MONDAY'S SCORES
@Morehead State 117, Mount St. Joseph 53
@Ball State 72,
Austin Peay 44
MOREHEAD STATE 117, MOUNT ST JOSEPH 53
MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State women's basketball team made it two straight wins with a lopsided victory over Div. III Mount St. Joseph (Ohio.) at Johnson Arena, 117-53. The 64-point victory is the largest in MSU history and the Eagles have now scored 100-plus points in three of five games.
The win moves the Eagles record to 3-2.
Junior guard Aaliyah Wells was named the Mickey Wells Classic Most Valuable Player with 17 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. Junior forward Shay Steele led all scorers with 21 points, on 10-of-14 shooting, and she also finished with five rebounds, four steals, three blocks, and two assists.
Sophomore guard Eriel McKee recorded a double-double in the win with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Natalie Greenwell followed up her 26-point performance at Georgia State with 20 points, shooting 6-of-12 from deep. Freshman guard Miranda Crockett finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
All 11 players scored for MSU, and they outscored MSJ 51-0 on fast-break points and 72-10 in the paint. The Eagles' 16 blocks were tied for the most in Morehead State and OVC history.
BALL STATE 72, AUSTIN PEAY 44
MUNCIE, Ind. - Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team saw its shooting struggles continue in a road-trip ending 72-44 loss at Ball State, Saturday, at Worthen Arena.
Austin Peay (2-4) got off to a good start as senior guard Tiasha Gray hit a pair of three pointers in the opening 2:05 to give it a 6-0 lead. The Govs nursed that lead for the next four minutes, surrendering the lead when Ball State’s Nathalie Fontaine hit a layup with 4:40 remaining in the first quarter for a 9-8 advantage.
The basket was part of a Ball State (2-1) 8-0 run that saw it build a five-point advantage with two minutes remaining. The Cardinals lead would reach six points before settling to three points, 18-15, at the quarter break.
The Govs shooting woes dominated the second quarter as it made just three field goals as part of a season-low seven-point frame. Austin Peay’s troubles helped Ball State build its first double-digit lead, 28-18, at the 4:28 mark. Gray would hit a jumper for the quarter’s final points to bring the deficit back to nine points, 31-22, at halftime.
Ball State broke the game open in the third quarter. The Cardinals scored the second half’s first 13 points before sophomore guard Madison Rich’s two free throws with 4:34 remaining. The Govs didn’t score their first field goal until junior center Tearra Banks hit a layup with 3:35 left. Still, Ball State routed Austin Peay by a 28-12 margin in the quarter and didn’t relinquish control in the fourth.
Gray led Austin Peay with a 14-point outing, adding five rebounds and five assists. The handful of assists allowed Gray to pass Ashley Haynes for fourth on APSU’s career assists list.
Banks, who suffered an injury scare late in the second quarter but returned in the second half, finished with eight points. Junior forward Beth Rates added a team-best nine rebounds.
Fontaine paced Ball State with a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double performance. Moriah Monaco added a team-leading 16 points. Jill Morrison hit four three-pointers as part of a 14-point outing.
Austin Peay takes a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday before resuming its overall five-game road trip with a noon, Friday contest against Vanderbilt in Nashville.
Austin Peay is back in action on Friday as it will play in the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Classic where it will face host Vanderbilt. Gametime is set for 12 p.m. CT.