Murray State University Athletics
Racers Ready to Renew Regional Rivalry at SIU
12/17/2009 9:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women's basketball team will be renewing a regional rivalry with Southern Illinois Saturday when they head to SIU Arena for an 8:05 p.m. tip-off.
Scouting Southern Illinois
The Salukis have struggled in the early part of the 2009-10 campaign and head into Saturday's game with an 0-7 mark. SIU has been inactive since Dec. 12 when they fell in a close game at Ohio Valley Conference member, Tennessee Tech, 56-59. The outcome was the closest game that the Salukis have played this season, as they are averaging 13-less points per game than their opponents.
SIU is being lead by a trio of players who are all averaging over 11 points per game. The next highest output on the team is 6.6 points per game. Christine Presswood and Teri Oliver are both averaging around 14 points per game, while Stephany Neptune is netting 11.3. Neptune is also the team's leading rebounder by far, with 9.0 board per game. There are then six players all averaging around three rebounds per outing. All three of the top scorers are strong shooters, with Neptune hitting 47.6 percent (30-of-63) of her shots, Presswood garnering a 41.0 percentage (25-of-61) and Oliver adding a 37.1 mark (33-of-89). Presswood and Oliver are also the main three-point shooters. Presswood has made 12 of her 25 attempts, while Oliver had hit 19 of her 62 triple shots.
Three point shooting is the one area on the stat sheet where the Salukis are averaging around the same totals as their opponents. SIU has made 36-of-111 (32.4%) three-point shots, while its opponents have made 38-of-113 (33.6%) of its attempts.
The second half seems to fair better for the Salukis, with the team garnering 181 points in the opening stanza this season and 237 in the second. Their opponents have also recorded more of their points in the second half, but only 22 more.
The Series
This is the 35th meeting in the all-time series between the Racers and the Salukis, with SIU holding a 29-5 advantage. The regional rivalry used to be strong, with the teams playing each other at least once a year for 12 years (1988-99), but them the teams took a break until a home-and-home series was played in 2005 and 2006. The last time that Murray State earned a victory in Carbondale, was Nov. 28, 1988 (68-64).
Elkins Finding Her Spot
Freshman Tessa Elkins has been finding where she fits on the team for the last few games. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has tallied career-highs in the points column in the last two games. She tallied six against Missouri and added nine against Missouri State. The guard has also tallied career-best marks for rebounds (5 at Mizzou), field-goals made (3 at Missouri State), assists (2 at Missouri State) and free throws (2 at Mizzou and Missouri State).
Vance Stepping Up
Senior Kayla Vance has been stepping up her output in the last few games for the Racers and earned her first career start against Morehead State. The Paducah, Ky., native has tallied season highs for points in two of the last four games, including a career-best 19 against the Eagles (Dec. 5). Vance has been the Racers leading scorer in three of the last four outings and the only member of the team to garner double digits in those three games.
National Recognition
Murray State might not have the best overall record on the year, but the team is currently ranked in the top-100 of two national statistical categories and the team has three players ranked in the top-110 in five individual categories.
The Racers top ranking is in three-point field goal defense, with a No. 29 spot (25.6). Murray State is also No. 67 in three-point field-goal made per game (6.4).
Mallory Luckett leads the team with three individual top-100 rankings. The Louisville, Ky., native is in the No. 41 spot for assists (5.2), No. 85 in assist/turnover ratio (1.68) and No. 99 in rebound (8.3). Freshman Jessica Holder is ranked 108th in blocked shots (1.4), while Mariah Robinson is 104th in steals per game (2.4).
Record Setting Performance
The Racers had a record setting game against Mid Continent, Nov. 18. Besides earning the win that moved their home-court winning streak to a school-record 20 games, the team also set a new record for steals in a game. MSU combined for 26 steals, one better than the previous record set against Arkansas State, Feb. 2, 1984.
The team also combined to tally 14 trey's, good for the No. 4 spot on the MSU charts. The team's eight blocks were also the most since Jan. 22, 2005 and the eighth most in a single game.
Adding Height For 2010-11
The Racers signed two student-athletes during the early signing period to the 2010-11 roster. Chanyere Hosey, a 6-3 forward from Bolingbrook, Ill., and Mary Jehlik, a 6-0, forward/center from Mount Sterling, Ky. (Montgomery County).
