Turnovers Doom Racers Against Purple Aces

Sunday, December 4

CFSB Center

2 p.m.

Murray State

4-4

Evansville

2-5

Evansville

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

12/4/2016 4:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

A slew of turnovers and a slow start to begin the second half cost the Murray State women on Sunday afternoon at the CFSB Center as the Racers fell to Evansville, 82-77. The loss drops MSU to 4-4 overall and is the Racers' first setback at home this season.

The Purple Aces (2-5) were able to score 24 points off of a season-high 21 Racer turnovers in the contest while MSU scored just six points off of 10 UE turnovers. Evansville also outscored the Racers 11-2 in second-chance points, despite being outrebounded 36-33.

MSU shot nearly 54 percent (14-of-26) from the floor in the first half and led by as many as eight in the first quarter. However, 13 first half turnovers from the Racers kept Evansville within striking distance as the Purple Aces were able to tie the game up at 40-40 going into halftime.

To begin the second half, the Racers started off well with back-to-back 3-pointers from LeAsia Wright and Abria Gulledge to go up 46-40, but the rest of the period belonged to the Purple Aces as they hit 8 of their 10 shots in the third quarter. UE scored 28 points in the quarter and held a 68-59 lead after three.

Evansville built its lead to as many as 13 at 73-60 with 6:52 remaining in the contest. A Jasmine Borders corner three with 36 seconds left cut the Racer deficit to 76-73, but that was as close as they could get as UE salted the game away the final half minute on free throws.

Ke'Shunan James and Wright led MSU with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting each in the loss while Abria Gulledge added 16 on 5-of-10 shooting herself. Borders chipped in with 11. James had a solid all-around game as she dished out a game-high eight assists and also had six rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks on the afternoon.

MSU shot 47.2 percent (25-for-53) from the floor in the game and was 8-for-20 from 3-point range. UE shot 45 percent (31-of-69) and was 8-of-23 from beyond the arc. The Purple Aces shot 12-of-19 from the free-throw line while the Racers hit 19-of-24 at the stripe.

UE also outscored the Racers 40-30 in points in the paint in the game and also had a 14-8 advantage in fast break points. The MSU bench held a 14-11 margin in scoring.

The Racers are off this week until Saturday due to finals. MSU will travel to Highland Heights for a noon central time tipoff at Northern Kentucky this weekend.