Murray State University Athletics
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Racers Open WNIT at Vandy Thursday
3/16/2022 12:58:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MSU heads to Nashville looking for program’s third postseason win
Date (Time): Mar. 17 (7 p.m.)
Opponent: Vanderbilt
Site (Venue): Nashville, Tenn. (Memorial Gymnasium)
Audio: WBZB 104.5 FM (PxP: Jeremy Rose)
TV: SEC Network+ (PxP: Andrew Allegretta, Analyst: Drew Maddux)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersWBB
MUR Record (Streak): 22-9 (Lost 1)
VU Record (Streak): 14-18 (Lost 1)
MUR Last Game: L 62-68 vs. Tennessee Tech (Mar. 4, 2022; Evansville, Ind.)
VU Last Game: L 52-53 vs. #23 Florida (Feb. 3, 2022; Nashville, Tenn.)
All-Time Series vs. VU (Streak): Series tied 4-4 (Lost 2)
First Meeting: W 59-32 (Nov. 22, 1976; Nashville, Tenn.)
Last Meeting: L 52-99 (Nov. 29, 2000; Nashville, Tenn.)
Largest MSU Win: W 59-32 [27] (Nov. 22, 1976; Nashville, Tenn.)
Last MSU Loss: L 52-99 [47] (Nov. 29, 2000; Nashville, Tenn.)
Last Five vs. VU: 1-4 (LLWLL)
Next Game: TBD
The Game
The Murray State women's basketball team will make its fourth appearance in the Women's National Invitational Tournament Thursday, when it travels to Nashville, Tennessee for a first round matchup with Vanderbilt. Tip-off from historic Memorial Gymnasium in Music City, U.S.A., is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Series At A Glance
Thursday will be the ninth all-time meeting between the Racers and the Commodores with the series split 4-4. Murray State trails the series in Nashville, 3-2, last playing in Memorial Gymnasium in 2000, the most recent meeting between the two teams.
Scouting The Commodores
Vanderbilt will enter Thursday's tilt at 14-18 overall, after finishing SEC play tied for 12th with a record of 4-12. In the SEC Tournament, Vandy won its first game against Texas A&M, 85-96, before falling in the second round to 23rd-ranked Florida by the slimmest of margins, 53-52.
Brinae Alexander currently leads Vandy in scoring on the season at 15.2 points per game, while Iyana Moore and Jordyn Cambridge follow at 12.2 and 10.0, respectively. Sacha Washington leads the team on the glass this season at 6.5 boards per game with Cambridge following at 5.7.
As a team, Vandy averages 62.7 points per game on 39.7-percent shooting with 35.6 rebounds, while their opponents have averaged 62.5 points per game on 43.0-percent shooting to go along with 34.3 rebounds.
A Win Would...
A win Thursday would give Murray State just its third postseason victory in school history. The Racers defeated Richmond in the 1989 NWIT, the WNIT's precursor, and then defeated Little Rock in the 2009 WNIT.
A Quick Study
Katelyn Young became the second-fastest player in Murray State history to reach 1,000 points in the Racers' OVC semifinal contest. Young reached the century mark in 58 games, just one game shy of the only Racer women's basketball player to have her number retired, Sheila Smith, who did it in 57. Young is now the 20th member of Murray State's 1,000-point club and is currently 18th in all-time points with 1,015.
Burpo On The Boards
In the Racers' OVC semifinal game, Alexis Burpo became just the 10th player in program history to reach 700 rebounds, thanks to a career-high 16 boards against Tennessee Tech. Burpo is currently 10th all-time for MSU in career rebounds with 708.
Dubs On Dubs
Murray State enters Thursday with 22 wins, the third most in program history. The Racers 22 wins the season only trail the 24 by the 2007-08 team and the 23 by the 2008-09 Racers. This year's team is actually the second team to win 22 games, with the 1988-89 also accomplishing the feat.
Ice In Her Veins
With a career free throw percentage of 89.1, Macey Turley is on pace to finish her career as the greatest free throw shooter in Murray State history. Her 89.1 percent is seven-tenths more than the next person on the list, Paige Guffey who finished her career at 88.4. In addition, she also currently has the second-best active career free throw percentages across all three NCAA divisions. Oklahoma's Taylor Robertson currently leads the Association in career free-throw percentage at 92.4.
Free Throw U
In five seasons, head coach Rechelle Turner has produced four of the top team season free throw percentages in school history, including the best of her tenure this season at 80.0 percent. Her Racers were 72.67-percent from the line in 2017-18, 75.5-percent in 2018-19 and 76.8-percent in 2020-21. The 80.0-percent this season is also the sixth best in all of Division I.
On Target
Murray State enters the postseason as one of the hottest shooting teams in the nation, as the Racers are currently third in Division I in field goal percentage at 47.8. In addition, should the Racers keep this pace throughout the remainder of the postseason, they would finish with the best field goal percentage in program history, surpassing the 47.4-percent shot by the 1980-81 and 1987-88 teams.
