Murray State University Athletics
Women's Team Hosts Second-Place Panthers
2/16/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The good news is that the Murray State women's basketball team plays three of its last four games at home. That advantage will be tested quickly, as the next two games are against teams currently in a virtual tie for second place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings, offering the Racers a chance to jockey for position in the standings in the home stretch of the regular-season schedule.
The Racers' opponent on Saturday will be Eastern Illinois, who won the earlier meeting this season 62-59 on Jan. 3 in Charleston. The Panthers come to Murray after taking a disappointing 46-41 loss on Thursday at Southeast Missouri, with whom the Panthers shared first place prior to that game. Tipoff on Saturday will be at 5:30 p.m.
Murray State (17-7, 11-5 OVC) has won eight of its last 10 games and sports an all-time record of 26-13 (.667) in the Regional Special Events Center in the month of February. Since taking the loss to Eastern Illinois (14-11, 13-4 OVC), MSU has gone 8-3, while the Panthers have gone 8-4.
This game features the top three scorers in the OVC, as Murray State's Amber Guffey still leads that category with 18.8 points per game, and Ashley Hayes is third at 18.4 ppg. EIU's Rachel Galligan is second on the list with 18.7 points per contest.
The two teams are also the top two in the league in free-throw shooting, with the Racers on top of the conference -- third in the nation -- at 82.4 percent, and the Panthers second in the OVC at 79 percent. At Eastern Illinois, free throws made the difference, as the Panthers had 10 to MSU's five in the three-point win.
SUPPORT A WINNING TEAM
There is another competition that will be brought to the forefront during the Racers' game against Eastern Illinois. It is a centuries-old competition against a mindless opponent who, in earlier times, seemed unbeatable, but lately, those whom it would defeat with consistency are finding ways to beat it.
That mindless opponent is breast cancer, and while newer methods of treating it are being found, it refuses to be beaten completely. It is not a game; it is a life-or-death venture.
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) is sponsoring "Think Pink Week" on Feb. 8-17 in an effort to make the battle against breast cancer more public, and to give the sport's fans an opportunity to learn more about it and make contributions towards ways to eradicate it. Last year, in the first season for the "Think Pink" initiative, 125 schools took part. This season, more than 900 colleges and universities are participating, including all 11 Ohio Valley Conference schools.
According to the American Cancer Society, in 2006, 212,920 women and 1,690 men were diagnosed with breast cancer. Of those, 40,970 women and 460 men died from the disease. Also affected by this disease are the families and friends of those diagnosed. Currently, an estimated 2.4 million women are living with a history of breast cancer.
It may seem impossible to eliminate such a disease with one donation, but just as one free throw here or a defensive stop there can turn the outcome of a basketball game, so, too, can even the smallest of contributions help turn the tide in the battle against breast cancer.
Educational materials will be provided at the basketball game, but to gain more information, visit the American Cancer Society's Web site, www.cancer.org, or call the American Cancer Society's Paducah office at (270) 444-0375. Donations can be sent to that office at: The American Cancer Society, 3140 Parisa Dr., Paducah, KY 42003.
ONE STROKE OVER THE LINE
Junior guard Amber Guffey is just one free throw from tying the Murray State women's basketball single-season free throws record of 146, set by Michelle Wenning in the 1990-91 season.
RACER GAME CENTRAL
Murray State Racers (17-7, 11-5 OVC)
vs. Eastern Illinois Panthers (14-11, 13-4 OVC)
Saturday, Feb. 16, 5:30 p.m. || Regional Special Events Center (8,600), Murray, Ky.
GAME-DAY INFORMATION
Radio: WNBS (1340 AM / Josh Perigo)
Listen Live/Live Stats (GameTracker): www.GoRacers.com
Video Streaming: www.OVCsports.tv
Game Notes: Click Here
UPDATED OVC STANDINGS (OVC / All)
Southeast Missouri (13-2 / 18-6)
Samford (12-3 / 19-6)
Eastern Illinois (13-4 / 14-11)
MURRAY STATE (11-5 / 17-7)
Eastern Kentucky (7-7 / 12-9)
Tennessee State (8-9 / 11-15)
Jacksonville State (7-9 / 10-15)
Tennessee Tech (6-10 / 7-19)
Morehead State (5-10 / 7-16)
Austin Peay (2-13 / 5-19)
UT Martin (2-14 / 5-21)
SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE OVC (times given are p.m. Central Time)
Eastern Illinois at MURRAY STATE, 5:30
Morehead State at Jacksonville State, 2:00
Eastern Kentucky at Samford, 4:00
Southeast Missouri at UT Martin, 4:00
Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay, 5:15
Tennessee State is idle.
