RICHMOND, Ky. – Shavonne Jones doubled her previous career-high with 30 points and led Eastern Kentucky to a 79-76 win over Murray State Thursday at McBrayer Arena. The Lady Colonels (11-8, 6-6 OVC) shot 51.7 percent in the second half and overcame a seven-point deficit in the final five and a half minutes of the game. Ashley Hayes led the Racers (15-7, 9-5 OVC) with 26 points.
Murray State used a 16-4 run midway through the second half to turn a five-point deficit into a seven-point lead. A jumper by Hayes capped off the run and put the Racers in front 68-61 with 7:07 left in the game. Hayes scored eight of the 16 points during the run.
The two teams exchanged baskets before LaTanya Stokes nailed a three-pointer and Ashley Cazee connected on a lay-up to draw the Lady Colonels to within two points, 70-68, with 5:04 remaining.
Trailing by three, Crystal Jones faked a drive to the basket and then stepped back and knocked down a three-pointer from the right side to tie the score, 74-74, with 2:25 left in the game.
With the score still tied a minute later, Shavonne Jones grabbed the offensive rebound off her own miss and put it back in for a 76-74 EKU lead. Amber Guffey missed on a lay-up on the Murray State end and Cazee connected on her lay-up to make it a four-point lead with 34 second showing on the clock.
The Racers missed a three-point attempt and then turned the ball over after an offensive rebound with 13 seconds to go. Niki Avery made one of two free throw attempts for a five-point lead, 79-74.
Paige Guffey’s lay-up with seven ticks before the horn set the final score.
Cazee finished with 19 points. Crystal Jones totaled 14 points. Shaleea Petty registered 20 points for Murray State and Amber Guffey finished with 16.
Shavonne Jones finished the night 10-for-19 from the field and 10-for-12 from the free throw line. She grabbed a game-high, and career-best, nine rebounds and had one block. EKU out-rebounded the Racers 36-30. Lindsey Watters chipped in with seven boards for the Lady Colonels.
The top two scoring teams in the conference combined for almost 80 points in the first half. Eastern Kentucky scored the first three points of the game from the free throw line and ended the first half 15-of-17 from the charity stripe. The Lady Colonels never trailed until Petty’s jumper with 5:35 before intermission put the Racers in front 29-27.
Murray State edged in front by six, 37-31, on a contested three-pointer by Petty with 4:17 showing on the clock. However, EKU came back and scored six straight to tie the score for the sixth time. A Shavonne Jones jumper with 44 seconds to play capped the scoring in the opening period, tied the game for the seventh time and sent the teams to the locker room knotted at 39-39.
Jones matched her career high in the first half with 15 points. She made five of 10 shots from the field and all five attempts from the line.
Only three Racers scored in the first half. Petty had 16 at the break, Amber Guffey totaled 14 and Hayes had nine.
The Lady Colonels finish off their two-game home stand on Saturday against Southeast Missouri State. Tip-off between EKU and the Redhawks is scheduled for 3 p.m.
