MARTIN, Tenn. – UT Martin (8-15, 4-7) closed with a 17-1 run to pull away with an 84-63 win over Southeast Missouri (9-13, 4-5) Thursday at the Elam Center.
 
SEMO built a 12-5 lead in the first seven minutes of the contest. After UTM narrowed the Redhawks margin to 17-13, the Skyhawks went on a 10-0 run to take a six-point advantage and never trailed again.
 
UTM scored 17 of the game's next 22 points from that point on and never trailed for the remainder of the first half en route to a 38-34 edge at the intermission.
 
The Skyhawks went ahead, 35-26, on a free throw by Josh Endicott to take their biggest lead with less than three minutes left in the opening stanza.
 
Nygal Russell drained a 3-pointer to get SEMO within one at 47-46 with 15:35 left to play, but that was as close as it would get.
 
After that, UTM answered with a 12-3 run and took a 49-39 lead on Mikel Henderson's 3-pointer at the 13:02 mark.
 
Nana Akenten's second-chance 3-pointer made it a 67-62 game with 6:03 on the clock and, from then on, SEMO scored only one point the rest of the way.
 
Eric Reed, Jr. and Manny Patterson each led SEMO with 12 points, while Russell and Akenten followed with 10. Phillip Russell, who missed the last two games due to COVID protocols, returned to score four points in 28 minutes.
 
SEMO shot just 37 percent (20-of-54) from the field and was outrebounded, 44-25. 
 
The Skyhawks hit 10 three-pointers and made 47.4 percent (27-of-57) of their field goal attempts.
 
KJ Simon led five players in double figures with 19 points. Henderson contributed 17 points off the bench and Bernie Andre finished with a double-double 14 points and 12 boards. Chris Nix and KK Curry followed with 10 points apiece.
 
SEMO suffered its fourth-straight loss to the Skyhawks at the Elam Center.
 
The Redhawks return to action when they host Eastern Illinois Saturday.