Murray State
Alabama State
Women's Basketball Swats Lady Hornets 93-57
11/17/2007 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Shaleea Petty and Amber Guffey led five Racers in double-figures as Murray State's women's basketball team took a 93-57 win over visiting Alabama State. Petty and Guffey each scored 19 points, with Petty tying a career-high previously set against Morehead State on Jan. 6, 2005, and Guffey going 9-for-9 from the line.
Petty was 6-for-7 from the field, hitting three of her four three-point attempts and going 4-for-4 from the line. Guffey was 4-for-10 from the field -- 2-for-5 from three-point range, and continued her perfection from the lnie, making each of her first 19 free-throw attempts of the season. Going to last season, she has made 20 straight free throws.
Ashley Hayes added 12 points and pulled down a co-game-high 11 rebounds, picking up MSU's first double-double of the season. Paige Guffey scored 11 points off the bench, hitting two threes from 25 to 30 feet out, while Alaina Lee scored 10 points.
Jasmyne Thornton grabbed six rebounds, while Petty and Amber Guffey handed out a game-high five assists each and Petty and Mallory Luckett had a game-high three steals apiece.
Alabama State (0-1) opened the game on a 6-0 run, but Murray State (2-1) responded by scoring the next eight. The Lady Hornets tied the game at 14-14 before the Racers took off, scoring the next 11 points to go ahead 25-14 en route to the 40-25 halftime advantage. Murray State went on a 21-5 run in the second half to keep ASU at bay.
"I asked our team to play a disciplined ball game," said MSU head coach Jody Adams. "I want us to get better the way that we are, understanding our strengths and keeping a defensive mentality by playing tough, solid defense on the halfcourt and rebounding the basketball. I thought this was a true team effort; everybody played tonight. We had several people in double-figures. Those are the things you like to see. It helps build team confidence. It builds trust.
"I think, top to bottom, this was a better game for us that the Bethel game. I asked everybody to play a role for us, and they did that. I challenged everyone coming off the bench to be ready to go after the first half, and they stepped up and met the challenge."
The Racers had one point off the bench in the first half, but 26 from bench players in the second half.
Alabama State was led by Erica Lumpkin, who had a game-high 20 points off the bench, going 4-for-11 from three-point range and grabbing eight rebounds. Tanika Jackson had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Shantae Robinson handed out four assists, while LaShundreya Townsend had three.
The Racers will take part in the UTC Panera Bread Challenge next weekend, facing tournament host Tennessee-Chattanooga on Friday at 6 p.m. CT and either Delaware or Louisville on Saturday at 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. CT. Each of the four teams taking part in that tournament won at least 21 wins last season.
