By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Two days after an electric performance in an Ohio Valley Conference first-place showdown, the league has announced University of Tennessee at Martin sophomore guard Jordan Sears as its Newcomer of the Week.
A Daytona Beach, Fla. native, Sears went off for a career-best 32 points on Saturday in an 86-83 overtime victory against Southern Indiana. Eight of those points came in the decisive extra period as he finished 11-of-19 shooting (including 3-for-7 from three-point range) and 7-of-9 from the free throw line. He also handed out a season-high five assists with two rebounds and a steal in 33 minutes of play.
Two days earlier against Lindenwood, Sears compiled a team-best 16 points, five rebounds, a team-best three assists and a block in 34 minutes. He additionally set career-highs from the charity stripe – knocking down nine of his 11 tries – in a 66-59 victory.
Sears has led the Skyhawks in scoring in five of the last six games and seven times overall in 2022-23. The 5-11, 175-pound transfer from Gardner-Webb ranks fourth in the OVC in scoring (17.9 points per game) in league play while ranking 10th overall with a .781 free throw percentage. He accounts for a season scoring average of 13.3 points per game while adding 3.2 rebounds, a team-high 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.
UT Martin is back in action this week with a pair of OVC road outings. The Skyhawks travel to SIUE on Thursday, Feb. 2 before heading to Lindenwood on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information