UT Martin Skyhawks

The UT Martin Skyhawks bring Ohio Valley Conference basketball to the small college town of Martin, Tennessee, playing their home games at Skyhawk Arena on the university's campus. It's a program built on grit rather than glamour, regularly punching above its weight in a league full of scrappy mid-majors. The Skyhawks lean on a tight-knit campus atmosphere where every home game feels like a community event. For a program this size, sustained OVC tournament success has been the hallmark of its identity.

UT Martin basketball dates back to 1951, moving from NAIA competition into the NCAA ranks in 1971 and eventually to Division I in 1991. The Skyhawks won their first Ohio Valley Conference tournament title in 1955, and have added titles since, including in 2008 and 2019, each punching a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Guard Lester Hudson, a two-time OVC Player of the Year in the late 2000s, remains the program's most celebrated alumnus and went on to play in the NBA.