Hosey is already familiar with Murray State athletics, as her sister is a senior on the Racers Track and Field team and her cousin Candace Nevels is a freshman on this year's women's basketball squad. Hosey was forced to sit on the sidelines due to injury during the 2008-09 season when the Raiders claimed the 4A Illinois State title. Hosey has also been a standout on the Bolingbrook track and field and cross country teams as a prep.
Jehlik is no stranger to participating in the state tournament, as she has been on the varsity roster at Montgomery High School for the past four seasons. The Indians have advanced to the Kentucky State High School Athletic Association Elite Eight for the past four seasons, earning 40th District and 10th Regional championships along the way. Jehlik has earned All-10th Region honors for the past two seasons and was named the 10th Region MVP by LaGrange Insurance in 2007-08.
Youth is the Name of the Game
After a 2008-09 campaign stacked with seniors, youth will be the name of the game for the Racers in 2009-10. MSU returns just three seniors and has no juniors. The rest of the 2009-10 roster consists of four sophomores and eight freshmen. Of the returning seven, only one, Mallory Luckett, was a starter in the 2008-09 season.
With only one other player averaging 10 minutes per game, one might think the outlook is bleak for the 2009-10 edition of the Racers. Questions may abound, but the program has come to expect to compete for championships and is working hard to deserve victory.
The Schedule
Like every season, the MSU women's basketball team will have a challenging schedule to start the 2009-10 campaign. This year the Racers will face teams from eight of the 31 conferences in the NCAA Division I ranks. MSU will play three teams from the Missouri Valley (Evansville, Missouri State, Southern Illinois), two from Conference USA (Memphis and Marshall), and one team from the Big 12, Colonial, Mid-Eastern, Sun Belt, Summit League, and Southwestern.
Up Next
The Racers will continue their five-game holiday road trip with a stop in Indianapolis, Ind., to battle with the Jaguars of IUPUI at the Jungle, Monday, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. (CST). The final game of the road trip will be after a break for Christmas, Dec. 29 at Marshall.
Quick Plays
The Racers had three players tally double-digit scoring numbers against Missouri State...it was the first time since Nov. 27 against Georgia State that MSU has three players with 10 or more points...sophomore Kristen Kluempers tallied a career-best three blocks against the Lady Bears.
Scouting Southern Illinois
The Salukis have struggled in the early part of the 2009-10 campaign and head into Saturday's game with an 0-7 mark. SIU has been inactive since Dec. 12 when they fell in a close game at Ohio Valley Conference member, Tennessee Tech, 56-59. The outcome was the closest game that the Salukis have played this season, as they are averaging 13-less points per game than their opponents.
SIU is being lead by a trio of players who are all averaging over 11 points per game. The next highest output on the team is 6.6 points per game. Christine Presswood and Teri Oliver are both averaging around 14 points per game, while Stephany Neptune is netting 11.3. Neptune is also the team's leading rebounder by far, with 9.0 board per game. There are then six players all averaging around three rebounds per outing. All three of the top scorers are strong shooters, with Neptune hitting 47.6 percent (30-of-63) of her shots, Presswood garnering a 41.0 percentage (25-of-61) and Oliver adding a 37.1 mark (33-of-89). Presswood and Oliver are also the main three-point shooters. Presswood has made 12 of her 25 attempts, while Oliver had hit 19 of her 62 triple shots.
Three point shooting is the one area on the stat sheet where the Salukis are averaging around the same totals as their opponents. SIU has made 36-of-111 (32.4%) three-point shots, while its opponents have made 38-of-113 (33.6%) of its attempts.
The second half seems to fair better for the Salukis, with the team garnering 181 points in the opening stanza this season and 237 in the second. Their opponents have also recorded more of their points in the second half, but only 22 more.
The Series
This is the 35th meeting in the all-time series between the Racers and the Salukis, with SIU holding a 29-5 advantage. The regional rivalry used to be strong, with the teams playing each other at least once a year for 12 years (1988-99), but them the teams took a break until a home-and-home series was played in 2005 and 2006. The last time that Murray State earned a victory in Carbondale, was Nov. 28, 1988 (68-64).
