Box Score
Box Score (PDF)
MOREHEAD, Ky. – What a game! In one of the most exhilarating and classic women’s basketball Ohio Valley Conference Tournament games ever played, host and second seed Morehead State held off seventh seed Murray State 95-90 Tuesday night at Johnson Arena.
According to the OVC record book, the game just missed as the highest scoring in tournament history by four points.
The Eagles improved to 22-9, setting the school NCAA-era record for wins in a season, while Murray State ends its season at 13-17. Morehead State will be in the OVC Tournament semifinals Friday at 3 p.m. EST against third seed Austin Peay. it will be the Eagles’ first trip to Nashville for the semis since 2005-06.
“This is one of the best college basketball games I’ve ever been a part of,” said Eagle head coach Mike Bradbury. “We were down by three with a minute-and-a-half to go and we really had to fight back. Our kids showed tremendous heart and courage.”
Chynna Bozeman scored a career high 39 points and dished out a season high eight assists for the Eagles, including 21 points in the first half. Murray State’s Kayla Lowe hit seven three-pointers – part of a 15-trey night for the Lady Racers – to score a career high 28 points. Kayla Vance added 24.
“Murray State is the most dangerous team we could have played in the first round. I was not looking forward to it,” Bradbury said. “They are an outstanding team, and we are very fortunate to win.”
The Eagles got 15 rebounds from the OVC’s top board-getter Ashar Harris, but the Racers out-rebounded the Eagles 40-38. Murray State grabbed 18 offensive rebounds.
In a bizarre and furiously-paced last three minutes of the game, the Racers took an 90-87 lead on Vance’s seventh trey. Tiffany Hamilton countered with a driving layup with 1:15 left to make it 90-89. Bozeman connected on two free throws with 43 seconds left to give the Eagles the lead they never relinquished. During a break in the action, a dead ball technical was issued to Murray State. Bozeman hit one of the two technical tosses, still giving the visitors a chance to tie or win.
But, with the ball out of bounds and 12 seconds left, the Lady Racers called a timeout they did not have and Bozeman hit two more technical free throws to seal the final margin.
The Eagles shot 46 percent for the game (32-of-69), while Murray State shot 48 percent (32-of-67). The Eagles hit nine three pointers on 24 attempts. The 24 attempts helped MSU break the NCAA Division single season mark for treys attempted.
In the first half, The Lady Racers jumped out to a 5-0 lead via a Kayla Vance three-pointer and close range jumper, but the Eagles answered with an 11-2 run. Deja Watson capped the early run with a layup off a Bozeman assist.
The Eagles went on to lead 17-9 but Murray State came right back to tie the game at 17-17 with 12:52 left in the first half. The Eagles would not allow the Lady Racers to take the lead, and the hosts scored the next six to push ahead 23-17 with just less than 10 minutes left.
After the Racers cut the game to two (23-21), Bozeman drained her third three-pointer of the half at 8:56. Later in the half, Bozeman drove to the bucket and scored her 19th point of the opening 20-minute period to give MSU a 39-31 lead.
The Eagles led 47-41 at the break.
