FRIDAY'S SCORES
@Indiana 88,
Tennessee State 56
@Belmont 80, Young Harris 31
@Muray State 91, Oakland City 75
Marshall 104,
@Morehead State 101
@SIUE 93, Northern Illinois 67
@Eastern Illinois 77, IUPUI 71 (OT)
@Memphis 70,
Jacksonville State 55
California 67,
@Austin Peay 58
INDIANA 88, TENNESSEE STATE 56
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Despite outscoring Indiana 42-38 in the second half, the Tennessee State University women’s basketball team fell to the Hoosiers, 88-56, in the first round of the preseason WNIT.
Tennessee State (0-1) only scored a total of 14 points in the first half behind a dismal shooting performance (16.1 percent) but went toe-to-toe with its Big Ten opponent in the second frame.
Senior Brianna Lawrence led the Lady Tigers with 22 points and seven rebounds while knocking down six three-pointers in the contest. Sophomore Michelle Cox also scored in double-digits with 11 points.
Indiana (1-0) had four players in double figures led by Tyra Buss’ 21 points. Tyshee Towner (18), Amanda Cahill (17) and Alexis Gassion (12) also turned in double-digits.
In the first quarter, TSU fell behind, 11-2 following an 8-0 run by Indiana. Buckets from Brianna Lawrence and Diamond Beatty brought the Lady Tigers to within four but the Hoosiers opened up the lead to 24-7 by the end of the first stanza. TSU only shot 2-of-18 (11.1 percent) from the field and committed five turnovers.
TSU continued to struggle on the offensive end in the next quarter as IU stretched its advantage to 42-12 with 3:38 on the clock. The Lady Tigers had only managed to connect four of 29 shot attempts up to that point.
At the half, TSU trailed 50-14. The Lady Tigers went 5-of-31 from the field in the opening half, including 1-of-8 from three-point range. TSU was outrebounded, 27-17 and gave up 24 points in the paint along with 20 points off turnovers.
Tennessee State was forced to call a time out three minutes into the third quarter after being outscored by Indiana, 12-5, and falling behind, 62-19. TSU showed signs of life following the break and rallied with a 17-0 run fueled by defense and timely buckets. Back-to-back three pointers by Brianna Lawrence and Diamond Beatty cut the deficit down to 64-36 late in the third but IU close out the frame with six unanswered points to make the score, 70-36.
Brianna Lawrence knocked down three triples in the fourth quarter and TSU continued to fight but the deficit was too much to overcome.
TSU will continue action in the consolation bracket of the preseason WNIT next weekend with games on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 20-21.
MURRAY STATE 91, OAKLAND CITY 75
MURRAY, Ky. - Ke’Shunan James and LeAsia Wright combined to score 43 points to help lead the Murray State women’s basketball team to a season-opening victory over Oakland City Friday night at the CFSB Center. James scored a game-high 26 while Wright added 17.
James also registered a team-high four assists in the win and tallied a career-high six steals. The Racers (1-0) had 16 steals as a team in the victory and forced the Lady Oaks into 23 turnovers. Bria Bethea, Kyra Gulledge and Wright had two steals each.
Gulledge was a point shy of a double-double on the night, scoring nine points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. Jashae Lee added 10 points and four boards while Lexii Cassell had eight points and seven rebounds. MSU had a 56-41 edge on the boards in the contest.
The Racers jumped out to a quick lead, leading by as many as 10 points (28-18) in the first quarter before OCU cut the deficit to 26-19 after the first period. MSU had a great second quarter building its lead to 22 points, at 46-24 with 1:44 left to play in the first half. The Lady Oaks were able to chip away the final two minutes of the half and the Racers carried a 49-33 lead into the locker room.
Murray State controlled the pace the rest of the way, maintaining a comfortable cushion throughout the third and fourth quarters as Oakland City only got to within 13 points, 68-55, with 7:16 left to play in the contest. All 14 Racers that dressed played in the win.
