Racers Win Tight Game Against Southeast Missouri, 63-62

Saturday, February 11

CFSB Center

4:30 PM

Murray State

Southeast Missouri

Photo by: Tab Brockman

Racers Win Tight Game Against Southeast Missouri, 63-62

2/11/2012 7:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score I Box Score (pdf) I Photo Gallery

The Murray State women's basketball team earned a one-point win, 63-62, over Southeast Missouri in the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky. during the annual Be Bold Wear Gold night.

The Racers were led by red-shirt sophomore Erica Burgess who tallied 21 points and added five rebounds. Senior Kayla Lowe added 14 points and five boards, while junior Kyra Watson contributed 12 points and six rebounds.

The first half was a low-scoring affair, with the teams combining for just 53 points. SEMO led for most of the stanza after going on 6-0 and 5-1 runs that gave them a 13-5 advantage. The Racers then went on an 11-2 run over a three-minute span to take a short 16-15 lead, but the Redhawks closed out the last 6:30 of the half with a 15-7 run, to take a 30-23 lead into the locker room.

The second half MSU came out ready to fight and went on a 5-2 run in the first three minutes to cut the lead to four. SEMO pushed the lead back out to seven (39-32) before the Racers started to push the tempo again and used a 19-2 run over a 3:30 span to take a 51-41 advantage. The Redhawks countered with an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to regain the lead, 52-51. The teams then traded shots for the next minute, but a three-point play by Watson and missed free throws by SEMO giving the Racers a slight advantage.

The Redhawks did not quit and used a 4-0 run to tie the game at 59, with three minutes to play. The teams then went cold from the field for the next two minutes before Burgess hit a lay-up and added a free throw to give MSU a three-point lead. SEMO's Roberts' then hit a jumper in the lane with 37 seconds remaining to cut the lead to one, but that would be how the game would end.

The difference in the game was in second half three-point and free-throw shooting. The Racers hit 42.9 percent (6-of-14) of their triples in the second stanza and allowed the Redhawks to connect on just one-of-six (16.7 percent). MSU also earned a small advantage at the charity stripe, with an 8-of-10 mark to a 5-of-10 mark for SEMO.

The Racers will host Austin Peay, Monday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in the annual Play for Kay night to help promote awareness for breast cancer. The game is the third of four-straight home games for MSU before they close out the regular-season on the road.