Murray State University Athletics
Women's Team To Honor Five Seniors Saturday
3/1/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women's basketball team will honor five members on Saturday at 5:15 p.m., as the Racers play their final home game of the regular season. These five team members combine for 16 years of work and dedication to MSU.
Being honored are four-year players Alaina Lee, Gerraca Matthews and Shaleea Petty; senior transfer Angela Brown; and three-year manager Danielle Metzger. The honors will be given with 10 minutes remaining on the pre-game clock.
Lee has played in 109 games for Murray State, ranking eighth on the women's team's all-time list, and has made a name for herself with her speed, tough-nosed grit and her ability to turn quick-handed defense into point-producing offense in a snap. She has averaged at least 70 percent from the line in each of her four seasons at Murray State, and while she is not generally known as a top scorer, it is Lee who comes up with big-scoring nights when others are unable to produce the big numbers, like her 28-point tear at Tennessee State in a game in which Shaleea Petty sat out with injury.
Matthews was the first recruit of former coach Joi Williams Felton, sitting out last season with an Achilles tendon injury acquired during pre-season practices. A quiet, introspective person, she is an outgoing force on defense and can also turn in good offensive nights, like Thursday when she put in 13 points off the bench in MSU's 10-point win at Tennessee Tech, and her career-high night at Southeast Missouri in her freshman season when she exploded for 19. She has played in 106 games to date, a testament to her ongoing and, at times, changing role with the Racers.
Petty ranks second all-time with 105 starts thus far, having started in her last 64 games. A scorer and playmaker in her freshman season, she is back to that role, averaging 10 points a game this season. Her three seasons with 100 or more assists have placed her in fourth on the MSU career assists list, and her 200 career steals gives new meaning to "Petty theft," ranking her in third on that career listing. At 5-foot-5, she would most likely top Murray State's blocked shots per inch list, if there was one, with 21 blocks this season, second only to Angela Brown. To define her as a point guard, a playmaker or any one thing would be to sell her short. She has been Murray State's Swiss army knife this season, and a large contributor to the team's success.
Brown came to Murray State from Old Dominion, where she earned her bachelor's degree, but had one year of athletic eligibility remaining. She came to realize her contribution to the team and settled into that role with abandon. Hesitant at first around the basket, she grew into the Racers' weapon down low, and has also become a defensive force close to and away from the basket. She ranks among the top five in single-season blocked shots, poised to surpass Joi Scott's total from last season. At 6-5, she is one of the tallest Racers of all time, but her conviction and work ethic give more reason to look up to her.
Metzger transferred to Murray State from the University of Jacksonville, where she also served as a team manager. She learned the job from another three-year manager, Hannah McCune, but made the job her own. A native of St. Louis, Metzer is pursuing a position with the Missouri Highway Patrol, and has already passed several difficult tests to achieve that goal.
After the Senior Day honors, there is a game, and against a team that Murray State has a lot of respect for. UT Martin stunned several when they beat then-OVC leader Eastern Illinois on the road, and their rebounding capabilities rank among the best in the conference. The Racers carry a five-game win streak into this contest, and will need to stay focused if they want to close out the regular-season schedule on a high note.
The Skyhawks rank third in the nation in fewest fouls, so the Racers shouldn't rely on free throws to decide the game. UTM will bring a tough defense to the floor, and although the Skyhawks are 5-24 and 2-17 in OVC play, Murray State will have to play the team before them for the full 40 minutes.
SEEDLESS RAISINGS
Going into action Saturday, no seeds have been set for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Everything will be decided on the final day of regular-season play.
With a win on Saturday, Murray State would finish at 15-5. If Samford wins at Eastern Illinois, then MSU would have the No. 3 seed outright. If EIU beats Samford, then there would be a three-way tie at 15-5 among all three teams. In most scenarios, Samford would get the No. 2 seed and the Racers the No. 3 seed. If Tennessee State ties with Jacksonville State in a two-way or three-way tie with Morehead State, the tie-breaker for Murray State and Samford would be a coin toss.
Should the Racers lose on Saturday, if Eastern Illinois beats Samford, then MSU would get the No. 4 seed outright. If Samford beats EIU, then the Racers would win the tie-breaker with the Panthers by virtue of MSU's win over Southeast Missouri earlier in the season.
SEEING 20/20
For only the second time ever, Murray State has claimed back-to-back 20-win seasons. The last time it happened was in the 1987-88 and 1988-89 seasons. Jody Adams is the first MSU women's basketball coach to achieve the feat in her first year on the bench.
MARCH THE FIRST
Saturday's game against UT Martin will mark the first time that the Murray State women's basketball team has played in the RSEC in March. The last time the women's team played at home in March was on March 5, 1983, a regular-season game against Morehead State. Murray State is 2-2 all-time at home in March, winning the 1929 Mississippi Valley Conference Tournament on its home court on March 5, 1929, beating Memphis 19-16; falling to Eastern Kentucky 53-50 on March 3, 1972, the first year of the women's team's rebirth; falling again to EKU on March 4, 1983, 65-63; then beating Morehead State 74-71 the next day.
RACER GAME CENTRAL
Murray State Racers (20-7, 14-5 OVC)
vs. UT Martin Skyhakws (5-24, 2-17 OVC)
Saturday, March 1, 5:30 p.m. || Regional Special Events Center (8,600)
GAME-DAY INFORMATION
Radio: WNBS (1340 AM / Josh Perigo)
Listen Live: www.GoRacers.com
Video Streaming: www.OVCsports.tv
Live Stats: Click Here
Game Notes: Click Here
CURRENT OVC STANDINGS (OVC / All)
Southeast Missouri (16-3 / 21-7)
Samford (15-4 / 22-7)
MURRAY STATE (14-5 / 20-7)
Eastern Illinois (14-5 / 16-12)
Eastern Kentucky (9-10 / 14-12)
Tennessee State (9-10 / 12-16)
Jacksonville State (8-11 / 11-17)
Morehead State (8-11 / 10-17)
Tennessee Tech (7-13 / 8-22)
Austin Peay (3-16 / 6-22)
UT Martin (2-17 / 5-24)
TODAY IN THE OVC (Times given are Central Time.)
UT Martin at MURRAY STATE, 5:30 p.m.
Tennessee State at Eastern Kentucky, 2:00 p.m.
Austin Peay at Morehead State, 4:15
Jacksonville State at Southeast Missouri, 5:00
Samford at Eastern Illinois, 5:00
