Rally Falls Short Against First-Place Cougars

Saturday, January 23

CFSB Center

5 p.m.

Murray State

6-12 (2-5OVC)

SIUE

12-9 (7-1OVC)

SIUE

Murray State

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

1/23/2016 7:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

The Murray State women's basketball team's second half rally against OVC leader SIU Edwardsville came up just short Saturday night at the CFSB Center as the Racers lost to SIUE 64-61.

After a solid first quarter, which saw the two teams play to an 18-18 tie, the Racers (6-12, 2-5 OVC) struggled in the second period, scoring just eight points in the period and went into halftime trailing 38-26. MSU went just 2-for-12 in the second quarter and turned the ball over five times.

In the second half, the Racers played with much better energy. Trailing by as many as 14 early in the third, MSU was able to cut into the Cougars' (12-9, 7-1 OVC) lead and trailed 49-41 heading into the fourth.

In the fourth period, the Racers fought back even more, trimming the deficit to just three points on multiple occasions and a Ke'Shunan James baseline jumper with 15 seconds left to play, put the Racers down just one, 62-61. In the final nine seconds, both James and Jashae Lee got good looks at a game-tying 3-pointer, but both were too strong.

James led MSU with 19 points and five assists in the loss while Lee had a great all-around game for the Racers, scoring 12 points, grabbing seven rebounds and had three steals and a pair of blocks on the defensive end. Kyra Gulledge grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, while Bianca Babic and Abria Gulledge each had six points off the bench. Shronda Butts, the OVC's leading scorer, had 28 for the Cougars in the game.

MSU shot 33.3 percent (23-for-69) from the field in the game and was just 4-of-21 from beyond the arc. SIUE shot 45.3 percent (24-of-53) and made 4-of-12 from deep. The Racers were able to stay in the game by scoring 16 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds.

The Cougars held a 36-28 advantage in points in the paint and had a 10-9 edge in points off of turnovers. The Racers bench outscored SIUE's 19-16 on the night.

The Racers return to action Jan. 27 as Eastern Illinois comes to "The Bank" for a 6 p.m. contest.