SATURDAY'S SCORES
UT Martin 85, @Morehead State 67
@Eastern Kentucky 56, Southeast Missouri 55
Jacksonville State 74, @Murray State 71
@Belmont 89, Eastern Illinois 61
@Austin Peay 91, Tennessee Tech 75
@Tennessee State 73, SIUE 61
UT MARTIN 85, MOREHEAD STATE 67
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Five different players scored in double figures as the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team picked up its first Ohio Valley Conference victory of the season with an 85-67 win at Morehead State on Saturday afternoon.
The Skyhawks (8-7, 1-1 OVC) snapped a three-game losing streak while picking up its 32nd conference victory in the past 34 opportunities. The visitors won both the turnover and rebounding battle while placing five players in double figures for just the second time this season despite early offensive struggles. Along with the high scoring, the Skyhawks held the league’s top-scoring offense to just 67 points while forcing 29 turnovers.
Senior Haley Howard led the Skyhawks in scoring with her fourth 20-point outing of the season while tallying seven rebounds and four steals. DaiJia Ruffin filled the stat sheet with 15 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals. After being held scoreless in the first half, Katie Schubert scored 15 points in the second half while tallying five assists. The pair of Chelsea Roberts and Jessy Ward rounded out the Skyhawks in double figures with 10 points each.
Morehead State (6-11, 0-3 OVC) placed three players in double figures with Brianna McQueen scoring a game-high 21 points while dishing five assists. Eriel McKee continued her double-figure scoring streak to 21 games with 15 points and eight rebounds while Natalie Greenwell tossed in 12 points and eight rebounds to pace the Eagles.
Neither team would find much flow in the opening minutes before both teams used strong runs to close out the first quarter. With Morehead State jumping out to a 9-3 lead, the Skyhawks would respond with a 12-0 run of their own over the following three minutes to take an 18-9 advantage. The Eagles would post a run of their own by finishing the first on a 9-4 streak to trail 24-20 after one quarter of play.
The Skyhawks would come out of the second quarter looking for breathing room while stringing together a 13-3 run to hold a 40-23 advantage. The senior pair of Howard and Roberts would play a big part in the run, combining to score all 13 points during the span. Following the brief separation, a flurry of turnovers would slow the flow of the game as the Skyhawks would take a 40-28 lead into the halftime break.
The second half saw UT Martin push its margin out to as high as 23 points at the 5:26 mark following a three-point play by Emanye Robertson. The Skyhawks would piece together a 14-3 run over the first five minutes of the third while Schubert knocked down a pair of three-pointers and Roberts scored five. Morehead State would finish the third quarter on an 8-3 run to cut the deficit to 57-39 heading into the final quarter of play.
UT Martin would score eight early points in the fourth quarter to push the margin back to 21 points before Morehead State would respond with a 7-2 run to trim the gap. Back-to-back-to-back three-pointers by Howard and Schubert would signify another strong run before leveling off in the final minutes. Both teams would score 28 points in the fourth quarter before the Skyhawks outlasted the Eagles for an 85-67 road victory.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 56, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 55
RICHMOND, Ky. - Trailing by one with 15 seconds left to play, junior Michaela Hunter hit a game-winning jumper to give the Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball team the only lead it would need, finishing off the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks, 56-55, Saturday evening in McBrayer Arena.
The Colonels (8-6, 2-1 OVC) used a 14-0 run to overcome a 13-point deficit late in the game. EKU outscored SEMO 14-0 in the final 4:39 to pick up its second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference win in Richmond. Senior Shameekia Murray ignited the Colonel run with a putback in the paint, as Hunter netted eight of her 15 points in the game-clinching run.
Eastern’s defense held the Redhawks to 3-of-16 (18 percent) from the field in the final period, while the Colonels hit 8-of-18 (44 percent).
Three Colonels scored in double-digits, marking the seventh consecutive game three or more Colonels have done so. Murray finished with a game high 16 points and eight rebounds, as Hunter notched 15 points in the win. Junior Jalen O’Bannon finished with an OVC best seventh double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and pulling down 13 rebounds.
The Redhawks (10-7, 3-1 OVC) entered McBrayer Arena undefeated in conference play thus far. Saturday’s win marked the fifth straight victory over SEMO for the Colonels.
Imani Johnson led the way for the Redhawks with 14 points and nine rebounds. Brianna Mitchell tallied 13 points for SEMO.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 74, MURRAY STATE 71
MURRAY, Ky. - Jacksonville State's bench combined for 33 points to propel JSU to a key 74-71 Ohio Valley Conference road win over Murray State on Saturday afternoon at the CFSB Center.
