Murray State University Athletics
Thursday, January 5
Jacksonville, Ala.
5:30 p.m.
Murray State
10-5 (2-0OVC)
71
at
64
Jacksonville State
7-8 (0-3OVC)
1
2
3
4
F
Murray State
30
16
8
17
71
Jacksonville State
13
11
21
19
64
Team Stats
MUR
JSU
FG%
.460
.391
3FG%
.364
.211
FT%
.773
.556
RB
34
38
TO
14
17
STL
9
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF/G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Racers Withstand Second Half Rally From JSU
1/5/2017 7:56:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women were able to lead wire-to-wire and withstand a major second half surge from Jacksonville State to defeat the Gamecocks 71-64 Thursday in Jacksonville, Ala., at Pete Mathews Coliseum. The win ties a season-high three-game winning streak for the Racers (10-5, 2-0 OVC) as they start OVC play 2-0 for the second consecutive season.
It was a tale of two halves Thursday as the Racers got off to a blistering start, playing perhaps their best half of basketball all season in the first two quarters and led 46-24 at halftime. MSU shot 60 percent overall in the first half and went 6-of-10 from 3-point range and made 10 free throws. At one point in the second quarter, the Racers were shooting 67 percent from the floor.
The second half was just the opposite for the Racers as they were held to just eight points in the third period and 25 for the half. MSU shot 32 percent from the field in the second and went 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Despite leading by as many as 23 at 52-29 with 5:38 left in the third quarter, the Racers went cold the rest of the quarter and allowed the Gamecocks (7-8, 0-3 OVC) to come all the way back and tie the contest at 57-57 with 4:52 left to play in the game.
A LeAsia Wright 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3:27 left broke the tie and 18 seconds later a Bria Bethea steal and score made it 62-57 MSU. Four points would be as close as JSU would get the waning moments of the game.
Ke'Shunan James led the Racers with 18 points, 14 of which came in the first half. James also grabbed a team-high nine boards and had three assists and three steals in the win. Wright added 17 and hit three from beyond the arc on the night while Jasmine Borders scored 14 and Bethea chipped in with 10 points.
The Racers were outscored in the paint, 34-24 and 12-3 in second-chance points. However, MSU had a 14-6 edge in fast break points and scored 20 points off of JSU turnovers while the Gamecocks scored just 10 off turnovers.
The Racers return to action Thursday as they look to begin OVC play 3-0 for the first time since 2007-08. MSU will face Tennessee Tech in a 5:30 p.m., contest in Cookeville, Tenn., at the Eblen Center.
It was a tale of two halves Thursday as the Racers got off to a blistering start, playing perhaps their best half of basketball all season in the first two quarters and led 46-24 at halftime. MSU shot 60 percent overall in the first half and went 6-of-10 from 3-point range and made 10 free throws. At one point in the second quarter, the Racers were shooting 67 percent from the floor.
The second half was just the opposite for the Racers as they were held to just eight points in the third period and 25 for the half. MSU shot 32 percent from the field in the second and went 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Despite leading by as many as 23 at 52-29 with 5:38 left in the third quarter, the Racers went cold the rest of the quarter and allowed the Gamecocks (7-8, 0-3 OVC) to come all the way back and tie the contest at 57-57 with 4:52 left to play in the game.
A LeAsia Wright 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3:27 left broke the tie and 18 seconds later a Bria Bethea steal and score made it 62-57 MSU. Four points would be as close as JSU would get the waning moments of the game.
Ke'Shunan James led the Racers with 18 points, 14 of which came in the first half. James also grabbed a team-high nine boards and had three assists and three steals in the win. Wright added 17 and hit three from beyond the arc on the night while Jasmine Borders scored 14 and Bethea chipped in with 10 points.
The Racers were outscored in the paint, 34-24 and 12-3 in second-chance points. However, MSU had a 14-6 edge in fast break points and scored 20 points off of JSU turnovers while the Gamecocks scored just 10 off turnovers.
The Racers return to action Thursday as they look to begin OVC play 3-0 for the first time since 2007-08. MSU will face Tennessee Tech in a 5:30 p.m., contest in Cookeville, Tenn., at the Eblen Center.
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