EVANSVILLE, Ind. – SIUE women's basketball defeated UT Martin 63-49 to advance to the quarterfinal round of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship.
 
The Cougars continue their season at 16-15 overall and 8-12 in conference play while the Skyhawks end their season at 13-17 overall and 9-11 in OVC play.
 
Kiyoko Proctor and Macy Silvey led the team with 15 points each. Proctor also had four assists while Sivley added three rebounds and made five three-pointers. Syanne Mohamed matched her career-high 15 rebounds and added 13 points, recording her fifth double-double of the season and she also had five blocks.
 
Adebukola Akomolafe ended the Cougars scoring drought in the first quarter with a layup at the 5:24 mark, sparking an eight-point run. Lauren Miller made two layups during this run that would tie the game and give the Cougars a short lead. UT Martin ended a three-minute scoring drought after a three-pointer that would tie the game 11-11. Kendal George responded with a three of her own that was followed by a layup from Syanne Mohamed in the last 57 seconds giving SIUE an 18-14 lead to end the first quarter.
 
UT Martin evened the score to 18-18 at the start of the second quarter with a jumper from Kenley McCarn. Both teams went on a scoring drought, but SIUE's ended after Proctor made a three with 3:27 remaining in the quarter. UTM responded with a nine-point run over the last three minutes taking a 29-25 lead going into half.
 
SIUE found its rhythm in the third quarter hitting three of their first three field goals. Silvey had a three pointer with 6:54 remaining in the third to tie the game yet again (35-35). This three sparked a 13-2 run over the next six minutes to distance the Cougars from the Skyhawks 45-37 to end the third quarter.
 
Silvey kept her momentum in the final quarter with two threes sparking an eight-point run that gave SIUE the win over UT Martin.
 
As a team the Cougars had 44 rebounds, forced 12 turnovers, 12 second chance points and 26 points in the paint. They made 38 percent of their shots from the field, 28 percent from three-point range and 66 percent from the line. While UTM made 38 percent of its shots from the field, 20 percent from beyond the arc and was perfect (7-7) from the line.
 
SIUE remains in Evansville to take on No. 3 Southern Indiana in the quarterfinal of the OVC tournament. Tip off is set for 3 p.m.