Racers Travel To Martin Saturday

Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video

Date/Time: Sat., Feb. 22, 2014, 2 p.m.
Site: Martin, Tenn. (Elam Center)
TV: None
Radio: WNBS 1340 AM
Web Streaming: Video – OVCDigitalNetwork.com; Audio – TuneIn.com
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @MSURacers @PGriffithMSU
All-Time Series vs. UT Martin: UTM leads 36-33
All-Time Series in Martin: UTM leads 20-14
First Meeting: L 41-63 in Martin, Dec. 6, 1972
Last Meeting: L 87-88 in Murray, Jan. 11, 2014
MSU Last Game: W 66-55 vs. Southeast Mo. (Feb. 19)
MSU Next Game: Feb. 24 vs. Morehead St., 7 p.m.
MSU Next Home: Feb. 24 vs. Morehead St., 7 p.m.

The Murray State women's basketball team will look to keep its play-off hopes alive when it travels to league-leading UT Martin on Saturday. The Racers need to win out to have chance at making the eight-team OVC Tournament field.

The Racers kept their post-season aspirations alive Wednesday by beating Southeast Missouri, 66-55. Murray State overcame a slow start, to bounce back and take control of the second half. The Racers shot just 26.1 percent in the first half, but overcame that to fire 40 percent in the second. MSU also overcame a nine rebound deficit in the first half, to out rebound the Redhawks by two in the game. The free throw shooting also played a key role in the win, as the Racers went 14-for-17 in the second half, including Janssen Starks going 6-for-6 in the final 1:39 of the game.

Taylor Porter poured in a career-high 25 points, including going a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, to lead the Racers for the fourth time this season. Jessica Winfrey added 18 points and 10 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season, while Netanya Jackson just missed her first, ending the game with nine points and 10 boards. Winfrey and Starks also excelled at the charity stripe, with Winfrey going 10-for-12 and Starks earning eight of her 11 points via a perfect 8-for-8 performance at the line.

Saturday will be the 70th meeting in the series between UT Martin and Murray State, with the Skyhawks holding a slim 36-33 advantage. The two teams met in early January in Martin, where UT Martin barely escaped The Bank with an 88-87 win.

The last time the two teams met in Martin, MSU picked up its first win at the Elam Center since 2009 by besting the Skyhawks, 82-72. The win also stands as the lone win in eight tries for the Racers since Heather Butler and Jasmine began playing for the Skyhawks. The duo has helped UTM earn three straight trips to the NCAA tournament.

The Skyhawks are coming off of a 104-65 win against Tennessee State at home on Monday and will enter Saturday's game with a 19-7 record overall and a 12-1 mark in the league. Heather Butler led UT Martin in the contest with a game-high 27 points, while Ashia Jones followed with 25.

Currently, the Skyhawks have the top offense in the league, averaging 82.9 points per game. That is almost a full 10 points per game higher that the next team on the list, which is Murray State at 73.0. The Skyhawks also own the top scoring margin in the league (+9.9), the top free throw percentage (76.2) and the top field goal percentage (43.7). UT Martin also boasts two of the league's top four scorers with Butler leading the OVC at 23.0 points per game and Jasmine Newsome following in fourth at 19.0.

Live stats, free live streaming audio and free live streaming video, courtesy of the OVC Digital Network, will be available for the game, with links posted at GoRacers.com. Locally, fans can listen to J.T. Waszkowski call all the action on WNBS 1340 AM.

Murray State University Athletics

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