SATURDAY'S SCORES
Indiana 90,
Austin Peay 58
Wofford 66,
Jacksonville State 54
@Central Arkansas 50,
Murray State 40
@Tennessee State 72, Texas Southern 56
@Saint Louis 78,
Eastern Illinios 47
SIUE 63, @UMKC 58
@Chattanooga 61,
UT Martin 46
Chicago State 75,
Morehead State 71
UC Riverside 85,
Sotuheast Missouri 67
INDIANA 90, AUSTIN PEAY 58
NASHVILLE, Tenn- Junior center Tearra Banks scored a season-high 20 points but Austin Peay State University could not overcome a third-quarter drought in a 90-58 loss to Indiana, Saturday afternoon, in the consolation game of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Classic at Memorial Gym.
After battling back to within five points at halftime, Austin Peay (2-6) came out of the break and could not keep pace with the Indiana offensive attack. The Hoosiers opened the frame with a 13-2 run as it converted on six of its first seven possessions.
Indiana (4-2) kept the pressure on throughout the period, ultimately scoring on 15 of its 22 possessions in the third quarter as it doubled its first half scoring. Austin Peay’s offense could not match that efficiency, with points on six of its 21 possessions as seven turnovers hampered the cause. The result was Hoosiers outscoring the Govs 34-11 in the third quarter to build a 68-40 lead.
The third quarter woes ruined a positive first-quarter start by Austin Peay. The Govs opened the game with a 12-6 run punctuated by redshirt freshman Falon Baker’s three-pointer at the 3:37 mark. Austin Peay would nurse that advantage to the quarter’s end, holding a 16-13 advantage at the first break.
Indiana used a 7-2 run in the second quarter to take the lead for good. The Hoosiers lead reached 10 points after Karlee McBride’s three-pointer at the 2:39 mark. Austin Peay closed the half with a Baker three pointer and a layup from sophomore Brianne Alexander to trail by five points, 34-29, at halftime.
Banks was nearly the lone highlight in the Govs third quarter, scoring 11 points in the frame en route to her season-best scoring performance. Only a Baker jumper kept Banks from being the only scorer in the third, Baker going on to finish with seven points, five rebounds and four assists.
Tyra Buss led Indiana with a game-best 23 points thanks to 8-of-14 shooting. Amanda Cahill added a 15-point, seven-rebound performance.
With its five-game road trip over, Austin Peay returns home for a 7 p.m., Monday contest against Middle Tennessee.
WOFFORD 66, JACKSONVILLE STATE 54
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Jacksonville State's struggles on the road continued on Saturday with a 66-54 loss to Wofford College at the Benjamin Johnson Arena in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The loss was the Gamecocks' third straight and fifth of the season. The Terriers of Wofford earned their first win of the season with the 12-point win and the first against Jax State after falling to last season in Jacksonville.
Even though sophomore guard Gretchen Morrison set her career high in points for the third time this season with 15 points, it wasn't enough for JSU to earn the road win. Morrison caught fire in the second period with nine of her 15 points in the period as she drilled consecutive treys on three straight trips down the floor to give the Gamecocks their largest lead of the contest at 32-27 with 4:50 left in the second period. The Terriers erased the deficit with just under two minutes left in the session after Amoshia Blakeney capped off a 13-8 scoring run to hold a 33-32 lead. Wofford would take a 37-34 lead into the halftime break.
The Gamecocks were solid from three-point range as half of their 18-made field goals were from long distance. JSU connected on 9-of-25 from beyond the three-point arc in the contest and hit six of those in the first 20 minutes. Morrison hit a career-high five treys, while Kelly Naughton made a career-high three from behind the arc.
The long range shots were not falling for JSU in the second half, which sparked the Terriers to a 16-point third quarter and limiting JSU to just seven points in the third quarter. Morrison hit a three-point basket along with field goals by freshmen Chloe Long and Rayven Pearson. Wofford pushed the lead out to double figures at the 4:11 mark of the third quarter after a Peyton Walker lay up. Jax State's deficit was 12 points after third quarters at 53-41.
The Gamecocks scored the first seven points of the final quarter to trim the lead down to six points at 53-47 after a pair of Rayven Pearson free throws. That would be as close as JSU would get after the Terriers extended the lead back out to double digits at 60-50 with just under four minutes left in the contest. Wofford took its largest lead of the game at 66-51 with 1:56 left to play.
Wofford finished 25-of-58 from the field on the afternoon, while limiting JSU to just 33 percent from the field. The Terriers had a 41-33 advantage on the boards and scored 28 points in the paint. The Terrier bench keyed the win with a 37-point effort from the non-starters. Jordan Frazier turned in 12 points off the bench, while Chloe Walker added 10 points.
