Murray State University Athletics
Racers Headed to Nashville For Clash with Lady Tigers
1/5/2010 9:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
After getting to play one game at home, the Murray State women's basketball team returns to the road for two Ohio Valley Conference games over the weekend. The Racers (6-8, 1-2 OVC) will first travel to Tennessee State for a Thursday, Jan. 7 game scheduled to start at 4 p.m. in the Gentry Center.
Scouting Tennessee State
The Lady Tigers are currently 4-9 overall and 1-3 in the OVC after losing both league games on the Death Valley trip.
Obiageli Okafor is the leader for TSU. She averages 13.7 points per game, with the next highest total on the team being 7.9 points per outing by Jasmine Smith. Okafor is also the team's leading rebounder at 6.7 boards per game. She has a good shooting percentage from the field, having hit 49.3 percent of her attempts this season. Okafor is ranked No. 49 in the NCAA, with a 51.2 percentage in games through Jan. 3.
As a team the Lady Tigers have made 35 percent of their shots this season and just 24.9 percent of those taken beyond the arc. In contrast their opponents have connected on 42.4 percent of all their shots and 35.3 percent of those from three-point range. Scoring seems to be the key for TSU, as the team is being outscored by an average of 10.2 points per game, but is close to its opponents in all other statistical categories on the year.
The Racers will have an advantage with their 10th-ranked three-point field-goal defense, as TSU is netting just 3.3 triples per game, while allowing 5.6.
Against the Lady Tigers
Of the MSU returners senior Mallory Luckett had the best performances against TSU in 2008-09. The Louisville, Ky., native averaged 3.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games. She also added four assists and three steals, while shooting 50 percent from the field. Sophomore Mallory Schwab also added 2.5 points and 0.5 rebounds, while Rachael Isom tallied 1.5 points per game against the Lady Tigers.
Jasmine Smith is the top returner for TSU from a year ago. She netted 14 points and 11 boards per game and shot .647 (11-of-17) in two outings against MSU. Nikki Rumph added 5.5 points and one rebound, while LaDona Pierce contributed 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds against the Racers.
The Series
MSU holds a 29-17 advantage in the all-time series that started in the 1985-86 campaign. Only two of the games that the teams have played came before the Lady Tigers addition to the OVC in 1987-88. The Racers have been victorious in the last three games and are 8-2 in the last 10 games played in the series. The series with TSU is one of only two league series in which MSU has an advantage when playing on the road. The Racers are 13-10 when playing the Lady Tigers in Nashville.
Scoring Go-Round
After having three players from the 2008-09 season dominate the scoring all season, the 2009-10 edition of the Racers has been harder to determine who will fill in that role. MSU has had six different members of the roster lead the team in scoring in the first 13 games. Senior Kayla Vance is leading the way with five games in the top-scoring position, while sophomore Rachael Isom and senior Mallory Luckett have done so three times each and sophomore Mallory Schwab twice. Freshman Mariah Robinson was the first to do so this season, with 18 points against Alabama A&M. Sophomore Kristen Kluempers was the most recent, leading the Racers against Marshall, with 16.
Home Away From Home
Several of the members of the 2009-10 women's basketball team were close to home for the IUPUI 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 recently tallied career highs in the points, rebounding, assists and steals. 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 those games, including a career-best 22 against Southern Illinois (Dec. 19). Vance has been the Racers leading scorer in five outings since the Dec. 3 outing against Eastern Kentucky.
National Recognition
Murray State might not have the best overall record, but the team is currently ranked in the top-100 of four national statistical categories and has two players ranked in the top-110 in three individual categories as of Dec. 20.
The Racers top ranking is in three-point field goal defense, with a No. 10 spot (24.5). That defensive pressure has shown in the last few games, as MSU has held its opponents to just five made threes in 29 attempts, including holding both IUPUI and Marshal to zero treys. The Racers are also No. 44 in three-point field-goal made per game (6.9), No. 79 in turnover margin (2.23) and No. 99 in scoring offense (68.7 ppg).
Mallory Luckett leads the team with two individual top-100 rankings. The Louisville, Ky., native is in the No. 50 spot for assists (4.9) and No. 68 in assist/turnover ratio (1.78). Freshman Jessica Holder is ranked 107th 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 then 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 treys, good for the No. 4 spot on the MSU charts. The Racers tied that same mark against IUPUI (Dec21). The team's eight blocks against the Cougars were also the most since Jan. 22, 2005 and the eighth most in a single game.
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.
Up Next
The Racers will conclude their short road trip with a stop in Clarksville, Tenn., to face Austin Peay, Saturday, Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. MSU will then return home to play a weekend series with Jacksonville State (Jan. 14) and Tennessee Tech (Jan. 16).
Quick Plays
In the Racers game against UT Martin senior Jasmyne Thornton was the first starter to garner a basket for MSU with 10:21 remaining in the first half…the bench had already contributed 13 points, with two more coming at the free-throw line from starters Rachael Isom and Kayla Vance…freshman Alex Duck went 2-for-2 from the free-throw line for her first career free throws…rookie Tessa Elkins recorded career highs in rebounds (6), field-goals made (3), and three-point field-goals made (3)…sophomore Mallory Schwab tallied a career-high two blocks…Thornton garnered her first block of the season and just the second of her career.
