Box Score

MURRAY, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky’s women’s basketball team battled back from a 14-point second half deficit to tie the game but couldn’t hold off Murray State in a 65-56 loss on Saturday.

Alex Jones recorded her fourth double-double in four career games against the Racers. The sophomore finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double in as many games and the 17th of her career.

Freshman Marie Carpenter led EKU (6-21, 3-15 OVC) with 17 points. Mariah Robinson scored a game-best 22 points for Murray State (9-20, 5-13 OVC).

Mariah Robinson opened the game with a three-pointer for Murray State and the Racers never trailed. MSU led by as many as nine in the first half and took a seven-point lead, 36-29, into the locker room at intermission.

The Racers’ final bucket before halftime and their first three baskets in the second half were three-pointers. That amounted to a 12-2 run. Mallory Schwab’s second straight trey, with 17:52, left to play made it a 14-point game, 45-31, in favor of the home team.

After two free throws by Jessica Winfrey kept the margin at 14, 47-33, with 15:46 left, the Lady Colonels went on an 18-4 run to get back in the game. After a lay-up by Robinson with 11:22 on the clock, the Racers went more than six and a half minutes without scoring.

Two free throws by Brittany Coles tied the score 51-51 with 7:38 to go. However, Eastern Kentucky didn’t score again for more than four minutes and only scored five points the rest of the game.

Both teams shot 31 percent from the field. Murray State knocked down eight three-pointers compared to five for Eastern Kentucky. The Racers held a 52-41 rebounding advantage.