OVC CHAMPIONS!

Saturday, February 28

RSEC

5:15 p.m.

Murray State

Eastern Kentucky

3/1/2009 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

The Murray State women's basketball team claimed its first Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship with an 80-60 victory over Eastern Kentucky at the Regional Special Events Center. The Racers end the regular season with a 21-7 overall record and a 16-2 record in the OVC. It was the first time since 2004-05 that a team won the title with less than three conference losses on the year.

“Without the senior leadership that we had this year,” said head coach Rob Cross. “We would not be where we are today. They have done a great job especially playing for three different head coaches.”

On the annual Senior Night the team was lead by three of Murray State's five seniors. Amber Guffey led the team with 21 points, while Ashley Hayes added 19, and Paige Guffey netted 14. Angela Mullins tallied eight points for the Racers, while Jessica Jackson garnered three rebounds, one assist, and a steal for Murray State.

The Racers opened the game with strong defense, holding the Lady Colonels scoreless until the 17:13 mark, tallying five points of their own. Over the next three minutes EKU pushed the tempo of the game and went on a 7-4 run to tie the game at nine with 13:15 left to play in the half. Both teams stepped up the defense and neither scored for almost three minutes. When Hayes broke the drought with10:49 left, she sparked a Racer 8-0 run to push the advantage to 17-9. The Lady Colonels did not give up and cut the lead to three points with just over two minutes to play, but Murray State ended the half with a 7-0 run to take a 33-23 lead into the locker room.

EKU came out of the locker room on a mission. The Lady Colonels held the Racers scoreless for almost four minutes while going on a 10-0 run of their own to tie the game at 33. Murray State then decided that was enough and went on a 9-2 run over the next two minutes to pull away for good. The closest that the Racers allowed EKU to get the rest of the game was six, with 3:36 left to play. Murray State then quickly pushed the lead back into double-digits within a minute. The Racers kept pushing and ended the game with a 13-3 run to earn the 20-point win.

Murray State shot 49.1 percent from the field, including a 60 percent mark in the second half of play. The Racers held EKU to a 36.5 shooting percentage. Rebounding was also a key to winning, as Murray State out-rebounded the Lady Colonels 37-33.

The Racers will now host the first round of the OVC Tournament, Tuesday, March 3 at 5:15 p.m. in the RSEC. No. 1 Murray State will host No. 8 Jacksonville State. This is the third consecutive season that the Racers have hosted a first-round game.

“Now we have to turn our attention to Jacksonville State,” Cross said. “Like every team knows the goal is to get to the NCAA Tournament. No matter what happens in the OVC Tournament it will never take this achievement away, but if we don't win we will not make it to the NCAA Tournament.”

Notes: Senior Jessica Jackson recorded her first-career start today in the Racers Senior Night...in the first four minutes of the game she tallied two rebounds and added an assist...Murray State only allowed the Lady Colonels to get to the charity stripe seven times...freshman Kayla Lowe followed her career-setting performance against Morehead State with nine points, two rebounds, and a block.

Quotes

Head Coach Rob Cross

“I didn't call a time out when we Eastern Kentucky made a run at the beginning of the second half because I knew that we had the leadership to get the job done.”

2009 OVC Women's Basketball Tournament

Tuesday, March 3

No. 1 Murray State hosts No. 8 Jacksonville State, 5:15 p.m.

No. 2 Eastern Illinois hosts No. 7 Tennessee Tech, 7 p.m.

No. 3 Tennessee State hosts No. 6 Southeast Missouri State, 7 p.m.

No. 4 Morehead State hosts No. 5 Austin Peay, 5:30 p.m.