Murray State
Austin Peay
Racers Rout Lady Govs 78-57
1/31/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women's basketball team led from start to finish using double-digit scoring runs in each half to push past homestanding Austin Peay 78-57 in Ohio Valley Conference action.
There were five ties in the first nine minutes of the game. APSU's Nicole Jamen brought about the last tie when she hit two free throws to make the score 14-14 with 11:05 left in the first period. Murray State (14-6, 8-4 OVC) scored the next 11 points, using a jumpshot by senior guard Alaina Lee, a three-pointer by senior guard Shaleea Petty, back-to-back free throws by junior guard Amber Guffey, a layup by junior guard/forward Jessica Jackson and another basket by Petty to push out to a 25-14 lead with 7:05 left in the half.
After an exchange of baskets, a 6-0 run by the Racers got the lead out to 33-18, and MSU took a 39-24 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Petty led all scorers in the first half with 12 points, hitting 4-for-8 from the field and 2-for-2 from the line. Senior center Angela Brown and Lee each had eight points at intermission, and Lee had a game-high five rebounds. Murray State had six steals in the first half and shot 48.5 percent (16-for-33) from the field, holding the Lady Govs to 31.3-percent shooting (10-for-32) in the first half.
In the second half, Austin Peay (5-15, 2-9 OVC) chipped away at the Racer lead, getting it below double-digits when April Thomas hit a layup to cut the MSU lead to 51-42 with 9:55 left in regulation, but a 17-0 Murray State run over the next four minutes iced the game.
The Racers shot 46.2 percent (30-for-65) from the field in the game, grabbing 42 rebounds, including 16 offensive boards. The Racers had 14 steals in the contest, although APSU had only two non-steal turnovers to MSU's nine.
Austin Peay shot 33.9 percent (21-for-62) from the field and had 40 rebounds, including 18 on the offensive end.
Petty had a game-high 17 points, shooting 6-for-12 from the field and handed out a co-game-high five assists and swiped a game-high five steals.
"We did a great job defensively tonight," said MSU head coach Jody Adams. "Now I know that the bench can come in, and we can keep a lead. We've been looking for them to bring in some production. Austin Peay was very athletic defensively. I thought we did a better job on our rebounding.
"Shaleea Petty played an aggressive game tonight, and when she's aggressive and attacks defensively, we're a different team. We're a different team when we communicate, and we did that for almost 40 minutes. I took her aside and told her, 'You're time's ticking, and you need to leave it all out there.' She knows she's a difference-maker for us. It's in our players' hands at this point. It's not about the adjustments we make any more. Karl Malone once said, 'It's not time to make adjustments; it's time to believe.' That's where we are right now."
Lee had 14 points, going 6-for-9 from the field and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Guffey also had 14 points, going 4-for-5 from the line, and had four assists and three steals.
Hayes maintained her double-digit scoring streak, now at 54 games, with 10 points. She also had a game-high eight rebounds. Brown had eight points -- all in the first half -- and had a game-high four blocked shots to go with five rebounds. Jackson also had five rebounds, a block and a steal in 11 minutes off the bench.
Austin Peay was led by Thomas and Ashlee McGee, who had 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds apiece.McGee handed out five assists, inching her past Guffey into sole possession of first place on the OVC assists list by one assist. James had six rebounds for the Lady Govs, while Ashley Herring and Janay Armstrong had five each.
Murray State returns home, hosting Jacksonville State (9-13, 6-7 OVC) on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in the Regional Special Events Center.
CAREER MOVES
Amber Guffey moved into 14th place on the Murray State career scoring list, now at 1,028 career points, pushing past Bobbi Coltharp (1996-99). Next up the ladder is No. 13 Shonta Hunt (1994-98), who has 1,033 career points. Ashley Hayes remain in the No. 12 spot, now with 1,050 career points. She is pursuing No. 11 Rebecca Remington (2001-05), who has 1,053 career points, and No. 10 Shawna Smith (1982-86), who has 1,069 career points.
Shaleea Petty moved into 30th place on the list, now with 740 career points. Alaina Lee became the 34th MSU women's player to tally 700 career points tonight, now with 709 career points. No. 33 Brittany Park (2001-04) has 723 career points, while Janice McCracken (1979-81) and Geralyn Feth (1985-87) are tied for 31st with 739 career points each.
Petty moved into a tie for fifth place on the MSU career assists list, matching Karen Johnson (1986-90) with 361 career assists. Guffey ramins in the No. 8 spot with 304 career assists. Petty is pursuing No. 4 Laura Lynn (1977-81), who has 363 career assists, while Guffey trails No. 7 Melody Ottinger (1982-85, 1986-87), who has 347 assists.
Petty remains in the No. 5 spot on the MSU career steals list, now with 182 career thefts. She trails No. 4 Karen Johnson, who has 193 career steals, and No. 3 Sheila Smith (1985-89), who has 200 career steals.
SINGLE-SEASON SMACKS
Angela Brown broke into the MSU single-season top 10 list for blocked shots, tying for ninth with Anjeanette Gilbert, who had 29 blocked shots in the 1995-96 season. Her next blocked shot will tie her for seventh on the list with Cindy Lambach (30 blocks in the 1976-77 season) and Stacy Holmes (30 in the 2003-04 season), her second blocked shot will tie her for sixth with Lori Trumblee (31 blocks in the 2002-03 season).
100 CAREER GAMES
Seniors Gerraca Matthews and Shaleea Petty each played in their 100th career games for Murray State tonight, making them the 27th and 28th women's players to do so. Alaina Lee played in her 102nd career game, moving her into a tie for 21st on the MSU career games list. Petty started her 99th career game, ranking fifth on the Murray State women's career starts list, Eniko Verebes (1998-2002) ranks fourth with 101 career starts.
TONIGHT IN OVC-LAND
MURRAY STATE 78, at Austin Peay 57
Eastern Illinois 83, at Jacksonville State 81 (2 ot)
Samford 67, at Tennessee State 59
Tennessee Tech 73, at UT Martin 64
Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and Southeast Missouri were idle.
UPDATED STANDINGS (OVC / All)
Eastern Illinois (11-2 / 12-9)
Southeast Missouri (9-2 / 14-6)
Samford (9-3 / 16-6)
MURRAY STATE (8-4 / 14-6)
Eastern Kentucky (5-5 / 10-7)
Tennessee State (6-6 / 9-12)
Jacksonville State (6-7 / 9-13)
Morehead State (5-7 / 7-13)
Tennessee Tech (3-9- / 4-18)
Austin Peay (2-9 / 5-15)
UT Martin (1-11 / 4-18)
SATURDAY'S OVC GAMES (All times Central)
Jacksonville State at MURRAY STATE, 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Kentucky at Tennessee Tech, 3:00 p.m.
Eastern Illinois at Samford, 4:00 p.m.
UT Martin at Southeast Missouri, 5:00 p.m.
Tennessee State at Austin Peay, 5:15 p.m.