The Racers actually shot worse from the field in the win, hitting on 37 percent of their shots (33-for-89) while OCU hit 30-of-73 (41 percent). MSU’s 20 offensive rebounds however led to 14 second-chance points while the Lady Oaks scored just five on putbacks. The Racers also held a 42-32 edge in points in the paint and also had a 23-18 lead on points off turnovers. The Biggest advantage the Racers gained was at the free throw line, as they hit 19-of-24 (79.2 percent) at the charity stripe while Oakland City went just 6-of-12.
MSU returns to action Sunday as it hits the road for the first time this season for a 3 p.m. contest at Alabama A&M. The Racers defeated the Bulldogs in last year’s contest at the CFSB Center 102-81 Nov. 16.
MEMPHIS 70, JACKSONVILLE STATE 55
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Jacksonville State women's basketball team dropped its season opener to Memphis, 70-55, despite three Gamecocks posting double figures in the scoring column on Friday evening at U of M's Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
JSU, playing with just eight available players, was led by junior Briana Benson's 17 points, followed by a career-high outing for sophomore Gretchen Morrison. The South Lake, Texas guard established a new career high in scoring with 13 points. Senior Courtney Strain added 10 points in the setback to start the 2015-16 season.
Playing in a four quarter set up, JSU started strong with 15 points in the first 10-minute session. JSU held its largest lead of the contest of eight points at 13-5. Morrison had five of the squad's 15 points and would finish the first half with 10 points. Strain and freshman Chloe Long had a pair of baskets each in the first quarter. Long, making her JSU debut, turned in five points and six boards.
The Tigers' pressure started to make a difference in the second period as the pressure forced JSU in to 11 turnovers and score 17 of their 25 points off of Jax State's miscues. The miscues would escalate in the third and fourth period as the Gamecocks finished with 28 turnovers, which ties for the most by the club under head coach Rick Pietri. JSU tallied 28 turnovers against George Washington on Dec. 1, 2013. U of M collected 34 points off of the 28 turnovers. The Tigers, who held an 11-point lead in the second period, took a 35-28 lead in to the halftime break after JSU made a final first half run.
U of M doubled up the Gamecocks in the third period 22-11 to take its largest lead of the game at 18 points, 57-39, with just under a minute in the period. JSU made just four baskets in the third period.
JSU opened the final period with a 9-0 scoring run thanks to key shots by Kelley Naughton, Morrison and Tyler Phelion. Pietri employed a zone defense that caused the Tigers' issues and allowed JSU to get back in the contest and the deficit down to nine points after senior Destiny James converted on a layup. James, playing just a shouting distance from her hometown of Bartlett, Tennessee, added four points in her return. U of M would stretch the lead back out to as many as 18 points with just over a minute left before Strain's pair of free throws gave her 10 points and cut the lead to 15 points.
Phelion pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds and added three points. The Mobile, Alabama post player also had three blocks. Phelion, along with Rayven Pearson controlling the paint, JSU was credited with five blocks in the contest, which is the most since the 2013-14 campaign.
JSU was slightly better shooting the ball at 43 percent and out-rebounded the Tigers, 34-30. U of M had the advantage in the paint and tallied 28 points in the post.
The U of M placed four players in double figures, led by Asianna Fuqua-Bey's 14 points and eight rebounds. Cheyenne Creighton came off the bench to add 12 points.
The Gamecocks continue their season-opening road trip with a first-ever visit to West Lafayette, Indiana on Monday to face the Boilermakers of Purdue. Tip off is set for 6 p.m. CST from Mackey Arena.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 77, IUPUI 71
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball won their first season opener since the 2011-12 season in front of an energetic home crowd at Lantz Arena as the Panthers outlasted IUPUI 77-71 in overtime. Grace Lennox led the team with a career high 19 points as five different Panthers scored in double digits. Lennox finished the game with nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in 41 minutes on the court.
The match started out all IUPUI as the Jaguars took the lead following an Akilah Sims layup in the first 15 seconds of the first quarter and would not relinquish it until late in the fourth period. This is the first season that women's basketball will be played in four 10 minute quarters as opposed to two 20 minute halves. IUPUI was relentless in the first quarter as they shot 64.3% from the field and 3-4 from beyond the arc to finish the quarter with a 26-19 lead over EIU.