Morrison was one of three Gamecocks to reach double figures in the scoring column. She was joined by Long and Naughton. Long, who made her first career start in place of Tyler Phelion, tallied 12 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes of action. Naughton turned in her second double digit contest of the season with 12 points. Pearson nearly was the fourth Gamecock in double figure scoring totals with nine points. She shared team-high rebounding honors with Long as both pulled down seven boards.
JSU's leading scorer Briana Benson was held to just two points, while Destiny James added four points.
The Gamecocks return to Pete Mathews Coliseum on Tuesday, December 1, hosting the Braves of Alcorn State. Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. and will precede the JSU men's contest against Samford.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 50, MURRAY STATE 40
CONWAY, Ark. - For the second time in just seven days, the Murray State women were defeated by 10 points by Central Arkansas. The Racers fell Saturday on the road in Conway, Ark., 50-40.
After a sluggish first half, in which MSU (2-4) scored just 10 points and shot 3-of-17 from the floor, the Racers battled back multiple times in the second half after trailing by 12 at the break. The Racers opened the second half scoring the first five points of the third quarter to make it 22-15 before UCA (4-1) answered, much like they did in the first meeting, with a 6-2 run and ended the quarter with a 10-point lead, 33-23.
In the fourth, UCA opened up its lead and held its biggest margin of the contest, 39-26 with 5:43 left to play. MSU was able to battle back and cut the deficit to eight, 41-33 with 3:24 remaining, but that was as close as the Racers would get.
LeAsia Wright led all scorers with 19 points in the contest and was the only Racer in double figures. Bianca Babic and Abria Gulledge each added five apiece while Kyra Gulledge scored four and pulled down a game-high 11 boards.
MSU was better on the boards in this game then the last against the Sugar Bears, in which they got out-rebounded 48-27. Saturday, the Racers were out-rebounded 41-33 and were at a 15-3 disadvantage in second-chance points. UCA also held a 26-10 edge in points in the paint and held MSU to a season-low 10 bench points.
For the game, MSU shot 29.3 percent (12-of-41) while Central Arkansas went 18-for-54 (33.3 percent). UCA went just 1-of-10 from 3-point range while MSU was 5-of-14 from deep. UCA shot 54 percent (13-of-24) from the free-throw line while the Racers went 11-of-18 for 61 percent.
The Racers return home for just their third game of the season as they will host Southern Illinois on Dec. 2 in a 6 p.m. tip.
TENNESSEE STATE 72, TEXAS SOUTHERN 56
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State women’s basketball team notched its second win of the season with a 72-56 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday in the first day of the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic.
The Lady Tigers (2-3) had three players score in the double-digits in Saturday’s match-up. Jayda Johnson led TSU with her first career double-double, notching a career-high 21 points and team-high12 rebounds followed by I’mani Davis who recorded 18 total points with eight rebounds and Michelle Cox with 10 points and two rebounds.
Texas Southern (0-3) was led by Kianna Vines who had 13 total points and a team-high 11 rebounds for the Tigers.
The teams went toe-to-toe in the first with Texas Southern leading 7-6 before the first media timeout. Both teams would continue to trade buckets before a couple turnovers and missed layups by the Lady Tigers would allow Texas Southern to take a 14-8 lead. TSU would make one more shot before the end of the quarter, trailing Texas Southern 14-10 going into the second.
Texas Southern quickly extended its lead to 19 after sinking the first two shots of the second quarter. The Lady Tigers battled their nine-point deficit by outscoring Texas Southern 10-4 in the next few possessions. Back-to-back shots from Brianna Lawrence would allow for the Lady Tigers to take their first lead of the game, 25-23. A steal followed by a layup from I’mani Davis would extend the Lady Tiger lead to 27 before forcing Texas Southern into their first timeout of the quarter. Tennessee State would go on to outscore Texas Southern 4-2 before the end of the quarter for a 33-24 lead heading into the half.
Davis opened up the third quarter with a quick five points to extend TSU to a 12-point lead, 38-26. The teams would battle back and fourth, scoring five points apiece before the media timeout. Texas Southern would attempt to eat away at its 12-point deficit with a 9-6 run, but would continue to trail the Lady Tigers 49-40 at the end of the third.
Tennessee State stayed hot in the fourth, outscoring Texas Southern 11-3 with three shots from beyond the arc in the first few minutes of the quarter. An 8-2 run, highlighted by another three-pointer from Davis, would give the Lady Tigers a 68-45 lead over Texas Southern before the final media timeout of the game. Texas Southern would try at a late comeback, outscoring the Lady Tigers 11-4 in the final minutes of the game but the deficit would prove be too large, as Tennessee State secured its second win of the season 72-56.
The Lady Tigers are back in action tomorrow, as they close out the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic with a 3 p.m. match-up against North Alabama in the Gentry Center.
