Box Score

MURRAY, Ky. -- Facing tenacious defense, a long bench, and full-court pressure for all 40 minutes Friday evening at the CFSB Center, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team suffered a 76-61 defeat to the hosting Murray State Racers in the 2011-12 season opener. It marked both squads’ first game of the year.

Junior Samantha Heck led the Aces with 18 points, 16 of them scored in the second half. Senior Briyana Blair also reached double figures with 11 points, while junior Meagan Collins and sophomore Katie Ellerson added eight apiece.

The Racers came out of the gates with intense full-court pressure, forcing the Aces into eight turnovers in the first four minutes of play. However, Murray State did not convert those into baskets, holding just a 3-2 edge at the first media timeout.

Unfortunately, the Racers got hot, going on a 16-2 run to stretch their lead to 19-4 at the 10:27 mark. Blair ended UE’s 6:14 minute scoring drought with a layup with 11:40 remaining in the period.

Evansville cut the deficit to four points after going on a 20-7 run with a balanced scoring attack. Hannah Weedman’s lay-in on the low block, followed by Staci Gillum’s three from the top of the arc, and free throws by Blair (four) and Ellerson (two) made the score 25-15. The run continued with Ellerson and Collins draining back-to-back threes. Freshman Kat Taylor capped the rally with two free throws at the 4:59 mark, and another with 4:14 remaining to make the score, 28-24. However, in the final minutes of the opening stanza, Murray State went on an 11-4 run, for a 39-28 halftime score.

In the first half, Evansville shot 32 percent (8-25) from the field, 30 percent (3-10) from three, and 81.8 percent (9-11) from the free throw line. While the Racers did not outshoot UE by much, shooting 36.6 percent (15-41) from the floor, 31.3 percent from beyond the arc (5-16) and just 36.4 percent (4-11) from the charity stripe, Murray State recorded 11 steals and forced Evansville into 16 turnovers.

The Racers held a steady advantage throughout the second half, trailing by no more than nine points (45-36 at the 17:43 mark), and leading by as much as 20 points with 1:15 remaining.

Erica Burgess led MSU with 18 points, as four Racers reached double figure points. Tess Elkins recorded five steals, leading Murray State’s defense that tallied 20 steals as a team and forced 31 Evansville turnovers.

In the game, Evansville outshot the Racers by percentage in all aspects, shooting 40 percent (20-50) from the field, 38.9 percent (7-18) from three, and 66.7 percent (14-21) from the free throw line, compared to MSU’s 36.6 percent (30-82) from the floor, 25.7 percent (9-35) from behind the arc, and 46.7 percent (7-15) from the line.

The Aces are back in action next weekend for a Friday-Sunday road swing, first taking on the Cincinnati Bearcats Friday at 6:00 p.m. CT (7:00 ET). They will then continue on to face Bowling Green State University Sunday at 11:00 a.m. CT (Noon ET).