Murray State University Athletics
Racers Headed to West Virginia for Final Non-Conference Game of Season
12/27/2009 6:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
After having seven days off for the holidays the Murray State women's basketball team will return to action Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 6 p.m. when they travel to Huntington, W.Va., to battle with Marshall. The game with the Thundering Herd will mark the last game during the 2009 portion of the season and be the last game of a five-game road swing.
Scouting Marshall
The Thundering Herd are currently 6-4 on the season and their game against the Racers will be the third-straight against an Ohio Valley Conference opponent. Marshall first went down to the wire with Morehead State, but earned a 73-71 victory (Dec. 18) and then recorded a 65-48 win over UT Martin (Dec. 20). Those two victories are part of a four-game winning streak for the Thundering Herd that started Dec. 2 against Cleveland.
Marshall has three players averaging over 10 points per game, with Tynikki Crook leading the team with 14. Crook also adds a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game. She is a strong shooter, ranking 50th in the NCAA this season with a 50 percent mark (54-108). Crook is also strong on defense for the Thundering Herd, ranking 52nd in the nation with her 18 blocks.
Chantelle Handy and Alyssa Hammond are the other two players for Marshall averaging just above 10 points per game, at 10.9 each. Handy is hitting 41.3 percent of her shots (45-109), while Hammond nets 52.5 percent of her shots (32-61). Hammond is second on the team with 6.1 boards per game and has the team's best free-throw percentage at 88.0 (22-25), which ranks her 42nd in the nation.
As a team, the Thundering Herd are strong shooters from the field, having made 41.3 percent (243-589) of their shots this season. That ranks the team 123rd in the NCAA. However that shooting percentage goes down to 24.1 percent from beyond the arc (27-112). Marshall's opponents are also shooting well, with a 39.5 percentage (214-542). But the Thundering Herd's opponents are fairing better from three-point range, with a 39.7 mark (62-156).
Marshall is a good ball-control team as well. The Thundering Herd are ranked 21st in the NCAA in turnovers, with 15.2 per game, and 11th in assist/turnover ration (1.1). Marshall is also ranked in the top-100 in assists (27th - 16.7) and blocks (78th - 4.1).
The Series
This will be just the second meeting between the Racers and the Thundering Herd in school history. The last time the teams met was during the 1987-88 campaign at the Lady Hatter Classic in De Land, Fla., Jan. 2, 1988. Murray State came away with a close, 79-77 victory on the neutral court.
Home Away From Home
Several of the members of the 2009-10 women's basketball team were close to home for the last Racer game. Sophomores Mallory Schwab and Kristen Kluempers and assistant coach Ashley Hayes are all from around the Indianapolis area. It was the first time playing or coaching close to their local high schools for all three.
Schwab made the most of her extended cheering section, garnering career highs in five categories. The Martinsville, Ind., native tallied career bests for points (19), rebounds (7), steals (3), field goals (7) and three-point field goals (4).
The rest of the team also took advantage of the large cheering section, as they broke their seven-game losing streak, with an 88-68 victory. Schwab was one of five players in double-digits for the Racers and one of six players to garner career highs on the day.
Senior Leadership
All three of MSU's seniors have been leading by example and Jasmyne Thornton has seemed to find a new level recently. The LaGrange, Ga., native has tallied career highs in the points, rebounding, assists and steals in the last three games. At Southern Illinois she tallied a double-digit point total for the first time in her career and was two rebounds shy of a double-double, with 12 points and eight rebounds. Against the Salukis she also recorded her first career three-pointer on her first career attempt. She also added career bests of four assists and two steals against IUPUI.
Vance Stepping Up
Senior Kayla Vance has been stepping up her output since the first conference games of the season for the Racers and earned her first career start against Morehead State. The Paducah, Ky., native has tallied season highs for points in three of the last five games, including a career-best 22 against Southern Illinois (Dec. 19). Vance has been the Racers leading scorer in four of the last six outings and the only player to tally double digits in five of those outings.
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 three national statistical categories and the team has two players ranked in the top-100 in three individual categories as of Dec. 20.
The Racers top ranking is in three-point field goal defense, with a No. 32 spot (26.4). Murray State is also No. 65 in three-point field-goal made per game (6.5) and No. 82 in turnover margin (2.55).
Mallory Luckett leads the team with two individual top-100 rankings. The Louisville, Ky., native is in the No. 40 spot for assists (5.2) and No. 70 in assist/turnover ratio (1.73). Freshman Jessica Holder is ranked 92nd in blocked shots (1.5).
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 Racers tied that same mark against IUPUI (Dec21). 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.
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
MSU will return to the friendly confines of the Regional Special Events Center after almost a month absence. The Racers will also return to OVC action when they host UT Martin, Jan. 4 with tip-off scheduled for 5:15 p.m.
Quick Plays
Six players all tallied career highs against IUPUI...rookie Kayla Cunningham had two rebounds...sophomore Rachael Isom handed out three assists...senior Kayla Vance grabbed four boards and dished out seven assists...senior Mallory Luckett netted five triples...senior Jasmyne Thornton added four assists and two steals...as a team the Racers tallied a season-best 14 three pointers...the number also tied for the fourth most in school history... MSU had five players in double digits for the first time since Nov. 18, 2009 against Mid-Continent when the team had six players with at least 10 points…it was the first game that the Racers tallied more than 80 points as a team since Nov. 21 in the 85-77 win over Evansville at the RSEC and it was the first time they did so on the road.
