MARTIN, Tenn. - Preston Parks hit a 75-foot shot at the final buzzer Tuesday night to lift UT-Martin past the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 75-72, thwarting a strong comeback by the Mocs and sending them to a third consecutive defeat.
UTC (5-8) trailed by 11 in the second half, but hot shooting from A.J. Caldwell, Jerry Johnson Jr. and the recently reinstated Donovann Toatley started the rally.
Down six with two minutes to play, Johnson hit a jumper, was fouled and added a free throw. He narrowed the margin to one on a strong drive with 35 seconds left, but UTM's Quintin Dove hit a pair of free throws. Toatley, who led the Mocs with 19 points, quickly drove the court and scored in the lane with 16 seconds left.
Parks offset the points with two more free throws for the Skyhawks, but Johnson tied it with a 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds remaining. The Skyhawks inbounded quickly to Parks at the UTC free-throw line, and his prayer was answered.
UTC, which received 12 points from Johnson, 10 each from Caldwell and Jonathan Scott and eight points and 10 rebounds from Kevin Easley, fell behind 8-0. The Mocs rallied, eventually taking their first - and only - lead at 21-20 on an Easley 3-pointer, and they trailed by a point at halftime.
UTM (5-4) hit four 3-pointers, two from Dalfincko Bogan, in the first seven minutes of the second half to build a 51-40 lead. Caldwell scored all 10 of his points in the next five minutes to kickstart the comeback.
The Mocs outshot the Skyhawks, 50 percent (31-of-62) to 42 percent (24-of-52), but UTM was 19-of-27 from the free-throw line, with UTC going just 2-of-3.
Dove topped UT-Martin with 16 points, followed by Derek Hawthorn Jr. with 15 and Bogan with 11. The Mocs, now 1-7 on the road, will be home to face Bryan College on Friday at noon.