Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Eastern Kentucky
Players Mentioned
Racers Close Season With EKU & APSU
2/26/2020 11:54:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Date (Time): Feb. 27 & 29 (5 p.m.)
Opponents: Eastern Kentucky/Austin Peay
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (CFSB Center)
Audio: WNBS 1340 AM (PxP: Jeremy Rose)
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersWBB
MUR Record (Streak): 13-14, 6-10 OVC (Won 1)
EKU Record (Streak): 10-17, 4-12 OVC (Lost 3)
All-Time Series vs. EKU (Streak): Colonels lead 58-33 (Won 4)
All-Time Series in Murray (Streak): Colonels lead 28-18 (Lost 2)
Last Five vs. EKU: 4-1(WWWWL)
APSU Record (Streak): 16-11, 7-9 OVC (Lost 1)
All-Time Series vs. APSU (Streak): Racers lead 52-48 (Lost 1)
All-Time Series in Murray (Streak): Racers lead 34-14 (Won 7)
Last Five vs. APSU: 2-3 (LWLLW)
MUR Next Game: Mar. 4-7 at OVC Tournament
MUR Next Home Game: 2020 Season
The Games
The Murray State women's basketball team will close out its 2019-20 regular-season this weekend by hosting Eastern Kentucky Thursday and Austin Peay Saturday.
Last Time Out
The Murray State women's basketball team split its games last week, falling at Eastern Illinois, 66-46, but bouncing back by snapping an eight-game road losing streak with a 70-61 win at SIUE. On Thursday, Murray State led after the first, but was outscored by 15 in the second quarter, giving EIU a lead it would never relinquish. Laci Hawthorne and Alexis Burpo each had double-doubles in the game with Hawthorne scoring 11 points and pulling down 15 rebounds, while Burpo had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Against SIUE, Hawthorne had a monster game of 20 points and 17 rebounds to help propel her team to its first OVC road win of the season. MSU shot 41.1-percent from the floor in the contest and led for more than 35 minutes. Macie Gibson added 13 points on the night, while Lex Mayes and Raegan Blackburn had 12 each.
The Eastern Kentucky Series
Saturday will be the 92nd all-time meeting between Murray State and Eastern Kentucky, with the Colonels holding a healthy 58-33 lead, despite four consecutive wins in the series by the Racers. In Murray, MSU has won each of the last three meetings, but still trail the overall series there, 26-14.
Scouting The Colonels
The Colonels have seen their overall win total increase four fold this season, as first-year head coach Samantha Williams has led them to eight more total wins and four more OVC wins than last year. Eastern Kentucky is currently averaging 57.7 point per game and is shooting 35.7-percent from the floor, while their opponents are scoring 65.2 points per game and shooting at a .375 clip. Terri Goodlett currently leads the scoring attack for EKU with 10.0 points, while I'Liyah Green leads in rebounds at 7.4 rebounds to go along with 7.9 points.
The Austin Peay Series
Murray State enters Saturday's First Financial Bank Battle of the Border match-up leading the overall series with Austin Peay, 52-49, and in Murray, 34-14. However, recently, the series has been exactly even with each team winning five of the last 10 games. While home court advantage is always important, in this rivalry it is of even more significance. Since the series began in 1931, the home team has enjoyed a decided advantage by winning 68-percent of the combined non-neutral site contests.
Scouting The Govs
Austin Peay enters the weekend with a 7-9 OVC record and OVC tournament berth already in tow. The Govs currently average 67.6 points and 35.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.7-percent from the floor, 31.5-percent from 3-point range and 65.5-percent from the free throw line. In contrast, the Govs' opponents are shooting 44.8-percent from the floor, 31.5-percent from 3-point range, 67.9-percent from the free throw line and are averaging 67.6 points per game and 37.5. rebounds. Arielle Gonzalez-Varner currently leads Austin Peay with 10.4 points per game, while also leading on the boards at 7.4 rebounds per game.
Leaping Into Victory
Saturday will mark the fourth time in program history that the Racers have played on Leap Day and are currently 3-0 in those games. All three previous Leap Day match-ups have occurred in Murray, with the last one taking place in 2000. Saturday will not be the first time Rechelle Turner has faced Austin Peay on a Leap Day, as she was a part of the 1991-92 teams that topped the Govs on Feb. 29.
Year    Opp.   Loc.    Res.
1988Â Â Â MTSUÂ HÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â W 82-60
1992Â Â Â APSUÂ Â Â HÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â W 84-72
2000Â Â Â EKUÂ Â Â Â Â HÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â W 67-61
Nine Is Fine
Laci Hawthorne notched two double-doubles last week as she was named as the OVC Newcomer of the Week for the ninth time. The Fort Worth, Texas native averaged a resounding double-double over a 1-1 week with 15.5 points and 16.0 rebounds. Hawthorne finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds in the loss at EIU, followed by 20 points and a career-high 17 rebounds in the win over SIUE. In addition, the junior shot 48.1-percent from the floor and also had three steals, two assists and one block.
Battle of the Border
Saturday's game against Austin Peay is another First Financial Battle of the Border match-up. The Govs picked up six points two weeks ago with wins by both basketball teams and now trail MSU by just six points, 15-9. Nine points total will be up for grabs this week with the OVC Indoor Track & Field Championships taking place in addition to the basketball game. MSU needs just 18.5 more points of the required 33.5 to keep the trophy in Murray for a fourth-straight year.
Look Ma, We Made It
Twenty-nine years ago at the 1991 Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Game two random strangers were assigned as roommates for the duration of the event, one from Marshall County and one from duPont Manual in Louisville. On Saturday, the two roommates, Murray State head coach Rechelle Turner and Eastern Kentucky head coach Samantha Williams, will reunite, however this time they will coach against each other instead of playing as teammates.
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