Women’s Basketball Grinds Out Win at Austin Peay

Saturday, January 12

Clarksville, Tenn.

5:15 p.m.

Murray State

9-6 (2-2)

Austin Peay

5-10 (0-3)

Murray St.

Austin Peay

Photo by: Tab Brockman

1/12/2013 8:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

| Box Score (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

For the first time since 2009, the Murray State women's basketball team went into Austin Peay's Dunn Center in Clarksville and came out with 77-72 win.

The Racers (9-6, 2-2) took an early advantage in the game, leading by as many as 10, just eight minutes into the game. Despite the early lead, Austin Peay (5-10, 0-3) battled back and went on a 20-4 run that lasted over seven minutes and gave the Lady Govs a six-point lead.

However, in the last four minutes of the half, sophomore Keiona Kirby scored six straight points for MSU to cut the lead to just one. After a couple of missed opportunities by Austin Peay, senior Mariah Robinson gave the Racers their first lead in over six minutes by draining a three from the corner. With 27-seconds left, Austin Peay's Jennifer Nwokocha sent the two teams into the locker room tied when she made a layup with the help of Meghan Bussabarger.

In the second half, the Lady Govs once again went on a big run and led by as many as 11 with 11:38 left in the contest. The Racers then answered with their own 13-3 run that cut the lead to just one with exactly eight minutes left.

Despite battling back and tying the game on two different occasions over the final eight minutes, the Racers did not actually regain the lead until Robinson hit a pair of free throws with 1:40 remaining. In fact, it was free throws that played a crucial role in the MSU victory.

Over the last two minutes of the game, the Racers outscored Austin Peay, 11-7, with nine of the 11 points coming at the free throw line. In the final minutes of the game, Sisk, Robinson, senior Tessa Elkins and junior Jessica Winfrey all made at least one trip to the line and were a combined 9-for-10 in their efforts.

The Racers finished their night at the line at 76.5 percent, a season-high in OVC play, compared to just 53.3 by the Lady Govs. Of the six MSU players that went to the line on the night, four were absolutely perfect.

Sisk led four Racers in double-digits in the game with 15 points, as well as six assists, while Kirby followed with a career-high 14. Winfrey added 12 points, while Elkins had 11 and a game-high 10 boards for her first double-double of the season and just the second of her career. Elkins last double-double came at the CFSB Center on February 6, 2012 against Tennessee State, when she notched 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Bussabarger led four ASPU players on the night with 14 points, while Leslie Martinez was one point off her own double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds and nine points.

On Monday, the Racers will look to capitalize on Saturday's win when it returns to The Bank to begin a three-game home stand. League newcomer Belmont, fresh off a victory over UT Martin, will make its first visit to Murray in over a decade for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.