Evansville Earns Win Over Racers at Ford Center

Saturday, December 10

Evansville, Ind.

2:00 PM

Murray State

Evansville

Photo by: Tab Brockman

12/10/2011 5:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score I Box Score (pdf)

The Murray State women's basketball team dropped the away portion of home-and-home series with Evansville for the 2011-12 season, with a 78-48 decision at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.

The Racers (3-6) were led by junior Mariah Robinson, who tallied 18 points and added three steals. Junior Kyra Watson was the top rebounder for MSU with six.

The Racers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game before the Purple Aces got on the scoreboard. However, when UE got started they pushed the momentum and went on a 21-2 run before MSU was able to get another field goal to fall, with 10:35 remaining in the opening stanza. There were long stretches in the first half with neither team scoring and after the scoreless streak by the Racers the teams traded points for the next seven minutes. The Purple Aces then went on an 8-1 run over the final three minutes to take a 41-23 lead into the locker room.

The first four minutes of the second half were slow on the scoring end, with just five points being scored by both teams. The scoring picked up with 15 minutes left to play, with the Purple Aces increasing their lead to as many as 35. UE kept the pressure up the rest of the half to earn the 78-48 win.

Shooting percentage, turnovers and rebounds were the keys to the game, with UE holding advantages in all categories. The Purple Aces shot 44.8 percent for the game, while the Racers hit just 30.6 percent of their shots. For just the second game this season, MSU committed more turnovers than its opponents, 29-23. UE also came away with 49 rebounds to the Racers 36.

MSU will now have nine days off before continuing their six-game road trip at the Magnolia Classic. The Racers will first face Mississippi, Monday, Dec. 19 before battling with Cleveland State (Dec. 20), with both games slated to start at 5 p.m. at the Tad Smith Coliseum in Oxford, Miss.