Scouting Tennessee State
The Lady Tigers are currently 4-9 overall and 1-3 in the OVC after losing both league games on the Death Valley trip.
Obiageli Okafor is the leader for TSU. She averages 13.7 points per game, with the next highest total on the team being 7.9 points per outing by Jasmine Smith. Okafor is also the team's leading rebounder at 6.7 boards per game. She has a good shooting percentage from the field, having hit 49.3 percent of her attempts this season. Okafor is ranked No. 49 in the NCAA, with a 51.2 percentage in games through Jan. 3.
As a team the Lady Tigers have made 35 percent of their shots this season and just 24.9 percent of those taken beyond the arc. In contrast their opponents have connected on 42.4 percent of all their shots and 35.3 percent of those from three-point range. Scoring seems to be the key for TSU, as the team is being outscored by an average of 10.2 points per game, but is close to its opponents in all other statistical categories on the year.
The Racers will have an advantage with their 10th-ranked three-point field-goal defense, as TSU is netting just 3.3 triples per game, while allowing 5.6.
Against the Lady Tigers
Of the MSU returners senior Mallory Luckett had the best performances against TSU in 2008-09. The Louisville, Ky., native averaged 3.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games. She also added four assists and three steals, while shooting 50 percent from the field. Sophomore Mallory Schwab also added 2.5 points and 0.5 rebounds, while Rachael Isom tallied 1.5 points per game against the Lady Tigers.
Jasmine Smith is the top returner for TSU from a year ago. She netted 14 points and 11 boards per game and shot .647 (11-of-17) in two outings against MSU. Nikki Rumph added 5.5 points and one rebound, while LaDona Pierce contributed 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds against the Racers.
The Series
MSU holds a 29-17 advantage in the all-time series that started in the 1985-86 campaign. Only two of the games that the teams have played came before the Lady Tigers addition to the OVC in 1987-88. The Racers have been victorious in the last three games and are 8-2 in the last 10 games played in the series. The series with TSU is one of only two league series in which MSU has an advantage when playing on the road. The Racers are 13-10 when playing the Lady Tigers in Nashville.
Scoring Go-Round
After having three players from the 2008-09 season dominate the scoring all season, the 2009-10 edition of the Racers has been harder to determine who will fill in that role. MSU has had six different members of the roster lead the team in scoring in the first 13 games. Senior Kayla Vance is leading the way with five games in the top-scoring position, while sophomore Rachael Isom and senior Mallory Luckett have done so three times each and sophomore Mallory Schwab twice. Freshman Mariah Robinson was the first to do so this season, with 18 points against Alabama A&M. Sophomore Kristen Kluempers was the most recent, leading the Racers against Marshall, with 16.
Home Away From Home
Several of the members of the 2009-10 women's basketball team were close to home for the IUPUI 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 recently tallied career highs in the points, rebounding, assists and steals. 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 those games, including a career-best 22 against Southern Illinois (Dec. 19). Vance has been the Racers leading scorer in five outings since the Dec. 3 outing against Eastern Kentucky.
National Recognition
Murray State might not have the best overall record, but the team is currently ranked in the top-100 of four national statistical categories and has two players ranked in the top-110 in three individual categories as of Dec. 20.
The Racers top ranking is in three-point field goal defense, with a No. 10 spot (24.5). That defensive pressure has shown in the last few games, as MSU has held its opponents to just five made threes in 29 attempts, including holding both IUPUI and Marshal to zero treys. The Racers are also No. 44 in three-point field-goal made per game (6.9), No. 79 in turnover margin (2.23) and No. 99 in scoring offense (68.7 ppg).
Mallory Luckett leads the team with two individual top-100 rankings. The Louisville, Ky., native is in the No. 50 spot for assists (4.9) and No. 68 in assist/turnover ratio (1.78). Freshman Jessica Holder is ranked 107th 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 then 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 treys, good for the No. 4 spot on the MSU charts. The Racers tied that same mark against IUPUI (Dec21). The team's eight blocks against the Cougars were also the most since Jan. 22, 2005 and the eighth most in a single game.
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.
Up Next
The Racers will conclude their short road trip with a stop in Clarksville, Tenn., to face Austin Peay, Saturday, Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. MSU will then return home to play a weekend series with Jacksonville State (Jan. 14) and Tennessee Tech (Jan. 16).
Quick Plays
In the Racers game against UT Martin senior Jasmyne Thornton was the first starter to garner a basket for MSU with 10:21 remaining in the first half…the bench had already contributed 13 points, with two more coming at the free-throw line from starters Rachael Isom and Kayla Vance…freshman Alex Duck went 2-for-2 from the free-throw line for her first career free throws…rookie Tessa Elkins recorded career highs in rebounds (6), field-goals made (3), and three-point field-goals made (3)…sophomore Mallory Schwab tallied a career-high two blocks…Thornton garnered her first block of the season and just the second of her career.
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