GAME NOTES | SCHEDULE PAGE (LINKS TO LIVE VIDEO, LIVE AUDIO AND LIVE STATS)
Morehead, Ky. -- The Morehead State women's basketball team returns to action Sunday as they host Lipscomb in Johnson Arena. The game can be seen on ESPN+ with Jared Stacy and Dean Hardin. The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Network (flagship WIVY-96.3) with Tom Lewis and Wes Holland on the call.
It's the first action in a week for Morehead State. Last Sunday, the Eagles fell to UTEP 68-41 in El Paso, Texas. Sophomore
Kate Novik recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Senior
Harley Paynter also finished with 12 points.
Lipscomb is back to action after it's 62-61 win over East Tennessee Friday night in Nashville. The game was a back-and-forth affair, featuring 14 lead changes and four ties. Guard Jalyn Holcomb hit a baseline jumper with four seconds left for the game winner. Senior guard Claira McGowan led the Bison with 17 points and six rebounds. Senior Bella Vinson poured in 16 points for Lipscomb.
RECORDS
Morehead State: 1-2
Lipscomb:4-1
THE SERIES
Record vs. Lipscomb: 6-4
Last Meeting: 11/14/23, MSU lost 77-73
First Meeting: 12/29/2000, MSU lost 91-81
Record in Morehead: 3-2
Record in Nashville: 3-2
Streak: Lipscomb, 2 games
NOTABLE
• On their western road trip, Morehead State forced their opponents into 48 turnovers. Last Thursday, the Eagles forced 24 New Mexico turnovers, gathering 13 steals, led by
Katie Dike with four. Last Sunday, UTEP coughed up 24 turnovers as Morehead State picked up 12 thefts.
• Morehead State's 44 steals leads the Ohio Valley Conference after the first week of the season. Individually,
Kate Novik leads the OVC with 12 thefts.
• Aside from the number of steals, Novik also leads the Eagles in scoring (19.9 PPG), rebounds (7.7 RPG), field goal shooting (52%), assists (16) and is tied with Dike for team honors in blocks (5).
•
Aileen Marquez made an instant splash in her Morehead State debut Thursday night at New Mexico. She poured in 21 points on 8-13 shooting from the floor. Behind the arc, Marquez went 5-9. She played her first three seasons at Clarendon (Tex.) College, where she played and started in 86 games. She averaged 16.9 points per game. She shot 46.3% from three-point range over her three years there and 85% from the free throw line. She spent last season at Florida International.
•
Kuryn Brunson posted a double-double in her debut with Morehead State Monday night. She tossed in 11 points and collected 10 rebounds. Last season at Wabash Valley College (Ill.), she averaged 12.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. She shot 44% from the floor and 73% from the free throw line.
• The homecoming for
Harley Paynter is off to a good start. The senior who graduated from just up the road at Boyd County High School has scored in double figures in each of the first three games, averaging 11.7 points per game. A prolific scorer in high school, she is Boyd County's second-leading scorer all-time with 2,489 points. She also holds her school's record with 994 career rebounds.
•
Michelle Ugwah represented her home country of Ireland in the 2024 FIBA U-20 Women's EuroBasket. She averaged 8.9 points and 7.6 rebounds for the tournament. Ugwah had a big game against Croatia, notching a double-double with 18 points and 18 rebounds.
•
Kate Novik is the lone returner from last season's team to see action.
Michelle Ugwah,
Alyssa Berry and
Marie Perdew were all on the roster but were unavailable due to injuries. Novik averaged 11.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. She played in all 30 games last season, making 25 starts. She was named to the Second Team All-OVC.
• This year's Morehead State roster again features an international flair. The countries of Belarus (
Kate Novik), Russia (Veronka Korchagina and Assistant Coach Vladimir Shtam), Ukraine (
Katie Dike), Canada (
Maia Rosarion) and Ireland (
Michelle Ugwah) are all represented.
• Freshman
Chrishawn Coleman has hit the ground running in her collegiate career. She has started all three games so far, averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. In her debut in an Eagle uniform, she scored 16 points, pulled down four rebounds and collected four steals. Her seven steals on the season is the second-highest total on the team.
• Interim Head Coach
Chris Palmer is a graduate of Emmanuel; the same school that Morehead State Men's Head Coach Jonathan Mattox attended.