The second period was much more defensive for each squad as both EIU and IUPUI only sank four buckets a piece. The Jaguars ended the final four minutes of the match with a 7-2 run to take a 36-27 lead into the locker room.
IUPUI came out shooting in the second half as they extended their lead to 12 points, their largest of the night, leading 43-31 with 6:36 left to play. Alece Shumpert stopped the Jaguar momentum as she hit two big three pointers back-to-back to pull the Panthers within six points as IUPUI led 43-37 midway through the third period. Shumpert finished the match with 11 points. The crowd came alive during the third period as the Panthers turned up the heat, but EIU could not break the six point lead set up by IUPUI. The Jaguars ended the period leading 52-45.
EIU came out in the fourth period fired up as Brittin Boyer sank a jumper to immediately send the Panthers on a 6-1 run to start the final period cutting IUPUI's lead to two. The freshman would finish the match with 10 points to start her career as a Panther. It wasn't until the 2:12 mark that EIU would earn their first lead of the night after another three pointer from Shumpert put the Panthers ahead 64-63 with time winding down in the match. A three pointer from Lennox followed by a free throw from Shakita Cox looked to have the game wrapped up for the Panthers as they led 68-65 with less than 20 seconds left in the game. The Jaguars did not go without a fight as IUPUI's Sims sank a three pointer as the buzzer sounded to send the game into overtime. Sims finished the match with 22 points.
The Panthers were first on the board as Mariah Madison sank a jumper to put EIU up 70-68. Madison finished the match with a career high 14 points, six coming in the fourth period alone to help propel EIU to overtime. Madison and Lennox were the only players to make a basket in overtime with free throws from Boyer and Cox wrapping up a 77-71 overtime victory for the Panthers. Erica Brown had two of her four blocks in the match coming in overtime to help seal the win, as she finished the match with 12 points.
EIU has a quick turnaround as the women's basketball team heads to Memphis for a 2 p.m. match Sunday [Nov. 15] against the Tigers.
MARSHALL 104, MOREHEAD STATE 101
MOREHEAD, Ky. - In a high-scoring game, the Marshall women's basketball team hit 11 three-pointers to lead the Thundering Herd to a 104-101 victory over Morehead State in both teams' season openers at Johnson Arena Friday night.
Morehead State trailed by as many as 25 points in the third quarter and had a chance to tie the game but a missed three-pointer thwarted the valiant rally at the final buzzer.
The Eagles were led by junior guard Kay Kay Tate. In her first official game for the Eagles after transferring from Walters State (Tenn.), Tate finished the contest with 31 points, going 11-of-24 from the floor.
With 6:35 left to play in the fourth quarter, the Eagles made their move on the Thundering Herd. Trailing 97-78, MSU went on a 23-7 run to end the game. Over the final six minutes, six different Eagles scored to bring the game to an exciting finish. MSU forced five turnovers during the run, and Marshall ended the evening with 25 miscues.
Junior guard Aaliyah Wells and sophomore forward Eriel McKee both playing vital roles down the stretch run, chipping in 17 points apiece. Freshman guard Miranda Crockett added 15 points and a team best four assists, while senior guard Natalie Greenwell drained a trio of three pointers and tallied 11 points.
Defensively, McKee swiped a career best seven steals and pulled down a team best eight rebounds. Senior forward Shay Steele swatted a career best six shots.
Marshall finished shooting 51 percent from the floor, while MSU shot 44 percent. The Eagles sunk 10 treys. Marshall was led by guard Shayna Gore's 27 points.
MSU will have little time to think about the loss to Marshall as it will turn around and take on Kentucky Christian in less than 24 hours at Johnson Arena, with a tipoff set for 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday.
BELMONT 80, YOUNG HARRIS 31
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Belmont University women's basketball team cruised to an 80-31 victory over visiting Young Harris, in its 2015-16 season opener Friday evening at the Curb Event Center.
