Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Belmont
Players Mentioned
Racers Travel To Nashville To Face Belmont & TSU
2/4/2020 7:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Date (Time): Feb. 6 & 8 (11 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.)
Opponents: Belmont & Tennessee State
Site (Venue): Nashville, Tenn. (Curb Event Center & Gentry Complex)
Audio: WNBS 1340 AM (PxP: Jeremy Rose)
TV: ESPN+
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersWBB
MUR Record (Streak): 11-10, 4-6 OVC (Won 3)
BEL Record (Streak): 13-8, 8-2 OVC (Lost 1)
All-Time Series vs. BEL (Streak): Bruins lead 14-2 (Lost 10)
All-Time Series in Nashville (Streak): Bruins lead 6-0 (Lost 6)
Last Five vs. BEL: 0-5 (LLLLL)
TSU Record (Streak): 2-18, 0-10 OVC (Lost 11)
All-Time Series vs. TSU (Streak): Racers lead 35-25 (Won 1)
All-Time Series in Nashville (Streak): Racers lead 15-14 (Won 1)
Last Five vs. TSU: 3-2(WLWWL)
MUR Next Game: Feb. 13 at Austin Peay
MUR Next Home Game: Feb. 15 vs. Morehead State
The Games
The Murray State women's basketball team heads to Nashville this weekend for a pair of games in hopes of keeping its three-game win streak intact. The Racers will get an early start Thursday at Belmont with an 11 a.m. tip, followed by a 5:30 start at Tennessee State Saturday.
Last Time Out
The Murray State women's basketball team pushed its win streak to three with a pair of home wins over Eastern Illinois and SIUE. Down 10 with four minutes to play, the Racers mounted a furious comeback in which they outscored the Panthers, 14-4, down the stretch. With 14 seconds left, Alexis Burpo scored a bucket to bring the Racers within three, which was followed by a EIU miss at the other end of the court. With only 11 seconds left, MSU ran the length of the court and got a three from Macie Gibson to send the game to overtime, where it would pick up the 92-87 win. Burpo was one of three Racers to notch double-doubles in the game with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Laci Hawthorne and Macie Gibson followed at 20 points and 13 rebounds and 14 points and 10 rebounds, respectively. On Saturday, the Racers went wire-to-wire in the win over the Cougars in a game in which they shot 40.3-percent from the floor and outrebounded SIUE by nine. Macey Turley led Murray State in the game with 29, while Burpo notched her third straight double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds.
The Belmont Series
The Racers have had little luck against Belmont in the all-time series, winning just two of 16 contests and none since the Bruins joined the OVC for the 2012-13 season. After its loss to the Bruins two weeks ago, Murray State has now lost 10 straight in the series and are still looking for their first-ever win at the Curb Event Center.Â
Scouting The Bruins
Since the last meeting with the Racers two weeks ago, the Bruins have gone 2-1 including a win at previously OVC undefeated Tennessee Tech last Saturday. However, Belmont was unable to carry the momentum into Saturday as the fell at Jacksonville State in its next contest. The Bruins are not the most high-powered offense in the OVC as they currently rank in the bottom third of the league at just 59.7. However, as the old adage goes that "defense wins championships", defense has also won games for Belmont this season as it possesses the stingiest defense in the league, allowing just 58.0 points per game.
OVC Preseason Player of the Year currently leads Belmont on the season with the league's second-best scoring average, a position she shares with MSU, Macey Turley, at 17.2 and the best rebounding average at 11.7, a number that also ranks her seventh in all of Division 1 basketball.
The Tennessee State Series
Saturday will be the 21st meeting all-time between the Racers and the Tigers with Murray State leading the series, 35-25. While Murray State holds a comfortable lead at home in the series, its lead in Nashville is razor thin at 15-14. Murray State gained that edge in its last trip the Gentry Center in 201 where it won. 85-73.
Scouting The Tigers
Tennessee State will enter the weekend at 2-18 on the season and 0-10 in OVC play. The Tigers have lost each of their last 11 games and 18 of their last 19. TSU is averaging 58.4 points per game, while allowing 76.9. Taylor Roberts currently leads the TSU offense with 12.8 points per game, while Jaden Wrightsell leads on the glass with 7.0 rebounds per game.
Triple-Double Rd. 2
After notching three double-doubles against TSU, the Racers followed it with more against Easter Illinois. In doing so, the Racers became just the second school in DI this season, along with Cal, to notch two or more game with three double-doubles.
Honor Roll
After averaging double-doubles last week, Alexis Burpo and Laci Hawthorne were named as Player and Newcomer of the Week. It was the first honor for Burpo and the sixth for Hawthorne.
Free Basketball
Thursday's overtime win over EIU marked the second time in as many meetings that the Racers had topped the Panthers in extended play. The win also moved Rechelle Turner's all-time record in overtime to 2-1.
