Jan. 26, 2008

Box Score

MURRAY, Ky. - Senior center Missy Whitney (Charleston, Mo./Three Rivers CC) recorded a game-high 19 points to lead five players in double figures as Southeast Missouri State women's basketball captured an 81-74 victory over host Murray State here Saturday afternoon at the Regional Special Events Center. The Redhawks improve to 14-6 overall and 9-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while the Racers fell to 13-6 and 7-4 in the OVC.

The Racers jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the game's opening four minutes thanks to five points from junior Ashley Hayes before Southeast scored five of the next eight points in a period of 1:14 to pull within 13-9 on a three-pointer by junior guard Tierra Johnson (Poplar Bluff, Mo./Three Rivers CC) at the 14:46 mark. Murray State then produced a 16-5 scoring drive over a span of 5:36 with 12 combined points by juniors Amber and Paige Guffey in capturing a 29-14 advantage with 9:10 left. Southeast head coach John Ishee was ejected from the game at the 12:29 mark after being assessed three technical fouls in a span of nearly two minutes during the run. A three-pointer by junior guard Tarina Nixon (Gilbert, Ariz./Highland) sparked a 24-11 run for the rest of the half as the Redhawks sliced their deficit at 40-38 heading into intermission.

Southeast continued where it left off at the end of the first half by producing an 11-4 run in a span of 4:25 to start the second half to post a 49-44 lead with 15:45 left in the game. Nixon and senior guard Ashley Lovelady (Elkhart, Ind./Moberly Area CC) scored four points during the scoring drive. Murray State pulled to within 49-48 after a three by senior Shaleea Petty and an Amber Guffey free throw at the 14:54 mark, but a 15-2 scoring run over a 4:38 span hiked the Redhawks' advantage to their biggest lead of the game at 64-50 on a pair of Whitney free throws at 10:16. Southeast's lead balanced between six and 10 points over nine minutes before a Hayes trey pulled the Racers to within five at 78-73 with 40 seconds left, but the Redhawks went 3-of-4 from the line down the stretch for the win.

Nixon added 15 points, including 6-of-7 from the charity stripe, with five assists for Southeast, while Lovelady contributed 14 points and a game-high four steals. Junior forward Crysta Glenn (San Diego, Calif./Cowley County CC) recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds in addition to going 3-of-3 from the line. Junior guard Sonya Daugherty (St. Louis, Mo./Hancock) finished with 11 points, six caroms and four assists.

Murray State was paced by Amber Guffey's double-double of 24 points and 10 assists while going 17-of-19 from the line. Hayes added 19 points and seven rebounds, senior Alaina Lee scored 17 points and Paige Guffey finished with seven points.

Southeast returns to the Show Me Center on Saturday, Feb. 2 for an OVC contest against UT Martin in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU with a start time of 3 p.m.