Racers Edge Tennessee Tech, Move to 2-0 in OVC

Thursday, January 7

CFSB Center

5 p.m.

Murray State

6-7 (2-0OVC)

Tennessee Tech

5-11 (1-2OVC)

Tennessee Tech

Murray State

Photo by: Donnie Paschall

1/7/2016 7:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

For the first time since 2007-08, the Murray State women's basketball team is 2-0 in the OVC after the Racers recorded a 56-50 victory over Tennessee Tech Thursday at the CFSB Center.

Ke'shunan James led the Racers (6-7) with 19 points in the victory while LeAsia Wright added 15. Kyra Gulledge had a monster game on the glass, recording a career-high 21 rebounds on the night. The 21 boards are tied for the sixth-most for a single game in program history. Nine of those rebounds were on the offensive glass. Gulledge also added eight points and a block.

After a sluggish start to the game, MSU found itself down after the first period, 16-11. The Racers shot just 5-of-16 from the floor in the opening quarter, including 0-for-7 from 3-point range and 1-of-6 from the free-throw line.

Murray State really flourished however in the second and third quarters, outscoring the Golden Eagles (5-11, 1-2 OVC) 17-7 in the second to take a 28-23 halftime lead and pushed its lead to as many as 14 points, 41-27 with 4:59 left in the third. MSU outscored TTU 18-12 in the third. The Racers were able to hold on in the fourth quarter as they went scoreless the final 2:04 of the game. MSU led 54-40 with just 5:27 left to play before the Golden Eagles closed the game on a 10-2 run.

MSU shot just 36 percent (22-for-61) for the game and went 5-of-20 from 3-point range. The Racers were 4-of-10 from beyond the arc in the second half. Tennessee Tech shot 35.2 percent (19-of-54) from the floor and was 2-for-8 from distance. The Golden Eagles were 10-of-12 at the free-throw line while MSU went just 7-of-12.

The Racers held a 39-36 edge in rebounding in the win and had a 13-10 advantage in second-chance points. MSU also held a slim 22-20 lead in points in the paint and had 19 points off of 20 TTU turnovers. TTU scored 14 points off of 17 Racer turnovers. MSU turned the ball over five times in the final five minutes of the game to help TTU claw back into the contest.

Murray State will look to make it three straight to begin conference play as Jacksonville State comes to the CFSB Center Saturday for a 3 p.m. contest. It will be the final of three straight at "The Bank" for the Racers.