SAINT LOUIS 78, EASTERN ILLINOIS 47
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Eastern Illinois women’s basketball started the game strong in the first period, but the Billikens took advantage of the Panthers in foul trouble as SLU defeats EIU 78-47 on the road. The loss drops the Panthers to 1-5 on the season while SLU remains undefeated at 5-0.
The Panthers took it to the undefeated Saint Louis squad to start the match with Halle Stull scoring nine points in the first quarter alone. Stull finished the match with 12 points and six rebounds. SLU’s Denisha Womack made a free throw to complete an old fashioned three-point play following a foul with four seconds left in the first quarter. The Panthers headed into the second quarter trailing 17-15.
The Billikens began the second period with another old fashioned three-point play as Jackie Kemph was fouled making a layup. The six point turn around to end the first period and begin the second was a huge shift for the Billikens as they led by five. SLU then began to establish their presence in the second quarter as they exploited EIU underneath the rim. Erica Brown quickly got into foul trouble with three fouls midway through the second quarter.
Three of EIU’s starters finished the first period without a bucket made as Saint Louis led at halftime 38-27.
With Brittin Boyer sitting out due to injury and Brown and Stull in foul trouble, Head Coach Debbie Black was forced to experiment as Alece Shumpert spent time at the No. 4 spot underneath the rim. Brown saw limited minutes in the second half due to foul trouble, but finished the game with 13 points and six rebounds. Saint Louis exploited the Panthers in the paint as they expanded their lead to as high as 33 points at the 2:29 mark in the fourth quarter. The Panthers had a difficult time making shots fall as EIU shot 18.5% in the second half.
SLU led EIU in points in the paint 44-16 and outrebounded the Panthers 46-33. Shakita Cox finished the game with 10 points all in the second half and five rebounds.
The Panthers return home Wednesday [Dec. 2] as they take on Western Illinois at 6 p.m
SIUE 63, UMKC 58
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Shronda Butts collected her second career double-double Saturday as SIUE women's basketball recorded a 63-58 triumph over UMKC in the finale of the Plaza Lights Classic.
SIUE, 2-4, posted its first road victory of the season. The Cougars have two more games left on this seven-game nonconference road swing. SIUE faces Illinois State in a 7 p.m. game Tuesday and SIU Carbondale next Friday at noon.
Butts, who was named to the All-Tournament team, was one of three SIUE players scoring in double figures. She led SIUE with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Donshel Beck added 14 points and eight rebounds for SIUE. CoCo Moore added her fourth double-digit scoring game of the season with 13 points.
The Cougars and the Kangaroos played a close game until the final minutes of the contest. With six ties and 13 lead changes, both teams were in position to win once the fourth period began.
Buscher said the Cougars played with plenty of energy and were executing the little things that were holding the team back in previous games this season.
One minute into the fourth period, Beck hit a layup with 8:55 to play tying the score 46-46. Aries Washington answered for UMKC with a mid-range jumper to put the Kangaroos ahead 48-46 with 8:25 to play.
Amri Wilder put the Cougars ahead for good with her lone three-pointer of the game. SIUE led 49-48 with 8:12 to play in the game.
UMKC, 0-5, were able to get to within one point one final time with two minutes to play behind a bucket and two free throws from Kiana Law, who was one of three player s in double figures for the Kangaroos. Washington led the team with 14 points followed by 12 from Law and 10 points from Taylor Leathers.
SIUE scored six straight points in the final two minutes with baskets by Lauren White and Butts as well as single free throws by Moore and Beck.
For a second straight game, SIUE finished with a season low in turnovers with nine. The Cougars also took nearly full advantage of UMKC's 12 turnovers with a 22-8 edge on points off turnovers.
SIUE's defense also held UMKC to 2 of 13 shooting (15.4 percent) from three-point range. Erin Kelley led SIUE's three-point effort with two treys. The Cougars shot 5 of 16 from three-point range (31.3 percent).
CHICAGO STATE 75, MOREHEAD STATE 71
CHICAGO, Ill. - Morehead State's women's basketball team started its five-game road stretch with a setback to Chicago State, 75-71, Saturday afternoon at the Jones Convocation Center.
The win for CSU (1-5) was its first of the year. The Eagles moved to 3-3.
MSU attempted 71 shots from the floor and 29 from three-point range but only connected on 36 percent overall and 20 percent from beyond the arc.
Four Eagles scored in double figures, led by junior forward Shay Steele with 16. She also collected seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Aaliyah Wells kept MSU afloat in the first half as she scored 14 but was held scoreless in the second half.
Freshman guard Miranda Crockett finished with nine points and 10 rebounds, including four offensive boards. Senior guard Natalie Greenwell, who had scored 46 over her last two games, finished with 11 points and five rebounds.
Morehead State held a 39-36 halftime lead and kept its advantage throughout the third quarter until CSU's Jasmine Sanders hit a three-pointer with three seconds left in the period to push the Cougars on top 59-56. The Eagles never regained a lead in the fourth period.