Scouting Marshall
The Thundering Herd are currently 6-4 on the season and their game against the Racers will be the third-straight against an Ohio Valley Conference opponent. Marshall first went down to the wire with Morehead State, but earned a 73-71 victory (Dec. 18) and then recorded a 65-48 win over UT Martin (Dec. 20). Those two victories are part of a four-game winning streak for the Thundering Herd that started Dec. 2 against Cleveland.
Marshall has three players averaging over 10 points per game, with Tynikki Crook leading the team with 14. Crook also adds a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game. She is a strong shooter, ranking 50th in the NCAA this season with a 50 percent mark (54-108). Crook is also strong on defense for the Thundering Herd, ranking 52nd in the nation with her 18 blocks.
Chantelle Handy and Alyssa Hammond are the other two players for Marshall averaging just above 10 points per game, at 10.9 each. Handy is hitting 41.3 percent of her shots (45-109), while Hammond nets 52.5 percent of her shots (32-61). Hammond is second on the team with 6.1 boards per game and has the team's best free-throw percentage at 88.0 (22-25), which ranks her 42nd in the nation.
As a team, the Thundering Herd are strong shooters from the field, having made 41.3 percent (243-589) of their shots this season. That ranks the team 123rd in the NCAA. However that shooting percentage goes down to 24.1 percent from beyond the arc (27-112). Marshall's opponents are also shooting well, with a 39.5 percentage (214-542). But the Thundering Herd's opponents are fairing better from three-point range, with a 39.7 mark (62-156).
Marshall is a good ball-control team as well. The Thundering Herd are ranked 21st in the NCAA in turnovers, with 15.2 per game, and 11th in assist/turnover ration (1.1). Marshall is also ranked in the top-100 in assists (27th - 16.7) and blocks (78th - 4.1).
The Series
This will be just the second meeting between the Racers and the Thundering Herd in school history. The last time the teams met was during the 1987-88 campaign at the Lady Hatter Classic in De Land, Fla., Jan. 2, 1988. Murray State came away with a close, 79-77 victory on the neutral court.
Home Away From Home
Several of the members of the 2009-10 women's basketball team were close to home for the last Racer game. Sophomores Mallory Schwab and Kristen Kluempers and assistant coach Ashley Hayes are all from around the Indianapolis area. It was the first time playing or coaching close to their local high schools for all three.
Schwab made the most of her extended cheering section, garnering career highs in five categories. The Martinsville, Ind., native tallied career bests for points (19), rebounds (7), steals (3), field goals (7) and three-point field goals (4).
The rest of the team also took advantage of the large cheering section, as they broke their seven-game losing streak, with an 88-68 victory. Schwab was one of five players in double-digits for the Racers and one of six players to garner career highs on the day.
Senior Leadership
All three of MSU's seniors have been leading by example and Jasmyne Thornton has seemed to find a new level recently. The LaGrange, Ga., native has tallied career highs in the points, rebounding, assists and steals in the last three games. At Southern Illinois she tallied a double-digit point total for the first time in her career and was two rebounds shy of a double-double, with 12 points and eight rebounds. Against the Salukis she also recorded her first career three-pointer on her first career attempt. She also added career bests of four assists and two steals against IUPUI.
Vance Stepping Up
Senior Kayla Vance has been stepping up her output since the first conference games of the season for the Racers and earned her first career start against Morehead State. The Paducah, Ky., native has tallied season highs for points in three of the last five games, including a career-best 22 against Southern Illinois (Dec. 19). Vance has been the Racers leading scorer in four of the last six outings and the only player to tally double digits in five of those outings.
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 three national statistical categories and the team has two players ranked in the top-100 in three individual categories as of Dec. 20.
The Racers top ranking is in three-point field goal defense, with a No. 32 spot (26.4). Murray State is also No. 65 in three-point field-goal made per game (6.5) and No. 82 in turnover margin (2.55).
Mallory Luckett leads the team with two individual top-100 rankings. The Louisville, Ky., native is in the No. 40 spot for assists (5.2) and No. 70 in assist/turnover ratio (1.73). Freshman Jessica Holder is ranked 92nd in blocked shots (1.5).
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 Racers tied that same mark against IUPUI (Dec21). 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.
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
MSU will return to the friendly confines of the Regional Special Events Center after almost a month absence. The Racers will also return to OVC action when they host UT Martin, Jan. 4 with tip-off scheduled for 5:15 p.m.
Quick Plays
Six players all tallied career highs against IUPUI...rookie Kayla Cunningham had two rebounds...sophomore Rachael Isom handed out three assists...senior Kayla Vance grabbed four boards and dished out seven assists...senior Mallory Luckett netted five triples...senior Jasmyne Thornton added four assists and two steals...as a team the Racers tallied a season-best 14 three pointers...the number also tied for the fourth most in school history... MSU had five players in double digits for the first time since Nov. 18, 2009 against Mid-Continent when the team had six players with at least 10 points…it was the first game that the Racers tallied more than 80 points as a team since Nov. 21 in the 85-77 win over Evansville at the RSEC and it was the first time they did so on the road.
Indiana State VS Murray State | MVC Baseball Tournament | Game Highlights
Friday, May 22
Evansville VS Murray State | Women's Basketball Game Highlights
Saturday, February 28
Head Coach Rechelle Turner | Racer Basketball | 2/26/26 Post Game Press Conference
Friday, February 27
Thomas & Pena | Racer Basketball | 2/26/26 Post Game Press Conference
Friday, February 27
