Murray State
Tennessee Tech
Lady Racers' defense nets win over former OVC co-leader Tech
1/26/2006 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Junior forward Joi Scott picked up her fifth double-double in 10 games with 19 points to go with 12 rebounds (all on the defensive end) and three blocked shots, both game-highs. Scott was 6-for-13 from the field and 6-for-8 from the line.
Murray State (6-11, 5-5 OVC) held Tennessee Tech to 39.4-percent shooting (26-for-66), including a 38.9-percent night in the second half (14-for-36). The Lady Racers -- the top free-throw shooting team in Division I -- made 25 of 31 shots from the line (80.6 percent), including hitting 21 of 25 free-throw attempts in the second half (82 percent). MSU hit only five of its first eight free-throw attempts, but hit a groove, sinking 19 of its next 21.
Murray State fell behind 11-2 early in the game before going on an 11-3 run to get within 14-13 when junior post Erica Gordian -- celebrating her birthday -- hit a free throw with 10:54 left in the first half.
The Golden Eaglettes (12-6, 8-3 OVC) pushed out to a six-point lead, 23-17, but MSU rallied behind a 16-4 run over the next five minutes to take a 33-27 lead on junior guard Ashley Brooke Hayes' three-pointer. Tech closed out the half on a 7-1 run to tie the game at halftime 34-34.
The lead seesawed at the start of the second half. Tech's Arleigh Brackin tied the game at 49-49 with a three-pointer with 10:27 left in regulation, but Murray State scored the next eight points on back-to-back jumpers by sophomore guard Shaleea Petty, back-to-back free throws by sophomore guard Alaina Lee and a layup by Scott to push out to a 57-49 lead.
Tennessee Tech used a 15-9 run to pull to within 66-64 with 2:48 left, but the Lady Racers scored the next nine points on back-to-back layups and a free throw by Petty, two free throws by freshman guard Amber Guffey and two free throws by Scott to vault out to a 75-64 lead with 1:11 remaining. TTU was not able to get closer than eight points for the rest of the game.
"It feels great," said MSU head coach Joi Felton. "It's great for our kids because Tennessee Tech is a program that's won a lot of games. If you want to win a championship, most times, you have to go through Cookeville, Tenn. We still have a lot of games to be played, and we can't rest on this, but it is a confidence builder for our group.
"We stayed real poised down the stretch, and they closed the gap, and our kids maintained their poise. We played some better defense tonight. I'm just so proud of them. I can't say enough about it, and I hope we continue to play aggressive like we have.
"We talked about it (playing aggressive) and talked about it before our games against SEMO and Austin Peay, and it just didn't happen," she said. "Now, we've gone out and made it happen. Our kids were real focused. They believed tonight; that was the big difference. They believed it from the start."
Hayes chipped in 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists, shooting 4-for-7 from three-point range and setting a new MSU record for career three-point attempts (368). She has 128 career three-point baskets, just six behind the school record held by Misty Pierceall (1994-98).
Petty finished with 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting, and had three assists and a co-game-high three steals. Guffey added 10 points on 8-for-8 shooting from the line (all in the second half) to go with four assists, while freshman guard Ashley Nichole Hayes put in 10 points and had four rebounds.
Tennessee Tech was paced by the OVC's top scorer, Emily Christian, who had 24 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Meagan Lyons added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Deanna Apple handed out a game-high six assists and Cara Reed had six rebounds for Tech.
Murray State's odyssey this weekend continues as it visits Southeast Missouri State (11-7, 8-3 OVC), which is tied for second with Tennessee Tech, on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Lady Racers then continue its gauntlet at home on Monday at 5:15 p.m. against OVC leader Samford (14-4, 9-2 OVC).