MSU will take on the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (2-2) at 4 p.m. ET Sunday. The contest will be the first between the Eagles and RedHawks since the 1982-83 season. Miami is coming off a recent overtime defeat to Eastern Kentucky, 77-72.
UC RIVESIDE 85, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 67
EL PASO, Texas -Southeast Missouri women's basketball finished the UTEP Thanksgiving Tournament 0-2 following an 85-67 loss to UC Riverside (3-3) Saturday.
Southeast remains above .500 at 4-3 on the season.
Erin Bollmann tallied her third double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds while Olivia Hackmann put up her seventh consecutive double-digit point game, recording 21 points to lead Southeast.
The first quarter belonged to UC Riverside, as the highlanders were on top 21-16 after the first quarter. The Redhawks held a lead for a quick 32 seconds but stayed close to the Highlanders the majority of the frame.
Deja Jones and Bollmann each had five points in the first quarter while Bollmann also led in rebounding with five boards.
UC Riverside used four 3-point buckets in the quarter to assist in topping the Redhawks in the opening frame. Brittany Crane led the way for the Highlanders in the quarter with 11 points.
Hackmann came out early in the second quarter and drained a pair of 3-pointers to bring the score within four, 26-22. Hackmann put up 10 points to lead the Redhawks in the quarter.
Going into halftime, Southeast trailed 46-37.
By halftime, Hackmann totaled 12 points while Bollmann had 10 with seven rebounds.
The Highlanders outscored the Redhawks 24-11 in the third to take a commanding 70-48 lead on Southeast.
The Redhawks were able to outscore UCR in the fourth quarter but it wouldn't be enough to overcome the 22-point deficit they faced to begin the frame.
Hackmann's 21-point performance was the third 20-point game of the senior's career. Bollmann's double-double was the third of the season and eighth of her career.
Freshman Corneisha Henderson came off the bench for five minutes and put up five points, the first points of her career in a Redhawk uniform.
Crane finished with 28 points for the Highlanders followed closely by Rejane Verin with 24 points. Crane earned a double-double with 11 rebounds.
The Redhawks will continue their road slate when they travel to undefeated Missouri on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The Redhawks and Tigers tip off at 7 p.m. from Columbia, Missouri.
CHATTANOOGA 61,UT MARTIN 46
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team was held to just 16 points in the second half en route to a 61-46 loss at the hands of Chattanooga on Saturday evening.
The Skyhawks (2-4) dropped their second consecutive matchup to the Mocs in as many years after suffering a season-low scoring output, scoring just 46 points in the contest. The visitors shot just 40.9 percent from the field while struggling from beyond the arc, hitting just 4-of-15 (26.7%) attempts.
UT Martin posted two players in double figures after redshirt-freshman DaiJia Ruffin paced the squad for the third straight game with 17 points and four rebounds in 33 minutes of play. Senior Haley Howard joined in the action, notching her third double-figure scoring output of the season with 10 points.
Chattanooga (5-2) defended its home court off the powerful play of forward Jasmine Joyner who stole the show. Joyner notched a new career-high with 31 points while tallying 15 rebounds. While her work at the hoop and on the boards was impressive, her defense presence was equally dominant, swatting seven blocks on the night in 40 minutes of play.
The Skyhawks would come out of the gates looking to make a statement, jumping out to a 5-0 run just 90 seconds into the contest. The Mocs wouldn’t go quietly however, posting an 11-0 run of their own to hold an 11-5 advantage going into the first media timeout. Both teams would turn it up from there with Chattanooga narrowly outscoring UT Martin 11-9 to finish the first quarter with a 22-14 lead.
UT Martin would look to answer in the second quarter, posting an 8-0 run in the opening minutes of the second quarter to bring the margin to just two at the 5:09 mark. Four different Skyhawks would contribute during the run, including three points from both Ruffin and Jessy Ward. Chattanooga would respond to the run with one of its own, pushing the margin back up to eight before taking a 35-30 lead into the halftime break.
Both teams would score four points each through the first five minutes of play with Chattanooga holding a 39-34 mark at the first media timeout of the second half. Following the timeout, the Mocs would turn to Joyner to get the home squad some breathing room as the forward posted an 8-0 run by herself to close out the third, giving her team a 47-34 lead after three quarters of play.
The fourth quarter would be played moderately even with Chattanooga narrowly outscoring UT Martin 14-12 in the period. With the Skyhawks failing to mount a sizable comeback in the final minutes, Chattanooga would run out the clock to cement a 61-46 home victory.
UT Martin will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 2 when the Skyhawks play host to Southeastern Conference foe Alabama. Tipoff against the Crimson Tide is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with a concert by the contemporary Christian band Unspoken to follow the final buzzer. .