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The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will try to slow down one of the nation’s top scoring offenses on Sunday, as the Purple Aces will renew acquaintances with one of its oldest Division I rivals by hosting 2008 NCAA Tournament participant Murray State at Roberts Stadium. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in a game that can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.
Evansville will bring a 5-3 record into Sunday’s contest after racing past Lipscomb, 74-50, in Tuesday’s Future Purple Aces Fast B.R.E.A.K. (Basketball Reinforcing Education To Area Kids) Game. The UE defense held the Bisons to just 27.9 percent shooting from the floor in the win, while senior forward Robyn Jennings led a balanced UE attack with 15 points in her fifth double-figure scoring game in the last six contests.
Evansville’s defense will be tested on Sunday, though, by a Murray State squad which entered the week ranked 22nd nationally in scoring at 76.8 points per game. Leading the way for the Racers this year is the dynamic backcourt trio of seniors Amber and Paige Guffey and Ashley Hayes. Combined, the trio has averaged over 53.9 points per game this year, with both Amber Guffey (11th-21.9 ppg) and Ashley Hayes (19th-20.1 ppg) entering the week ranked among the nation’s top 20 in scoring. Guffey had 31 points and seven assists last time out for Murray State (4-4) in an 84-76 overtime loss at Morehead State, while Hayes is the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year.
Jennings currently paces the UE attack offensively with an average of 14.6 points per game. She is joined in double-figures this year by fellow seniors Shannon Novosel (10.6 ppg) and Ashley Austin (10.6 ppg) and junior guard Amy Gallagher (10.1 ppg). Jennings currently ranks seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring, while also being the only player in the league to rank among the Valley’s top five in all three shooting percentages (FG%-4th at 54.3%, 3-Pt FG%-1st at 59.1%, FT%-5th at 87.5%).
Sunday’s game will mark the first meeting in nearly a decade for Evansville and Murray State in women’s basketball, as the two schools have not met since a 72-58 UE victory in Murray, Kentucky on December 7, 1999. Overall, Murray State leads the all-time series with Evansville, 15-9. The series dates back to February 26, 1972, and ranks as the fourth-oldest series in UE women’s basketball history, and the oldest among schools currently at the Division I level. UE has won each of the last three meetings between the two teams.
