COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – For the sixth time this season, redshirt sophomore
Gabby Crawford notched a double-double, pouring in 10 points while corralling a game-high 12 boards to lead Morehead State women's basketball against Tennessee Tech.
Joining Crawford as a double-figure scorer for Morehead State was fellow redshirt sophomore
Lauren Carter and senior
Jazzmyn Elston who scored 14 and 12 points, respectively. Saturday's game marked the second consecutive game that Carter has led the Eagles in scoring with her 14 points also marking a game-high.
Despite three players with double-digit point totals, Morehead State eventually fell to Tennessee Tech 58-49, dropping to 5-10 on the year and 4-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Golden Eagles improved to 8-6 on the season and 7-4 in conference play.
With 24 forced turnovers Saturday, the Eagles forced their second OVC opponent into a season-high turnover count with the game joining SIUE's 24 turnovers as Morehead State's season-high turnovers forced total.
Morehead State also did a majority of its work against Tennessee Tech in the paint, outscoring the Golden Eagles 28-18 in the paint. The Eagles also found themselves earning 18 trips to the free throw line, making 15 of those attempts from the charity stripe, shooting 83.3 percent.
The Eagles return home to Johnson Arena next Thursday, hosting Murray State to open a two-game OVC homestand. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET.
KEY MOMENTS
- Opening the game with a three-ball from Anna Jones, Tennessee Tech saw Morehead State go on a 6-0 run with three points apiece from Lauren Carter and Jazzmyn Elston to give the Eagles the first of two three-point advantages—their largest leads of the game.
- The Golden Eagles answered with a quick 5-0 run of their own before Morehead State pulled back ahead with three-points off a Carter free throw and an Elston jumper. The two teams entered the quarter break tied at nine apiece.
- Morehead State opened the second quarter outscoring Tennessee Tech 6-3 in the quarters' first three minutes to grow its second three-point advantage.
- The Golden Eagles answered the Eagle lead with a 9-0 run behind a trio of threes to grow a lead the team wouldn't relinquish the remainder of the game.
- After seeing Tennessee Tech grow its lead to 11—the Golden Eagles' largest lead—to open the third quarter, Morehead State outscored its opponent 16-7 over the final half of the period. The Eagles did a majority of the work from the free throw line, going 11-of-12 at the stripe in the quarter with Ellie Jo Johnson leading the team by going 7-for-8.
- Behind a paint jumper from Gabby Crawford, Morehead State opened the final quarter by tying the game at 43 all before Tennessee Tech closed the game on a 15-6 run to secure victory.
KEY STATS
- Morehead State's 24 forced turnovers against Tennessee Tech marked a season-high for the Eagles against an OVC opponent, tying its total from its first meeting with SIUE.
- Dishing out six helpers Saturday, sophomore Ariel Kirkwood has now dished out 33 assists in her last seven games and has now dished out six or more assists on four separate occasions this year.
- With her six double-double of the season (10 points and 12 rebounds), redshirt sophomore Gabby Crawford is tied for the OVC lead in the category.
