Murray State University Athletics
Lady Racers Set To Host Samford In The First Of Three Straight At Home
1/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
After opening their Ohio Valley Conference slate on the road last week, the Murray State Lady Racers and first-year head coach Joi Williams return home for an important three-game homestand beginning with Samford on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. at the Regional Special Events Center.
MSU (4-9, 0-2 OVC) will follow its first-ever meeting with the Bulldogs on Thursday with another first-time meeting with Jacksonville State on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. The Lady Racers will close out the three-game stretch at the RSEC with Tennessee-Martin on Tuesday (Jan. 20) at 5:15 p.m.
"We are excited to be back home and play in front of our fans," Williams said. "In the past, we have played well at home. Our kids know they have to step up, and we will get fired up playing our conference opponents."
The Lady Racers enter Thursday's game following a pair of tough losses at Morehead State (65-62) and Eastern Kentucky (75-74). In both games, MSU held the lead in final moments only to have it slip away.
"We were in control of both games, pretty much the whole way, and couldn't finish them out," said Williams. "I take some responsibility for that because we panicked a little bit in the closing seconds, and that's something that we need to work on more in practice.
Williams and the Lady Racers have taken a lot of positives from those close losses, and they're hoping to improve on those performances this weekend at home.
"At this point, we're taking everything one game at a time," Williams said. "Samford (7-5, 1-1 OVC) is doing a good job this season. They're playing good, fundamental basketball.
"Jacksonville State (7-4, 2-0 OVC) has one of the premier players in the OVC in Shanika Freeman (19.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg). We will be tested both nights."
The MSU Sports Network's live broadcasts of the games against Samford, JSU and UTM can be heard by Clicking Here.