Elkins Finding Her Spot
Freshman Tessa Elkins has been finding where she fits on the team for the last few games. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has tallied career-highs in the points column in the last two games. She tallied six against Missouri and added nine against Missouri State. The guard has also tallied career-best marks for rebounds (5 at Mizzou), field-goals made (3 at Missouri State), assists (2 at Missouri State) and free throws (2 at Mizzou and Missouri State).
Vance Stepping Up
Senior Kayla Vance has been stepping up her output in the last few games for the Racers and earned her first career start against Morehead State. The Paducah, Ky., native has tallied season highs for points in two of the last four games, including a career-best 19 against the Eagles (Dec. 5). Vance has been the Racers leading scorer in three of the last four outings and the only member of the team to garner double digits in those three games.
National Recognition
Murray State might not have the best overall record on the year, but the team is currently ranked in the top-100 of two national statistical categories and the team has three players ranked in the top-110 in five individual categories.
The Racers top ranking is in three-point field goal defense, with a No. 29 spot (25.6). Murray State is also No. 67 in three-point field-goal made per game (6.4).
Mallory Luckett leads the team with three individual top-100 rankings. The Louisville, Ky., native is in the No. 41 spot for assists (5.2), No. 85 in assist/turnover ratio (1.68) and No. 99 in rebound (8.3). Freshman Jessica Holder is ranked 108th in blocked shots (1.4), while Mariah Robinson is 104th in steals per game (2.4).
Record Setting Performance
The Racers had a record setting game against Mid Continent, Nov. 18. Besides earning the win that moved their home-court winning streak to a school-record 20 games, the team also set a new record for steals in a game. MSU combined for 26 steals, one better than the previous record set against Arkansas State, Feb. 2, 1984.
The team also combined to tally 14 trey's, good for the No. 4 spot on the MSU charts. The team's eight blocks were also the most since Jan. 22, 2005 and the eighth most in a single game.
Adding Height For 2010-11
The Racers signed two student-athletes during the early signing period to the 2010-11 roster. Chanyere Hosey, a 6-3 forward from Bolingbrook, Ill., and Mary Jehlik, a 6-0, forward/center from Mount Sterling, Ky. (Montgomery County).
Hosey is already familiar with Murray State athletics, as her sister is a senior on the Racers Track and Field team and her cousin Candace Nevels is a freshman on this year's women's basketball squad. Hosey was forced to sit on the sidelines due to injury during the 2008-09 season when the Raiders claimed the 4A Illinois State title. Hosey has also been a standout on the Bolingbrook track and field and cross country teams as a prep.
Jehlik is no stranger to participating in the state tournament, as she has been on the varsity roster at Montgomery High School for the past four seasons. The Indians have advanced to the Kentucky State High School Athletic Association Elite Eight for the past four seasons, earning 40th District and 10th Regional championships along the way. Jehlik has earned All-10th Region honors for the past two seasons and was named the 10th Region MVP by LaGrange Insurance in 2007-08.
Youth is the Name of the Game
After a 2008-09 campaign stacked with seniors, youth will be the name of the game for the Racers in 2009-10. MSU returns just three seniors and has no juniors. The rest of the 2009-10 roster consists of four sophomores and eight freshmen. Of the returning seven, only one, Mallory Luckett, was a starter in the 2008-09 season.
With only one other player averaging 10 minutes per game, one might think the outlook is bleak for the 2009-10 edition of the Racers. Questions may abound, but the program has come to expect to compete for championships and is working hard to deserve victory.
The Schedule
Like every season, the MSU women's basketball team will have a challenging schedule to start the 2009-10 campaign. This year the Racers will face teams from eight of the 31 conferences in the NCAA Division I ranks. MSU will play three teams from the Missouri Valley (Evansville, Missouri State, Southern Illinois), two from Conference USA (Memphis and Marshall), and one team from the Big 12, Colonial, Mid-Eastern, Sun Belt, Summit League, and Southwestern.
Up Next
The Racers will continue their five-game holiday road trip with a stop in Indianapolis, Ind., to battle with the Jaguars of IUPUI at the Jungle, Monday, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. (CST). The final game of the road trip will be after a break for Christmas, Dec. 29 at Marshall.
Quick Plays
The Racers had three players tally double-digit scoring numbers against Missouri State...it was the first time since Nov. 27 against Georgia State that MSU has three players with 10 or more points...sophomore Kristen Kluempers tallied a career-best three blocks against the Lady Bears.
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