Murray State University Athletics
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Lady Racers release 2006-07 schedule
8/22/2006 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State Lady Racers have released this year's schedule, which includes a tough conference slate and competitive out-of-conference match-ups. Returning to face the challenge are nine members of last year's squad, including all five starters.
Senior Joi Scott, a member of last year's All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team, comes back after putting in 20.3 points and grabbing 8.6 rebounds per game last season. Seniors Ashley Brooke Hayes and Gerraca Matthews also return this year, along with fellow starters Shaleea Petty and Ashley Nichole Hayes. The nine returnees provided 72.6 points and 31.0 rebounds per game last year, and Murray State will need that experience to do well with this year's schedule.
"The OVC organizes each team's conference schedule, so we have to play with the hand we're dealt," said head coach Joi Felton, beginning her fourth season at the helm of Murray State. "It will be challenging, but the positive thing we have is that we've got a veteran group of players. We know that to be successful, we've got to win some games on the road. We've got a couple of stretches where we play three games over five days, and that will require a lot of mental preparation.
"Our first priority will be to take care of business at home in the RSEC. Although we have a veteran team this year, we can't take anything for granted. The conference is going to be tough again this year, and the schedule doesn't help us in several spots, so we have to focus and work hard to get our wins. It will take a lot of mental preparation and mental toughness.
"Our out-of-conference schedule is a good one," she said. "I feel good about it. Going to Cincinnati gives us an opportunity to play against a team from a major conference and see how we stack up before we start conference play. Alabama A&M has been very competitive over the years, and we play them right in the middle of our conference schedule. Western Kentucky is always a great rivalry, and is a team that our players are excited about playing. I feel good about our ability to compete against such a difficult schedule."
Murray State opens the season with a home exhibition game against Christian Brothers on Nov. 4, then begins the regular-season slate with back-to-back home games against Kentucky State (Nov. 10) and Brescia (Nov. 12).
The schedule picks up considerably after that, with three straight road games against stiff regional competition. MSU visits Southern Illinois on Nov. 17, then travels to Western Kentucky on Nov. 20, then concludes the road swing at Cincinnati on Nov. 28.
The Lady Racers open December with a home game against Lipscomb on Dec. 4, then open OVC play at Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 7 and at Morehead State on Dec. 9.
Murray State opens its home conference slate against Jacksonville State on Dec. 17 and Samford on Dec. 19, then take the next two weeks off before resuming play on Jan. 2 against Eastern Illinois at home.
The Lady Racers then hit a grueling string of games, playing seven of the next 10 match-ups on the road, with a string of three OVC road trips that would make Phileas Fogg look like a homebody. MSU visits Tennessee State on Jan. 4, then hosts Southeast Missouri on Jan. 6. Murray State then travels to Austin Peay on Jan. 11, then to Alabama A&M on Jan. 15.
After hosting Tennessee-Martin on Jan. 20, the Lady Racers' bus will be tested as much as the team when Murray State travels to Tennessee Tech on Jan. 25, Southeast Missouri on Jan. 27 and Samford on Jan. 29. MSU returns home to face Austin Peay on Feb. 1 before hitting the road for Jacksonville State on Feb. 3.
A three-game homestand arrives just in time for the Lady Racers when they host Eastern Kentucky on Feb. 8, Morehead State on Feb. 10 and Tennessee State on Feb. 15. Murray State closes out its regular-season schedule with a road trip to Eastern Illinois on Feb. 17, a home game against Tennessee Tech on Feb. 22 and a road game at Tennessee-Martin on Feb. 24. The first round of the O'Reilly OVC Championship Tournament will be held on Feb. 27, with the semifinals and championship game held in Nashville on March 2-3.
