Published: January 22, 2008 04:00 pm         

Combs leads Lady Eagles

MOREHEAD, Ky. - Morehead State senior guard Tarah Combs scored a career high 30 points, including a career high eight three-pointers, and sophomore Brittany Pittman grabbed a career high 23 rebounds to propel the Eagle women's basketball team to a 78-51 win over visiting Jacksonville State Saturday at Johnson Arena.

As a team, the Eagles' 15 three-pointers also set a single game school record.

Morehead State improved to 7-11 overall and 5-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while JSU dipped to 7-12 and 4-6 in the league. Combs' eight treys was only one shy of the MSU single game record, while Pittman's work on the boards was tied for the fifth best game in school history. Pittman, who ranks third in the nation in blocked shots, also rejected seven against the Gamecocks to give her 75 for the year. That ties Shelly Johnson's school season record, and she's now just three shy of breaking Middle Tennessee's Kay Willbanks' OVC season record of 77 set in 1984-85.

"We have been pretty great defensively in four of the last five games, and when we're good defensively, we make shots. We were also great on the boards tonight. Brittany Pittman, obviously had 23, and that's great, but it was everybody tonight that helped us on the boards," said head coach Mike Bradbury.

The Eagles held the Gamecocks to just 26 percent from the field and out-rebounded JSU 51-43. Pittman grabbed eight offensive boards and pulled down 15 on the defensive end. JSU scored just nine second chance points. In four of the last five games, MSU - which leads the league in field goal percentage defense - has limited its opponents to less than 30 percent from the field.

Combs was 8-of-15 from beyond the arc and now has 198 career treys. She also dished out four assists in 36 minutes. Freshman Chynna Bozeman scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 33 minutes, and sophomore Brandi Rayburn netted 11 points. Pittman almost had a triple-double with nine points and the seven blocks.

JSU was topped by Jolie Efezokhae with 13 points, while Charlease Williams put in 10 points. Cierra Duhart led JSU with 11 rebounds.

The Eagles had just three turnovers in the first half and built a 42-17 lead at the break. The 17 points tied a JSU record for the lowest point total in a half. The Eagles had a 27-point lead on two occasions in the opening 20 minutes. JSU turned up the defensive pressure in the final half and forced 16 MSU turnovers. However, the Eagles kept burning the defense and hit seven more treys. MSU never led by less than 17 in the final half.

Morehead State travels to Southeast Missouri this week. The Eagles and Redhawks tip off in Cape Girardeau, Mo., at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24.