Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Jacksonville State
Racers Get Back On Winning Track with 71-60 Victory at Jacksonville State
2/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women's basketball team earned a key victory over Ohio Valley Conference opponent Jacksonville State, 71-60, at Pete Mathews Coliseum. The win moved the Racers record to 11-14 overall and 6-8 in the OVC standings.
Senior Kayla Vance led the team for the second-straight game, recording 19 points and adding a career-high four rebounds. Sophomore Rachael Isom added 13 point and five rebounds, while going 7-for-7 from the charity stripe.
The teams opened the first 1:30 of the game trading baskets before the Racers went on a 10-2 run to open up the first lead of the game (12-4), over a 2:30 span. MSU did not stop there and pushed the lead to 11 (20-9), with just under 13 minutes left in the opening half. The Gamecocks (8-17, 5-19 OVC) were not done fighting and went on a 15-2 run over the next six minutes to take their first lead of the game (24-22).
Vance broke the Racers scoreless streak and sparked a 7-0 run over the next four minutes to give MSU back the lead. JSU countered with a 5-0 run, to tie the game at 29 with 2:15 left to play in the opening stanza. Both teams then went cold shooting, until sophomore Mallory Schwab hit the last basket of the half, with 1:20 left on the clock, to give the Racers a 32-29 lead heading into the locker room.
The Gamecocks opened the second half with a 5-0 run to quickly tie the game, but the Racers followed with a 5-0 run of their own to regain the advantage. Both teams then struggled to hit their shots over the next two minutes before JSU broke the scoreless streak with a 9-0 run over a 3:30 span to garner its largest lead of the game (42-39). Vance then went on a 5-0 run to give MSU back the advantage.
The teams then battled back-and-forth for the next three minutes before the Racers broke away for good. MSU went on a 16-3 run over a four minute span to take an 11-point lead (64-53) with 3:35 left to play. The teams then traded points over the remained of time, with most of the Racers points coming at the charity stripe.
Free throws were a key to the game as MSU went 14-of-15 and JSU went 7-of-14 from the stripe. The 93.3 percentage for the Racers ties for the No. 10 spot on the school free-throw percentage charts. MSU also tallied six more three-pointers than the Gamecocks and out-rebounded JSU 44-38.
The Racers will return to the Regional Special Events Center for the final two regular-season games of the 2009-10 campaign. MSU hosts Southeast Missouri State (Feb. 18) and Eastern Illinois (Feb. 20). Thursday's game is the annual Pink Zone night to help promote awareness for breast cancer and Saturday's game against the Panthers is the annual Senior Day. The Racers will honor this season's three seniors prior to the start of the 1:30 p.m. tip-off.
Notes: Sophomore Rachael Isom took and made the Racers' first five free throw attempts...senior Mallory Luckett and Isom both have double-digit free-throw streaks going...Luckett has made her last 11, while Isom has connected on her last 10...MSU is now 10-4 when leading at the half this season...the Racers committed just three turnovers in the second half of play...the first did not come until there was 11:32 left to play.
Quotes
Head Coach Rob Cross
"I think we did a better job of focusing tonight. We just have to take care of the present and the rest will fall into place."
"We did an outstanding job taking care of the basketball with just nine turnovers in the game and just three in the second half."
"We did an outstand job rebounding the basketball and that was crucial to the outcome of the game."
"We struggled to get Kayla Vance good looks in the first half, but in the second half we were able to get the ball in her hands. She then did what she does, which is got the ball in the basket."
" Rachael Isom and Mallory Luckett did a good job of getting to the free-throw line down the stretch and that we the difference in the game."
"I was very pleased with rebounding job that our post players did and how aggressive they were offensively."
"To come back after Thursday night's performance is outstanding. We still have to figure some things out defensively in the post, but we look for continued growth as we head down the final stretch of the season."
