MOREHEAD, Ky. – Looking for its fifth consecutive victory over SIUE, Morehead State women's basketball collected said victory 53-47 in a hard-fought battle at Johnson Arena. The victory improved Morehead State to 4-8 overall and 3-4 in Ohio Valley Conference while dropping SIUE to 4-8 and 1-6 in the OVC.
In a defensive battle, the Eagles took advantage of each opportunity they earned at the free throw line, shooting 18-of-26 from the charity stripe compared to the Cougars 1-of-10 at the line. Morehead State also took advantage of 24 SIUE turnovers, including 15 in the second half to propel the Eagle comeback.
Two Eagles found themselves in double-figures for the second straight outing against SIUE as redshirt sophomore
Gabby Crawford poured in a game-best 14 points while junior
Ellie Jo Johnson added 10. The pair combined to score 10 points from the free throw line by converting 10-of-12 from the line with Crawford canning 4-of-5 and Johnson going 6-of-7.
Crawford also stood out as the only player in Tuesday night's contest to pull down double-digit boards, corralling 10, including seven in the second half. The game also marked her second straight game with a double-double and OVC-lead-tying fifth double-double of the season.
Morehead State was also very active defensively with five players swiping three or more steals apiece. Sophomore
Ariel Kirkwood paced the group with four steals while sophomore
Tomiyah Alford, redshirt sophomore
Lauren Carter, Johnson, and redshirt senior
Tyler Moore each pickpocketing three steals apiece.
Morehead State returns to Johnson Arena Thursday, hosting Southeast Missouri in an afternoon tilt. The game tips at 4 p.m. ET and airs on ESPN+ and the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Eagle Sports Network (MSUEagles.com and WIVY-96.3 FM).
KEY MOMENTS
- SIUE opened the game on an 11-0 run getting five points from Ajulu Thatha and four points from Mikayla Kinnard. Morehead State would answer with five points of its own to the Cougars one before SIUE's Allie Troeckler scored six unanswered points to give SIUE its largest lead—a 13-point advantage—at 18-5.
- Tomiyah Alford closed the quarter with four points—all in the paint—in the final minute to trim the first-quarter deficit to single digits.
- Trimming the SIUE first-half lead even further, Morehead State used an all-around effort to create a 10-0 run to cut the Cougar lead to two, getting points from the field, from three, and from the free throw line. Ariel Kirkwood picked up four points in the run with Alford, Jazzmyn Elston, and Tyler Moore getting in on the scoring as well.
- Morehead State's defense requisitioned the lead in the third quarter as the Eagles held SIUE to just 3-of-10 shooting from the field as Mikia Keith scored all seven SIUE points in the quarter. The Eagles also forced eight turnovers in the frame.
- Drawing a foul on a drive to the goal, Gabby Crawford sank a pair of free throws to give Morehead State a lead it wouldn't relinquish as the Eagles held the lead over the final 13-plus minutes of the game.
- After trading buckets to open the fourth quarter, Morehead State took control over the final four-and-a-half minutes of the game, outscoring SIUE 8-2 during the span to cement the Eagles' six-point victory. The Eagles continued to get it done in the fourth quarter from the free throw line, shooting 8-of-10 in the quarter, including four clutch free throw makes for Johnson in the game's final minute.
KEY STATS
- Morehead State's 24 forced turnovers and 16 steals marked the second-highest totals in each category for the team this season while ranking as the top game in each category for the team against an OVC opponent this year.
- Posting game-highs with 14 points and 10 rebounds, Gabby Crawford earned her fifth double-double of the season and second in as many games. She's now tied for the OVC lead in double-doubles.
- Making 18 free throws Tuesday night, Morehead State has now hit 15 or more free throws in seven of the team's 12 games. The Eagles entered the contest averaging 15.1 made free throws per game.
- The Eagles also held SIUE to 4-of-15 from beyond the arc, a three-point field goal percentage of 26.7 percent. The game marks the 10th time this season Morehead State has held its opponent under 30 percent from deep.
