Tuesday, March 4th, 8:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Elam Center (5,000) -- Martin, Tennessee. Television: None. Home Record: Samford 7-7, UTM 7-6. Away Record: Samford 7-8, UTM 8-9. Neutral Record: Samford 0-0, UTM 1-0. Conference Record: Samford 10-10, UTM 11-9. Series Record: Samford leads, 7-3.

GAME NOTES: The fourth-seeded Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks will try to defeat the fifth-seeded Samford Bulldogs for the third time this season, as the teams collide in the quarterfinal round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament tonight. The team that comes out on top in this one will meet either Eastern Kentucky or Austin Peay in the semifinals on Friday. The Bulldogs won three of their last four games during the regular season and they finished in a four-way tie for fifth place at a level 10-10. The Bulldogs, who edged out the three other teams for the fifth seed, have gone 3-4 all-time in this event, reaching the finals in 2005. As for UTM, it reeled off six straight victories before being blown out, 98-59, in its regular season finale at Murray State. Despite that loss, the Skyhawks claimed the fourth seed in this event with an 11-9 league ledger. The team though, has yet to win a game in this tourney, going 0-5 all-time. UTM swept a pair of meetings against Samford during the regular season, but the Bulldogs still hold a 7-3 edge in the head-to-head series.

The Bulldogs prefer a slower tempo style of play and that helps explain why they are scoring just 58.6 ppg despite shooting a solid 46.1 percent from the floor. Travis Peterson has just about done it all for Samford and he tops the club in scoring (13.0 ppg), rebounding (4.7 rpg) and assists (3.4 apg). Joe Ross Merritt drains 38.0 percent of his long-range attempts for an average of 11.5 ppg, but he has struggled at the foul line, converting just 58.8 percent of the time. Trey Montgomery contributes 10.1 ppg and 4.0 rpg for the Bulldogs and he is a solid defender, racking up a club-best 49 steals.

The Skyhawks are paced by one of the top players in the nation in Lester Hudson, who ranks among the elite scorers with an average of 25.4 ppg. Hudson can do more than just score though, handing out a team-high 4.5 apg and pulling down 7.8 rpg. If that weren't enough, Hudson also has an incredible 90 steals to his credit. Marquis Weddle gives the team's a solid second option at 16.3 ppg, while Gerald Robinson turns in 14.3 ppg and a team-high 8.2 rpg. As a team, UTM has done a good job in producing 76.8 ppg, but the nearly identical 76.6 ppg it is allowing is surely a concern.

UTM simply has the more explosive and dynamic players here and with Hudson leading the way, it should prevail in a close one tonight.

Predicted Outcome

Tennessee-Martin 66, Samford 62