A pair of freshman, Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) and Jenny Roy (Brentwood, Tenn.), each impressed in their respective collegiate debuts. Maggard tallied a game-high 16 points, while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assits. Roy turned in a 9 point, 9 rebound game as she established her self in the post in her first game in the Bruin red and blue.
Roy spoke about her first collegiate appearance saying, " It was awesome. Putting on the uniform was such a good felling because we've practiced and worked so hard."
Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) poured in 10 while Lauren Thompson also tallied 10 points, to join Maggard in double figures. Sierra Jones (Huntsville, Ala.) turned in a nice performance as she finished with eight points, six boards and three assists.
Ellie Harmeyer (Kenosha, Wis.) and Kylee Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) each scored nine points in their BU debuts.
At the half, the Bruins held a 38-18 advantage over the Mountain Lions as they closed the half with a 36-12 run. McCabe and Maggard each played well in the first stanza as both players nothced eight points.
Young Harris jumped out to a 4-2 advantage in the game's early moments, but after Newbauer settled his team with a timeout, things would escalate quickly from this juncture, in Belmont's favor. The Bruins would rattle off 13 consecutive points as they swiftly grabbed the game's momentum. Maggard had an exciting sequence of plays when she knocked down consecutive three-pointers to grow BU's 5-4 lead to 11-4. The latter of the two long distance jumpers, occurred after the freshman utilized a nifty cross over to create separation, much to delight of the crowd.
Starting the second half, the Bruins kept things rolling as they utilized a 14-2 scoring run to stretch the lead to 54-20 at the third quarter's first media timeout. Maggard converted two three-point field goals during this stretch.
BU outscored Young Harris 42-13 in the second half as they flexed their muscle's.
The Bruins held Young Harris to single digits in all four quarters of play. Belmont's bench, which played very well in the second half, tallied 27 points compared to just 14 from the Moutain Lion reserves.
Friday's victory marked the first in a season opener for Newbauer.
The Bruins return to action Sunday as they welcome the UAB Blazer for a 4 p.m. CT tip at the Curb Event Center.
CALIFORNIA 67, AUSTIN PEAY 58
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Despite a significant size disadvantage, Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team pushed Pac-12 foe California to the final horn in a 67-58 season-opening loss, Friday night at the Dunn Center.
Austin Peay (0-1) entered the game facing a noticeable size concern as California listed seven players taller than APSU’s tallest player. However, the Bears size only manifested itself in the turnover battle – Austin Peay was charged with 17 giveaways in the contest and California feasted on the miscues to the tune of 24 points.
California (1-0) held double digit leads in both the first and third quarters, nearly breaking the game opening in the third frame. The Bears scored 14 straight points over a six-minute span to build a 55-40 lead with 1:09 left in the third. Austin Peay committed six turnovers during the span, resulting in 11 California points.
Yet Austin Peay battled back for the second time in the contest, as four players combined to spark a 13-3 run that slashed the deficit to five points, 58-53, with 5:24 left. The Lady Govs would not get any closer the game’s remainder, but did not allow the lead to reach double digits again.
Gray led Austin Peay with a 28-point performance – her 25th career 20-point outing – thanks to a 5-of-10 effort from three-point range. Junior center Tearra Banks added 10 points in her return to the court, converting 4-of-5 from the floor.
Junior forward Courtney Range led California with 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Freshman forward Kristen Anigwe added 11 points and eight rebounds.
Austin Peay has less than 24 hours until its next outing – Christian Brothers visiting for a 7 p.m., Saturday contest at the Dunn Center.
SIUE 93, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 67
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE defeated Northern Illinois, 93-67, to open up the 2015 season. The Cougars had four players reach double-figures in scoring led by Shronda Butts with 17.
Lauren White added 16 points while Sidney Smith had 15 and Donshel Beck scored 13 points. Beck also led th eteam with 14 rebounds.
SIUE will be back in action on Sunday as the Cougars travel to Western Illinois.