First Half Efforts Pushes SIUE Over Racers

Saturday, January 24

Edwardsville, Ill.

4 p.m.

Murray State

5-15, 0-7OVC

SIU Edwardsville

12-9, 7-1OVC

Murray State

SIUE

1/24/2015 5:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Murray State women's basketball team was not able to stop SIU Edwardsville as they fell 78-52 Saturday at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Murray State began the game with the best rebounding offense in the Ohio Valley Conference averaging 45.7 per game, while SIUE began with the best rebounding defense in the OVC averaging 35.8 per game. The Cougars (11-9, 7-1 OVC) were off to a hot start right out of the gate. Murray State (5-15, 0-7 OVC) was up against a team that has only fallen to one team during conference play. MSU played the first half guarding the paint, but the Cougars were able to get inside and still score. SIU Edwardsville went into the locker room with a 42-20 lead.

MSU was no stranger to trailing at the half, as it has happened other times this season, but they knew what they had to do. They were able to get some stops and get baskets to fall, but still continued to have a lot of ground to cover during the second half. Murray State played fast-paced and hoped it would be enough to overcome the deficit. The Cougars could not be stopped as they took their seventh conference win of the season.

Coming into the game, SIUE was hitting 74.5-percent from the free-throw line. They hit 21.0-percent from the charity stripe against the Racers. Jashae Lee led the Racers with 11 points, in only 16 minutes of play. Keiona Kirby and Netanya Jackson added 10 points each. Kyra Gulledge grabbed nine rebounds, while Jackson was able to get eight. Olivia Cunningham was only one assist short of her career-high with 10.

MSU continues their road stint as they face Eastern Illinois on Wednesday at 6 p.m.