The Jax State bench out-scored the Racers bench 33-6 as junior Briana Benson posted a season-high 18 points and freshman Rayven Pearson registered a career-high 15 points in the win and improve JSU's league mark to 2-2 and the seventh win of the season. The three-point loss was MSU's first in conference play after starting OVC play with a pair of wins.
After just three previous wins over the Racers on their home floor, the Gamecocks have now won two in a row at the CFSB Center and three straight over MSU, dating back to a win in Murray, Kentucky during the 2013-14 campaign.
After a sluggish start in the opening half for Jax State, shooting just 8-of-27 from the field and half of those baskets from three-point range, a strong second half shooting performance pushed JSU to the win. JSU was a sizzling 19-of-26 from the field in the second half and turned in a 42 percent shooting effort for the contest. The Racers were balanced from the field in both halves as they connected above 40 percent in each session.
JSU held a slim 15-14 lead after the first 10 minutes, but the Racers produced a 16-point second quarter to take a 30-29 lead at the halftime break. The contest stayed tightly contested the rest of the way as neither team held a lead no larger than four points. MSU maintained its one-point lead through three quarters with a 51-49 lead.
The Gamecocks drained 10 of their 19 baskets in the final quarter to overcome the minimal MSU advantage. With the game tied for the 11th time at 56-all with 7:54 left in the game, a three pointer by senior Courtney Strain gave JSU a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the way. A layup by Pearson extended Jax State's lead out to the largest of the game at 63-56before MSU trimmed the lead down to 63-61 with just under six minutes left to play.
The Racers got within a point at 72-71 with just 40 seconds left in the game, but a great response by JSU on its next possession as Tyler Phelion converted a layup to push the lead out to three at 74-71. Phelion recorded her second double-double of the season and third of her career with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Benson, who surpassed her previous season-best of 17 points in the season opener at Memphis, was 6-of-16 from the field, including four treys to her credit. The Jonesboro, Georgia guard also had five rebounds in her 26 minutes of action. Pearson, from Hazel Green, Alabama, nearly had her first double-double with 15 points on 6-of-9 from the field and eight rebounds. Sophomore Gretchen Morrison pitched in 13 points in the win, including a pair of treys.
The Racers were led by Ke'Shunan James' game-high 26 points.
BELMONT 89, EASTERN ILLINOIS 61
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont University women's basketball advanced to 6-0 at home and tallied their first conference win this season with an 89-61 victory over Eastern Illinois.
With six players tallying at least one three the team tied a season-high 13 threes in the game. Smith led the team with four, followed by Maggard with three, Roy and Harmeyer with two and McCabe and Jones each with one.
Redshirt sophomore Kylee Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) blazed the trail for the Bruins with 20 points and eight rebounds. Five other Bruins finished the evening with double-digit points. Sophomore Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) recorded 14, freshman Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) with 11, finally junior Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.), freshman Jenny Roy (Brentwood, Tenn.) and junior Frankie Joubran (Detroit, Mich.) rounded out the offense with 10 points each.
Bruins jumped out to a fast start and took a 12-0 lead holding EIU to a four minute drought to start the game. McCabe came out firing with seven along with a three from Smith and a jumper from Thompson.
Eastern Illinois retaliated with four points but a jumper and one put the Bruins up 15-3.
The Bruins remained on fire in the first quarter and recorded three more threes from Smith, Roy and freshman Ellie Harmeyer (Kenosha, Wisc.) along with back to back baskets from Thompson.
Belmont scored 30 points in the first quarter, which is the most they have scored in any first quarter on the season and tied for the most scored in any quarter on the season.
Bruins held the Panthers to only 10 second quarter points.
An 11 point run with five players contributing; McCabe (2), Maggard (3), Smith (3), Roy (3), Joubran (2); put the Bruins up by 30 with less than three minutes left in the half.
A lay-up from Roy would end the half with the Bruins leading 54-23, the most points the Bruins have scored in the first half this season.
Smith hit her fourth three midway through the third quarter, keeping the Bruins on top 62-31. Smith went 4-for-4 from three in the first three quarters.
Both teams traded off baskets to start the third quarter but the Bruins went on a 11-2 run to close out the quarter.
Sophomore Sierra Jones (Huntsville, Ala.) tallied up five points and Smith four in the final minutes of the third quarter.
Jones knocked down a free throw to open up the fourth quarter scoring for the Bruins.
EIU scored six straight but a layup from McCabe and the 13th three of the game from Maggard erased the Panther run.
Three straight layups from Joubran closed out the game with a Bruins victory.
The Bruins finished the evening with 27 assists, the most since defeating Lipscomb on Dec. 2.
Erica Brown was responsible for most of the Panthers' offense throughout the first half as she headed into the third quarter with 11 points to her name. Brown finished the game leading the Panthers with 17 points.
