Murray State University Athletics
Lady Racers Visit Tennessee Tech
1/25/2007 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Lady Racers hope to continue their winning ways, having won their last three games and 10 of their last 11, as they visit Tennessee Tech tonight at 7 p.m. in Ohio Valley Conference action. The game can be heard live locally on WNBS (1340 AM, Murray) or worldwide through the audio link at www.GoRacers.com. Video streaming is available through www.OVCsports.TV.
Murray State (12-4, 8-1 OVC) finds itself in a virtual tie with Morehead State (10-9, 9-2 OVC), which beat Southeast Missouri State (13-6, 8-3 OVC) 68-58 last night. MSU is 5-3 on the road -- 4-0 in OVC play -- while the Golden Eagles (5-14, 4-6 OVC) are 5-3 at home, 4-1 in OVC play.
The Lady Racers find themselves in hostile territory, as Tennessee Tech is 29-1 against MSU in their Eblen Center, having won the last 14 meetings with Murray State there. The last win for the Lady Racers in Cookeville came on Feb. 27, 1993, under head coach Kelly Breazeale.
However, Murray State also finds a Golden Eagle squad in unfamiliar territory: tied for seventh place in the OVC, closer to being eliminated from tournament contention (a half-game ahead of ninth-place Eastern Illinois) than hosting a first-round game (1.5 games behind fourth-place Austin Peay). Despite that, TTU sports home wins over Southeast Missouri State (59-58 on Dec. 9) and pre-season conference favorite Samford (62-55 on Jan. 14). Tennessee Tech has also taken on teams such as Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Clemson, Pepperdine, Alabama and Southern Illinois.
Murray State is ranked 12th nationally in field-goal percentage (.469) and three-point field-goal percentage (.390) and 25th in free-throw percentage (.748). The Lady Racers also lead the OVC in scoring margin (+12.3), three-point field-goal percentage defense (.262), turnover margin (+3.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.99).
Tennessee Tech is second in the league -- 28th in the nation -- in free-throw percentage (.744), but lacking a strong post presence, are among the bottom two teams in several key categories: last in rebounding (30.3 per game), opponent field-goal percentage (.464), defensive rebounds (20.5 per game) and blocked shots (1.0 per game) and next-to-last in offensive rebounds (9.7 per game), scoring margin (-9.1) and rebound margin (-6.3).
Tonight's game is the first of a three-game gauntlet for Murray State, as the Lady Racers visit Southeast Missouri State on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Samford on Monday at 5 p.m.
