(St. Louis, MO) – Heath Schroyer’s first season at UT-Martin was historic. Season number two has been a bigger struggle. After a season where the Skyhawks won 21 games, including the first three post season victories in the program’s Division 1 history, UT-Martin has struggled to find a winning rotation.
Injuries, illness and suspensions caused only Tymond Howard to start each of the team’s first 10 games and only four players had played in all ten games, then Howard’s ‘iron man’ status ended when an asthma attack placed him in a Nashville hospital. Their 3-7 record coming into their game at Saint Louis U reflected that uncertainty caused by team members that are playing out of position and don’t know how to read one another. Second leading scorer and pre-season all Ohio Valley Conference team Alex Anderson didn’t start the first two games. 7’2 redshirt freshman Nick Detlev has missed all but one game. His right foot is still in a boot.
And then there was a superlative effort in St. Louis. Kedar Edwards came back from suspension, Myles Taylor emerged and Anderson’s steady hand led the Skyhawks to an improbable and impressive 82 to 76 win at Chaifetz Arena.
With Richard Lee burying three pointers, Edwards grabbing rebounds, UT-Martin played defense with a passion and outworked the taller Billikens.
OVC coaches and media picked the Hawks to finish second in the West Division, and this victory and their signature win over James Madison gives UT-Martin fans hopes for better things to come. Schroyer’s squad won 12 true road games last season and three of their four wins this year have come away from the Elam Center.
There is a toughness about the Skyhawks and the win in St. Louis was big for their confidence. Schroyer says they’ve worked hard and a ‘hard work’ mentality comes to him through his upbringing.
Prospects for better days still remain for the gritty Skyhawks. Assuming Howard and others get healthy, Schroyer is a proven winner. Everywhere he’s coached, his teams win conference championships and earn their way into post season play.
Schroyer says Howard has battled this asthma problem before and that he is proud of how Kedar Edwards bounced back from missing four games for violating team rules.
The Skyhawks return to Nashville for two home games prior to Christmas.
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As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
