Women’s Basketball Tops Bethune-Cookman

Saturday, December 21

DeLand, Fla.

2 p.m.

Murray State

7-5

Bethune-Cookman

3-9

Bethune-Cookman

Murray St.

12/21/2013 4:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

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

The Murray State women's basketball team snapped a two-game skid Saturday as it picked up a 81-70 win over Bethune-Cookman in the final game of the 2013 Hatter Classic hosted by Stetson in DeLand, Fla.

Bethune-Cookman (3-9) led just once in the entire game, at 4-3, but save for that, the day belonged to Murray State (7-5). Murray State controlled the opening stanza and was able to take 15-point lead in to the locker room at the break at 37-22. The second half saw the Wildcats attempt a comeback, but despite being outscored 48-44 in the frame, Murray State held on for the 11-point win.

Keiona Kirby and Jessica Winfrey turned in two of their best performances of the season with each just one point shy of a career-high. Kirby scored 28 points, while Winfrey added 16. Winfrey also tallied her fourth double-double of the season, as she tied a career-high by pulling down a game-high 18 rebounds. Taylor Porter rounded out the three Racers in double-digits with 13 points on a 50 percent shooting night.

As a team, the Racer shot 39.4 percent from the floor in the game and went 20-for-23 at the charity stripe. The 87.0-precent performance was a season high and was fueled primarily by Kirby, who went 12-for-14 herself. Murray State also outrebounded Bethune-Cookman, 45-42, in the game and is now 4-0 on the season when outrebounding the opponent.

Following the game, Kirby was named the 2013 Hatter Classic All-Tournament team. The junior averaged 20.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, while also going 15-for-17 from the free throw line over the two-game stretch.

With the non-conference portion of its schedule in the books, the Racers will now shift their focus to OVC play. Murray State will kick-off its 2013-14 OVC campaign on Dec. 30 when it travels to Richmond to do battle with Eastern Kentucky. Tip-off from Alumni Coliseum is scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT.