Racers Fall To UTM In Heartbreaker

Saturday, January 4

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

7-7 (0-2OVC)

UT Martin

9-6 (2-0OVC)

UT Martin

Murray St.

Photo by: Kyser Lough/Ledger & Times

1/4/2014 10:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

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The Murray State women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 88-87 loss to rival UT Martin Saturday night at the CFSB Center. The game saw 18 lead changes and nine ties, but it was a Jasmine Newsome lay-up with 6:57 to play that gave the Skyhawks a led they would never relinquish.

The first have was played quick and saw both teams reach the 50-point mark by the break. UT Martin (9-6, 2-0) led by as many as six in the opening stanza, but the Racers (7-7, 0-2) ended the frame on a 13-5 run and took a four-point lead in the locker room at the half.

In the second half, the lead went back and forth again with Murray State leading by as many as seven early in the half. After Newsome's final go-ahead basket, the Skyhawks pushed the lead back out to eight with just over five minutes to play.

However, Murray State was able to make seven of eight free throws down the stretch to pull within one with 42 seconds to play. After a 3-pointer by UT Martin's Megan White missed with 20 seconds to play, Jashae Lee pulled down the rebound to give MSU one final shot at the win. It was not to be, though, as UT Martin escaped with the one-point win.

Despite the loss, the Racers played one of their best games of the season, setting new season-highs in free throws made (29), total rebounds (62) and offensive rebounds (21). The Racers outrebounded the Skyhawks by 25 (62-37) in the game, setting a new season-high in rebounding margin as well. Murray State was also lights-out at the free throw line making 29 of 34 attempts to finish the night at 85.3 percent.

Keiona Kirby led Murray State in the game with 27 points, including a near perfect 10-for-11 performance at the free throw line. Jessica Winfrey accounted for nearly a third of the Racers' total rebounds on the night by pulling down a career-high 20, to go along with seven points. The performance was the third consecutive game and ninth-time this season that Winfrey has pulled down double-digit rebounds.

Taylor Porter added 11 to the cause, while Jashae Lee, Julia Fox and Janssen Starks each added 10. The five players in double-figures marked just the third time this season that MSU had at least five players with 10 or more points and the first in a losing effort.

Heather Butler led all scorers with 33 points, while Jasmine Newsome followed with 24. Ashia Jones led UT Martin on the boards in the game with 10, as she notched the only double-double of the night by also scoring 20 points. Butler, Newsome & Jones combined to scored 77 of the Skyhawk's 88 points in the game, while the other seven players that saw action combined for just 11.

The Racers will have just one day off before returning to The Bank on Monday night. Murray State will take on OVC West rival Southeast Missouri in a game that is slated for a 7 p.m. tip.