Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
5-4
Northern Kentucky
2-7
Racers Escape in Overtime at NKU
12/10/2016 3:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Northern Kentucky's Kasey Uetrecht's game-tying 3-point attempt rattled in and out with one second remaining as the Murray State women's basketball team was able to escape from Highland Heights, Ky., with a 72-69 overtime win on Saturday afternoon.
The contest was the Racers' (5-4) first overtime game since February 17 of last season when they defeated Eastern Illinois 74-71. The Norse (2-7) had a chance to tie the game in the extra frame after a pair of missed free throws by Ke'Shunan James with nine seconds remaining. The game was sent into overtime after both teams missed potential game-winning baskets in the final 25 seconds of regulation.
James was able to score 18 of her game-high 24 points in the second half and overtime in the win. James went 10-for-20 from the floor and also added eight rebounds and three assists. LeAsia Wright scored 22 points and had three dimes while going 9-of-17 from the floor and 4-for-7 from 3-point range. It marks the third time this season that a pair of Racers have scored 20 points or more in the same game.
James and Wright were the only two in double figures in the game. Kyra Gulledge added nine points and grabbed a season-high 13 boards in the win. Gulledge went 4-of-5 from the floor and also added two blocks.
The Racers shot 43.3 percent from the floor in the win and also went 5-for-21 from 3-point range. The Norse shot just under 35 percent from the field and went 4-for-24 (16.7 percent) from beyond the arc. NKU went to the free-throw line 31 times and made 19 of them for a 61 percent clip. MSU went just 9-of-17 at the line and shot a season-low 53 percent.
The Norse had a 49-42 advantage in rebounding and a 15-9 edge in second-chance points. NKU also had a nine-point (20-11) edge in bench points and scored 21 points off of 18 MSU turnovers while the Racers got 15 points on 18 Norse miscues. The Racers held a 38-28 advantage in points in the paint.
MSU led for over 40 minutes in the game and had as big as an 11-point lead with at 30-19 with 3:36 left in the second quarter. However, the Norse were able to end the period on an 11-2 run and cut the Racer lead down to just 32-30 going into halftime. The Racers led the entire third quarter and led 47-40 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, NKU was able to take its first lead of the game with 2:45 remaining on a 3-pointer to go up 58-57. After a layup from James put MSU back up, 59-58 with 1:25 left, the Norse were able to tie the game with 33 seconds left in the game on a free throw, which forced overtime.
The Racers led by as many as seven in the extra period and went 4-for-8 shooting and 4-of-6 at the free-throw line. The Norse shot 3-of-8 in the period and went 3-for-6 at the charity stripe.
MSU returns to action again shortly as the Racers return to the CFSB Center Monday for a 5Â p.m., contest against McMurray.
