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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Senior point guard Courtney Lumpkin scored a career-high 30 points, including 23 in the second half, to lead the Morehead State women’s basketball team to a 61-57 Ohio Valley Conference win at Southeast Missouri Wednesday night at the Show Me Center.
The Eagles improve to 4-9 overall and 1-0 in the league, while the host Redhawks fall to 3-11 and 0-1 in the OVC. The victory marked MSU’s seventh straight against SEMO.
After MSU led by eight (31-23) at halftime, including a fallaway jumper by Lumpkin at the buzzer, the Redhawks trimmed the Eagles’ lead down to one three times in the final 5:49. But every time down the floor Lumpkin buried a three-pointer to push the Eagles back out by four.
“I am very proud of our first road win this year,” said MSU head coach Tom Hodges. “Winning on the road, especially in the OVC, is extremely tough. Not only did Courtney score 30 points, but she hit big shot after big shot, and she’s been struggling shooting the ball this year. She played like a senior should tonight.”
Lumpkin entered the game shooting 24 percent this year but hit 11-of-22 from the floor and 6-of-10 from three-point range. She was 5-of-8 from distance in the second half.
The Eagles also got 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds from junior forward Ashar Harris despite foul trouble. Senior guard Linda Dixon netted 10 points and six rebounds.
Hodges also pointed out that his young front line of freshman Mackenzie Arledge, freshman Casey Ryans and sophomore Tyler Ituen played important minutes when Harris had to sit with foul trouble.
“Even though I sometimes get frustrated with Mac, Casey and Tyler, they really gave us some “medical minutes” tonight. They did a great job of defending and keeping the game under control when Ashar went out.”
The Redhawks got team-highs of 15 points each from Bailie Roberts and Bianca Beck. SEMO enjoyed a 19-5 advantage in points via free throws, shooting 20 more charity tosses than MSU. But, the Eagles out-rebounded SEMO 42-33, including 21 offensive boards, and had an 18-7 advantage in second-chance points.
The Eagles built their halftime lead out to 13 (37-24) with 17:17 left, but an 8-1 SEMO scoring run in the next five minutes had the Eagles lead down to just four (38-34). MSU again ballooned the advantage to nine (49-40), but again the Redhawks rallied, cutting the Eagle lead back down to one (49-48) with 5L49 left.
MSU shot 35 percent (22-of-62) for the game but hit 12 three-pointers and forced 18 Redhawk turnovers.
The Eagles return home on Saturday to host Austin Peay in an OVC contest scheduled to tip off at 2:45 p.m. ET.
