Martin’s 25 points, dropped its fifth straight game to fall to 1-9.

The most important part of the game was Tennessee-Martin’s decisive response after Tennessee State had clawed back to tie the game at 65-65 with just over six minutes remaining. The Tigers’ Erin Martin, who was brilliant throughout, hit a 3-pointer to knot the score, capping a rally from a nine-point third-quarter deficit.

The Skyhawks answered immediately and emphatically. On the ensuing possession, Grace Billington sank a 3-pointer off an assist from Brittani Wells to regain the lead. After a Tennessee State turnover, McCarn took over. The 5-foot-11 guard from Melbourne, Arkansas, hit a stepback 3-pointer, then drew a foul on a drive and made two free throws. Following another Tigers miscue, McCarn drilled another deep 3-pointer, this one assisted by Norah Clark, to cap an 11-0 run that gave Tennessee-Martin a 76-65 lead with 4:56 to play.

Tennessee State never got closer than seven points the rest of the way as the Skyhawks closed it out at the free-throw line, making 10 of 12 in the final quarter.

The game was a tale of two halves, and particularly two fourth quarters, for the Skyhawks. After a sluggish start that saw them commit 10 first-half turnovers and trail 35-34 at halftime, they found their rhythm after the break. McCarn, who also had three assists and two blocks in 35 minutes, scored 18 of her points in the second half. Middleton, a 5-10 guard from Vilonia, Arkansas, played 37 minutes and was instrumental in the final push.

Tennessee State was fueled by Martin, the 5-11 forward from Montgomery, Alabama, who added three assists and a block. Sadie Sanchez provided a spark off the bench with 15 points, and Kiki Roberts finished with 13 points. The Tigers won the battle in the paint, 30-28, but were undone by 22 turnovers, which Tennessee-Martin converted into 29 points.

The Skyhawks started cold, making just five of their first 18 field goal attempts as Tennessee State built a 20-13 lead after one quarter. The Tigers extended their lead to 27-19 in the second quarter following a technical foul on McCarn and a subsequent 3-pointer from Genesis Harris. Tennessee-Martin closed the half on a 15-8 run, keyed by seven points from Middleton, to narrow the gap to one at intermission.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. The Skyhawks seemed to seize control with a 7-0 spurt, capped by a McCarn jumper, to lead 49-42. But the Tigers closed the period on a 15-6 run, with Martin scoring seven points during the stretch, to take a 57-55 lead into the final quarter, setting the stage for Tennessee-Martin’s game-breaking response.

Brittani Wells contributed 12 points and four assists for the Skyhawks, while Norah Clark added nine points. For Tennessee State, Harris and Somah Kamara each scored nine points.

The announced attendance was 257. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Tennessee-Martin entered the game with a 55.3% probability to win.

Tennessee-Martin travels to face Tennessee Tech on Saturday. Tennessee State will host Southeast Missouri State on Saturday.