Record Season Ends For Racers at NCAA Tournament

The Murray State Racers met the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA Tournament where they ended the season with a 92-57 loss at the Loyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

The Racers (25-8) finish the 2024-25 season with a program-record 25 wins and the program's second NCAA appearance, after winning their first regular-season championship and tournament championship in the Missouri Valley Conference.

On a day when MSU's all-time leading scorer Katelyn Young had to leave the game early in the third quarter because of an injury, the Racers were led in scoring by Halli Poock with 12 points as the Racers' only double-figure scorer. Ava Learn had 10 rebounds for MSU and eight points and the Racers had nine points from Briley Pena.

The Racers were down 29-26 with 3:58 remaining in the second quarter when the Hawkeyes hit MSU with a 13-4 run to end the half in front 42-30.

MSU shot 35 percent from the field (10-of-29) in the first half and hit only two 3-pointers in 11 tries.

The Hawkeyes opened the second half by pushing to a 55-32 lead at 6:45 of the third quarter.

Game Notes

Racers went cold in the late second half and didn't score a field goal in the final 4:41 after Ava Learn hit a 2-pointer.
In the final four minutes of the first half, Iowa was 4-of-4 and the Racers were 0-of-5 shooting.
The Racers had a rough day in total shooting on 31 percent (19-of-62) from the field, including 5-of-30 from the 3-point line for 17 percent.
The Racers were 14-of-19 from the free throw line for 74 percent.
Pena hit three of the Racers' five 3-point baskets.
Learn finished the season with her 13 double-doubles for eighth place all-time at MSU.

Katelyn Young Notes

MSU's all-time scorer, Katelyn Young, was injured in the early third quarter and she didn't play the rest of the day.
In her amazing career in Murray, Young's final points came with 2:19 before halftime, when she hit a pair of free throws.
Her final field goal of her MSU career came on the Racers' first field goal of the game, a layup at 8:51.
She ends her career as MSU's all-time scorer (14^th NCAA) with 3,029 in 155 games and a scoring average of 19.5ppg.
Young joined Jackie Mounts (1974-79) and Michelle Wenning (1987-91) as the only Racers to reach 1,000 career rebounds.

MSU Team Season Notes

MSU's season-best 10-game winning streak ends at the NCAA Tournament.
The streak is the best in eight seasons for MSU head coach Rechelle Turner at MSU.
11 in a row is still the MSU program record from the 2008-09 season.
The Racers entered the game as the nation's highest scoring team at 87.8ppg.
Their final average of 86.8ppg is a school-record as they bested the 82.8 by the 1987-88 team.
The Racers set a team record with six games of scoring 100 or more points this season.
In program history, the Racers posted six of the top-18 highest scoring games in the last two seasons.
MSU had a season-high 116 points at home against Austin Peay (Dec. 7).
The Racers had two games this season of making more than 40 field goals: 41 vs Austin Peay (Dec. 7) and 43 at Indiana State (March 8).
From the 3-point line, the Racers had five of the top-13 games in program history in making 14 or more three times and twice hit 16 in games against SIUE (11/07/24) and at Little Rock (11/26/24).
From the free throw line, the Racers set a program record when they hit 23-of-23 from the free throw line at home against Missouri State (02/27/25).

Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow Murray State women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram (@RacersWBB).

Murray State University

Players Mentioned

Ava Learn

Briley Pena

Halli Poock

Katelyn Young

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