Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Morehead State
Women's Basketball Fends Off Late Morehead Attack, 56-54
12/8/2007 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women's basketball team fended off a late offensive barrage by visiting Morehead State, holding on for the 56-54 Ohio Valley Conference win and gaining its 10th straight home victory.
In the first half, both teams started sluggishly, but picked up the pace midway through the half. Morehead State (2-7, 0-2 OVC) led 15-12 with 7:45 remaining in the period, but back-to-back baskets by junior guard/forward Ashley Hayes gave the Racers a 16-15 lead. The lead seesawed down the stretch, but a putback by sophomore center Pam Bell knotted the game at 25-25 at halftime.
Murray State (6-2, 2-0 OVC) shot 35.5 percent from the floor in the first half, hitting 11 of its 31 shots, while the Eagles hit 29.4 percent of their shots, making 10 of its 34 shots. Both teams had 22 rebounds. Hayes led the Racers at halftime with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Morehead State was paced by Afton Perry, Brittany Pittman and Candyce Flynn, each with six points, and nine boards from Pittman.
Murray State shot much better in the second half, hitting 14 of its 27 second-half shots (51.9 percent). Junior guard Amber Guffey opened the half with two free throws, then senior guard Shaleea Petty hit a jumper to give the Racers a 29-25 lead. Morehead State (2-7, 0-2 OVC) cut that lead to one point four times befire a three from Hayes, a bucket by senior guard/forward Gerraca Matthews and a jumpshot by Hayes gave the Racers a 46-38 lead with 10:55 remaining in regulation.
Morehead State was able to chip away at that lead, tying the game at 54-54 when Pittman hit a layup with 2:09 remaining. Morehead's Perry stole the ball on the next possession, but Hayes was able to grab the defensive rebound and bring the ball up the court. Senior center Angela Brown hit a jumper to give the Racers a 56-54 lead with 1:09 remaining.
The Eagles brought the ball down the court, and Anitha Smith-Williams put up a three that fell away, and Brown grabbed the defensive board. Guffey tried a layup with 37 seconds left, but missed, and Morehead State took the rebound back down the court. After a Morehead State timeout, Smith-Williams tried another three, missed, and Pittman took the rebound. Tarah Combs launched from behind the arc with five seconds left, missed, and Chynna Bozeman grabbed the board. Each team took a 30-second timeout, and when play resumed, Smith-Williams tried another three from the left side. It missed and went out of bounds as time expired.
"I've got to give credit to our team for hanging in there when things weren't going our way," said Racer head coach Jody Adams. "Ashley Hayes did a great job of stepping up and taking the bulk of the offense for us. She hit big shots, and she continued to follow the ball; she wanted the ball in her hands.
"I think Mallory Luckett did a great job for us defensively. She's a blue-collar kid. She's going to fight, even when she's tired, and she's one who gives this team a lift. She energized us; there's no doubt about it. On Angela's last basket, it was a great placement pass off of penetration. Those are the shots that we depend on Angela to make. It was just a tough game for Angela tonight. Our bench really came in and stepped up for us big tonight."
Murray State was led by Hayes, who had a career-high-tying 26 points on 12-for-24 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Guffey added 10 points getting all of the Racers' free throws, going 3-for-3 from the line. Petty had a team season-high eight assists, and she and sophomore guard Mallory Luckett each had a game-high three steals.
Morehead State was paced by Perry's 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the floor. Pittman had a double-double for the Eagles with 14 points and 15 rebounds to go with a game-high three blocked shots. Bozeman had eight rebounds for the Eagles.
Murray State will take Finals Week off, then will travel to Lipscomb for a Dec. 15 contest. The Racers will return home on Saturday, Dec. 22, for a game against Alabama A&M.
AROUND THE OVC
Austin Peay played its second straight OVC overtime game this afternoon, falling to Eastern Kentucky 68-66. Both teams are now 1-1 in OVC play. Jacksonville State joined Murray State and Eastern Illinois at 2-0 in league play with a 71-58 win at UT Martin, while Eastern Illinois beat Tennessee State 65-57 in Charleston. Southeast Missouri won at home against Tennessee Tech 66-60.
