Racers Hit Triple Digits in Win Over Bethel

Tuesday, November 18

RSEC

7 p.m.

Murray State

100

Bethel College

11/18/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

The Murray State women's basketball team played a strong game in its home opener against Bethel College (Tenn.) earning a 100-68 win in the RSEC. The win was not only the first for the Racers (1-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley Conference) on the year, but also the first victory for first-year head coach Rob Cross

“I though we did a great job early in the game defending Bethel,” said Cross. “Bethel is a team with a lot of offensive weapons and I think we did a good job in the first half creating some problems for them.”

The Racers were led by the senior trio of Amber and Paige Guffey and Ashley Hayes. All three scored 20 or more points in the contest, with Hayes leading the way for the second game with 25. Amber Guffey tallied 21, while Paige Guffey added a career-best 20. Hayes also had one of the top-two rebounding performances for MSU, with seven. Senior Angela Mullins was at the top of the rebounding list with eight, with all 13 Racer players earning at least one rebound in the contest.

“I am proud of our kids,” Cross commented. “Ashley and Amber did what we have asked them to do and Kayla Vance came in and gave us some big minutes and did what she is supposed to do when she gets in the ball game.”

MSU got on the scoreboard first, just 24 seconds into the opening stanza. The Racers held the Wildcats (5-2, 0-0 TranSouth) without a field goal until the 16:47 mark, while garnering four points of their own. MSU then went on a 9-2 run to push the lead to double-digits with just over 14 minutes remaining in the half. The advantage crept up to 21 (33-12) with just over six minutes left on the clock and continued to climb to as many as 33 (51-18) with 1:34 left. The Racers headed into the locker room with a 53-20 advantage.

Bethel fought hard at the beginning of the second period, going on a 6-0 run in the first 1:30 to cut the lead to 27. Twenty-seven was as close as MSU let the Wildcats get and they then pushed the lead to 36 with 15:30 left in the game in route to the 100-68 win.

The Racers earned an advantage on the boards, out-rebounding Bethel, 49-38. The other key to victory was success at the charity stripe. MSU went 34-for-40 from the line, while the Wildcats only got to take 16 free throws, connecting on 14.

The Racers will now return to the road to face Alabama State, Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Acadome. MSU earned a 93-57 victory over the Hornets Nov. 17, 2007 in the last meeting in the RSEC.

Notes: Junior Kayla Vance recorded a career-best 11 points, including seven in the first half of play...freshman Jana Roney played against her older sister Jenna Roney, who led the Wildcats with 21 points...this was the first outing of the 2008-09 campaign for Vance and the first career game for rookie Kristen Kluempers...the Racers had three players record 20 or more points for the first time in recent history...MSU had two players record at least 20 points in six games last season...this was the first time since Feb. 19, 2006 that the Racers have tallied 100 points in a game...the last time was against Jacksonville State in the RSEC.

Quotes

Head Coach Rob Cross

“I'm real proud of the effort on the boards in the first part of the game. Late in the game we had a lot of different combination on the floor, but that shouldn't have changed the offensive rebounds.”

“It is a little different feeling getting my first win as head coach. Stepping out there with your team having made all the decisions to prepare them as opposed to the past when I have been an acting head coach and we won some ball games.”

“ Mallory Schwab was hustling and flying all over the place tonight and that is what she is capable of doing.”