MOREHEAD, Ky. – Playing its first game of the new year, Morehead State women's basketball picked up its first Ohio Valley Conference victory outlasting Tennessee Tech in an entertaining battle at Johnson Arena Thursday afternoon.
The Eagles (2-5; 1-2 OVC) defeated the Golden Eagles (4-2; 2-1) behind a tremendous effort on the glass as Morehead State out-rebounded its conference foe 44 to 34, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds. Redshirt sophomore
Gabby Crawford attacked the boards all evening, grabbing a career-best 18 rebounds, including 14 in the first half. Fellow redshirt sophomore
Lauren Carter nearly joined Crawford as the only players with double-figure rebounds as she pulled down nine in the contest.
Crawford tallied her third double-double of the season, tying a career-high with a game-best 17 points with seven of the 17 coming from the charity stripe. Three other Eagles joined her in double digits as junior
Ellie Jo Johnson added 13, Carter chipped in 11, and sophomore
Ariel Kirkwood scored 10.
Morehead State continued to terrorize on the defensive end Thursday, out-blocking its opponent for the seventh time in as many games, rejecting 10 total shots. Crawford and Kirkwood paced the defense for the Eagles, turning away five and three shots, respectively.
The Eagles return to action Saturday afternoon, hosting OVC foe Jacksonville State. The game is set for a 1 p.m. ET tip and airs on ESPN+ and the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Eagle Sports Network (MSUEagles.com and WIVY-96.3 FM).
KEY MOMENTS
- Morehead State opened the game on a 6-0 run, covering the first 5:29 of the game, holding Tennessee Tech to 0-7 from the floor and 0-3 from behind the three-point arc.
- After cutting the Morehead State lead to 10-4, Tennessee Tech came out of the media timeout and drained three-pointers on consecutive offensive possessions to tie the game at 10-all.
- Morehead State regained the lead 14-10 as Ariel Kirkwood and Tomiyah Alford each hit layups in one-on-one situations before Tennessee Tech cut the Eagle lead at the quarter break to one with a three-pointer.
- After Tennessee Tech scored the first basket of the quarter, Morehead State clamped down the defense, holding the Golden Eagles without a field goal (0-for-5) over a 6:34 stretch in the second quarter. Offensively, Morehead State outscored Tennessee Tech 8-2 during the stretch with the Golden Eagles' lone points coming at the free throw line.
- After Tennessee Tech tied the game at 23-all, Laurie Thomas dove onto the floor after a loose ball, corralling it for the Eagles and setting up a layup for Kirkwood to give the Eagles a lead. Tennessee Tech would tie the game at 25-apiece with a basket before the halftime buzzer.
- Opening the second half, Morehead State opened on a 6-0 run during the first two minutes of the second-half, smothering Tennessee Tech as the Golden Eagles did not get off a shot attempt prior to a Tennessee Tech timeout.
- Following the timeout, Tennessee Tech answered with an 8-0 to force a Morehead State timeout. Out of the timeout, the Golden Eagles would extend their run to 10-0 to take a four-point advantage—their largest lead of the game.
- Morehead State answered down the stretch of the fourth quarter with a pair of three-balls from Tyler Moore and Ellie Jo Johnson with Moore's three cutting the Tennessee Tech lead to one while Johnson's triple knotted the game at 39-apiece heading into the fourth quarter.
- After trading baskets to open the final frame, Morehead State used Tennessee Tech's foul troubles to its advantage, drawing three fouls on the Golden Eagles' Anna Jones, sparking a 9-2 Eagle run to grow a six-point lead.
- Holding onto a lead late into the game, Morehead State did all of its scoring over the final three minutes from the free throw line, sinking 10 of 14 attempts from the charity stripe, including one from Lai'Janique Perry-Ellis with three seconds remaining to cement the Morehead State victory.
KEY STATS
- For the second time this season, Gabby Crawford recorded a double-double in which set tied or set career-highs in scoring and rebounding, having also done so against Dayton to open the season. Against Tennessee Tech she tied her career-high with 17 points while grabbing a career-best 18 rebounds, 14 of which she corralled in the first half.
- With eight offensive rebounds tonight, Crawford tied a Morehead State team season-high for offensive rebounds, joining Ariel Kirkwood's eight offensive rebounds versus Bowling Green for the team lead.
- It wasn't just points and rebounds where Crawford tied or set career-highs as she led the Eagles with five blocks Thursday, setting a new career-best in the category.
- With 10 total blocks against Tennessee Tech, Morehead State has now out-blocked its opponent in each game this season.
- Morehead State had four players reach double-figure scoring totals Thursday, marking the first time since February 27, 2020, the team has had four players score 10 or more points.
- In the first half against Tennessee Tech, Morehead State held the Golden Eagles to 9-for-30 shooting, holding Tennessee Tech without a field goal for extended stretches during the first half.
