Published: December 11, 2007 02:32 pm         

MSU women lose a heartbreaker at Murray

Second straight close loss for Bradbury's Lady Eagles

MURRAY, Ky. - Senior Afton Perry scored a team high 16 points and sophomore Brittany Pittman recorded her fourth career double-double with 14 points and a career high 15 rebounds, but the visiting Morehead State women's basketball team came up on the short end of a 56-54 decision Saturday at the Regional Special Events Center.

The Eagles had two three-point attempts in the last five seconds but neither shot was able to fall in, and MSU dropped to 2-7 and 0-2 in the league. The Racers went to 6-2 and 2-0 in the OVC.

Pittman and Perry were the only two Eagles in double figures as the Racers stymied the rest of

the lineup, especially outside where MSU was limited to a 4-for-17 night beyond the arc. The Eagles made up for the tough night shooting with a solid night at the free line, hitting 10-of-12 for a season high 83 percent. And, MSU out-rebounded the Racers 38-37, including 16 offensive rebounds.

The Eagles had no answer for Murray State senior forward Ashley Hayes though. She scored a game high 26 points and completed her double-double with 11 rebounds. Hayes hit 12-of-24 from the field playing the entire 40 minutes. Amber Guffey had 10 points as the Eagles held the OVC's leading scorer nine points below her season average.

Both teams played to a stalemate in the first half with a 25-all halftime score. There were six ties and eight lead changes in the first 20 minutes. Murray State's largest lead was 5-2 in the first five minutes, and MSU's largest was 8-5 with 14:02 left. The Eagles held Murray to just a 35 percent shooting effort in the first half but the Eagles shot just 29 percent themselves.

In the last half, Murray State built an eight-point lead (46-38) at the 10:55 mark. The Eagles didn't lay down though, cutting the lead back down to just one (52-51) with 3:57 remaining. A Hayes jumper pushed the hosts lead back to three (54-51) at the 3:36 mark. Pittman got free for a layup with 2:09 left to knot the game back at 54. However, Angela Brown's layup in the lane with 1:09 left would be the last basket for either team. Smith-Williams fired a three-pointer from the top of the key with about five seconds left, and the Eagles got one more try after a jump ball was called. Smith-Williams shot from deep in the left corner hit the front of the iron and fell off as the final sounded.

For the game, MSU shot 32 percent (20-of-62). Murray State hit 52 percent in the second half and wound up with a 43 percent effort for the game - the highest percentage MSU has allowed in its first nine games.



Morehead State takes next week off for final exams and then returns to the court on Monday, Dec. 17 at 12 noon against UT Martin.