The UTM men’s and women’s basketball teams started the 2006-07 season in a frenzy of early non-conference action and the pace is not slowing down.

The Skyhawk men began the season with a 64-61 win over High Point at the Jim Thorpe Association Classic in Cincinnati. Since that Nov. 10 contest, they have played five close games but failed to earn another victory. The Skyhawks will look to end the losing skid when the Evansville Purple Aces of the Missouri Valley Conference come to Martin Wednesday, Nov. 29. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Evansville will be the last opponent for the Skyhawks in November. UTM will open conference play at Southeast Missouri State this Saturday, Dec. 2. From there the Skyhawks play a string of crucial games before a trip to Hawaii on Dec. 28.

Junior college transfer Gerald Robinson is the Skyhawks’ leading scorer so far this season. Robinson is averaging 13.6 points per game.

The Skyhawk women have had a little better fortune this young season and they hope their last effort will spill over into a tough December schedule.

The Skyhawks improved to 2-1 with a nail-biting 69-68 win in their home opener against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. With two seconds left in the game, UTM sophomore Phyllisha Mitchell came up with a rebound and was fouled. Then, with 1.3 seconds showing on the clock she drained the game-winning free throw to give the Skyhawks a one-point win.

The Skyhawk women end their November schedule at home versus Dayton Thursday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.

The beginning of December will offer quite a challenge to head coach Tara Tansil’s group. They travel to Memphis Dec. 3 and then reunite with UTM alum Pat Summitt and her UT Lady Vols in Knoxville Dec. 5. This year’s Lady Vols are unbeaten and ranked No. 4 nationally. The Skyhawk women open OVC play at Jacksonville State Dec. 9.

For updated scores and stats of all Skyhawk basketball action please visit www.utmsports.com.