Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
UT Martin
Racers Fall to Skyhawks 77-65 at Elam Center
1/31/2010 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women's basketball team dropped a 77-65 decision to UT Martin on the road at the Elam Center.
The Racers (9-12, 4-6 Ohio Valley Conference) were led by sophomore Kayla Lowe who tallied a career-best 21 points, while adding three rebounds. Fellow sophomore Rachael Isom was also in double-digits for MSU, with 14 points. Isom also contributed four rebounds, four assists and four steals.
" Kayla Lowe is a very intelligent, physical player that understands the game," said head coach Rob Cross. "She can get herself open both on the perimeter and around the basket. It was great to see her be able to contribute like that. I just wish it was in a win."
Most of the opening half was a back-and-forth battle, with long stretches of non-scoring by both teams. Each team traded runs in the beginning of the half, before the Skyhawks (5-15, 3-7 OVC) opened up their lead to 10 (27-17), with an 11-0 run over almost a three minute span (6:56-4:15). The Racers responded by going on a 10-6 run to end the half down 33-27.
MSU opened the second half on a 6-3 run before the Skyhawks were allowed to record a basket with 16:31 remaining in the game, with their first three points coming at the free throw line. The Racers fought back and tied the score at 39 with just over 15 minutes left on the clock. Both teams traded points for the next three minutes before UTM went on a 6-0 run to give them the lead for the rest of the game.
MSU cut the deficit to as little as one, with five minutes remaining, but the Racers could not get any closer. The Skyhawks went on an 18-7 run to end the game, with all but seven of those points coming from the charity stripe.
Free throws were a key in the outcome of the game, as UTM went 25-of-28 from the free-throw line. MSU was perfect from the charity stripe, but was only allowed eight chances. The Skyhawks also used a 58.3 shooting percentage and a 71.4 three-point shooting percentage to gain the advantage. The Racers shot 33.8 percent for the game and only 22.6 from beyond the arc.
The Racers will return to the Regional Special Events Center for two OVC games next weekend, when Tennessee State (Feb. 4) and Austin Peay (Feb. 6) come to Murray. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. for both games.
Notes: This was the first game since Dec. 13, 2009 at Missouri that the Racers did not attempt a free throw in the first half of competition...MSU ended that game 6-of-8 from the line...sophomore Kayla Lowe tallied double-digit points for just the second time in her career...the Racers out-rebounded UTM 35-31, but also 22-4 on the offensive side.
Quotes
Head Coach Rob Cross
"UT Martin played a great game and you have to give them a lot of credit. But we had a lack of focus defensively throughout the game."
"We took a lot of bad shots tonight. We let a lot of shots fly without a purpose."
