West Central Reporter

Despite strong performances from Marko Maletic and Trey Deveaux, Western Illinois fell to UT Martin with a final score of 81-70. The game took place on Saturday afternoon at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center in Martin, Tennessee.

Marko Maletic led the scoring for Western Illinois with 27 points. He made eight three-pointers and shot 50% from the field, completing 9-of-18 attempts. In addition to his scoring, Maletic contributed three rebounds during his 32 minutes on the court. His efforts kept the team competitive throughout most of the game.

Trey Deveaux also had a notable performance, contributing 17 points and seven rebounds. He was efficient in his shooting, making four out of eight field goal attempts and successfully converting eight out of nine free throws. Deveaux added three assists to his stat line, impacting both offense and defense.

Western Illinois connected on a total of 12 three-pointers as a team but struggled with turnovers and allowed second-chance points that enabled UT Martin to pull ahead in the second half.

The Leathernecks' current record stands at 8-17 overall and 2-12 in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They are scheduled to play Southern Indiana and Morehead State next as they return home for their upcoming games. Western Illinois is currently positioned in 11th place within the OVC standings with six games remaining in their season.

For more information on Leatherneck Basketball, fans can visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.