AUSTIN PEAY 91, TENNESSEE TECH 75
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Senior guard Tiasha Gray posted a season-high 32 points to lead Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team past Tennessee Tech, 91-75, in Ohio Valley Conference play, Saturday, at the Dunn Center.
For the second straight game Austin Peay (5-11, 3-0 OVC) saved its best for last, providing a 32-point outburst for the fourth quarter against Tennessee Tech. After a seesaw third quarter left the game tied, 59-59, Austin Peay broke the game open with seven straight points just before the fourth quarter’s midpoint.
Gray led that 7-0 charge with its first five points, including a conventional three-point play. She then added five assists the rest of the quarter, including three assists in Austin Peay’s game-sealing 8-2 run over the final 1:13.
Tennessee Tech (5-12, 1-3 OVC) controlled the bulk of the opening half, which saw each team piece together a large run. Tennessee Tech dominated the first quarter with a 16-2 run, including a stretch of 11 consecutive points, to build a 20-6 lead and to hold a 23-10 advantage at quarter’s end. Austin Peay replied with the second quarter’s first 15 points and briefly took the lead, 25-23, less than four minutes into the quarter.
After that exchange of runs, the two teams traded scores the remaining six minutes. The Golden Eagles would build a five-point advantage, 32-27, with 2:48 left. However, Gray kept the Govs close, scoring seven straight APSU points. Sophomore Sydney Gooch hit a jumper with 10 seconds left to set the Austin Peay deficit at two points, 38-36, entering the half.
Gray’s 32-point effort was her first this season and came in just 32 minutes of playing time. She filled in the stat sheet with seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
Gray got much-needed assistance from the frontcourt duo of junior forward Beth Rates and sophomore center Brianne Alexander. Rates poured in a career-high 18 points, making 8-of-10 from the floor, and had seven rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals. Alexander, making her first appearance since Dec. 22, supplied a 17-point, eight-rebound performance thanks to an 11-of-12 effort from the free-throw line.
Senior guard Samaria Howard led Tennessee Tech with 28 points, reaching 20-point territory for the fourth consecutive OVC contest. Sophomore guard Yaktavia Hickson added 15 points.
TENNESSEE STATE 73, SIUE 61
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -After being on the road for the past six games, the Lady Tigers opened up their first home game in a month with a 73-61 conference win over the SIUE Cougars on Saturday night in the Gentry Center.
The Lady Tigers (7-9, 2-1 OVC) had three players shoot in double-digits, including freshman Jordan Brightwell who had a career-high 13 points. Junior I’mani Davis led the Lady Tigers with 20, followed by fellow junior Jayda Johnson with 19.
SIUE (8-9, 3-1) had four players shoot in the double-digits, including Shronda Butts who led the Cougars with 18 points followed by Gwen Adams with 14. Sidney Smith collected 12 while Donshel Beck finished with 10.
The Lady Tigers used a strong first half, shooting 55.6 percent from beyond the arc, to take early control of the game.
TSU set the tone of the first quarter with back-to-back 3’s from Michelle Cox and I’mani Davis to jump ahead 6-0 with 8:09 left in the period. The Lady Tigers took advantage of SIUE turnovers to extend their lead 8-0 before allowing the Cougars to get on the board with a single free throw at the 6:52 mark.
Continued defensive pressure from the Lady Tigers led to more SIUE turnovers, allowing TSU to outscore the Cougars 13-7 in the remaining minutes of the first half for a 21-8 lead heading into the second.
TSU led by 13 after outscoring the Cougars 7-6 in the opening minutes of the period, five of those points coming from Johnson. Following the media timeout, the Tigers tacked on six more with two shots from beyond the arc from Davis in the final minutes of the second for a 34-18 lead at the half.
SIUE came out after the half looking to eat away at their 16-point deficit. The Cougars outscored the Lady Tigers 6-2 in the first two minutes of the period in effort to close the gap in the score. TSU pushed back with a 5-2 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Brightwell, to make the score 41-26 before the media timeout. Turnovers and fouls following the timeout would allow the Cougars to come within 10 points (42-32) of the Lady Tigers for the first time since early in the first quarter. A 9-8 run in the final minutes of the third would allow TSU to keep control of the game, leading 50-41 going into the final quarter of the contest.
Sophomore Michelle Cox opened up the fourth with a 3-pointer to extend the Lady Tiger lead, 50-40. The Cougars responded with 9-2 run to cut their deficit to seven with 7:28 remaining in the game. TSU was quick to respond with a 6-2 run of its own before the media timeout at the 4:55 mark. The Lady Tigers only outscored the Cougars 11-10 in the final minutes of the game, but would come out on top with a 73-61 victory over SIUE, notching their second conference win of the season.
The Lady Tigers are back in action on Thursday as they take on OVC rival Austin Peay. Tip-off is set for 5:30 in the Gentry Center and will be followed by the men's game at 7:30.