Morehead, Ky.-- Blistering shooting by Louisville was too much for the Morehead State women's basketball team, as the Eagles fell 107-70 Thursday night in the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville.
The Eagles finished the game shooting 27-58 from the floor (47%); the highest percentage since the season opener November 4. But the Louisville attack finished 39-62 (63%) and 16-27. The Cards (3-2) torched the nets from three-point range at a 59% clip.
Morehead State (1-4) was led in scoring by seniors Aileen Marquez with 20, and grad student Harley Paynter with a season-high 19. Marquez went 8-13 from the floor and 4-7 behind the arc. Paynter was 7-13 from the field and 5-8 from long range.
Both teams came out hot to start the game. Morehead State shot 65% from the floor, including 5-8 from 3-point range (63%), The Eagles were led by Marquez with 10 points, and Paynter with nine.
Louisville shot 9-12 (75%) from the floor in the opening frame, and 3-5 from beyond the arc, and led the Eagles 28-27 after the first 10 minutes.
While Morehead State cooled off in the second quarter hitting 33% from the floor, Louisville continued scorching the nets. The Cardinals went 11-16 from the floor (69%), and 7-11 (64%) from long-range, outscoring the Eagles 13-10 in the quarter and took a 59-37 lead into the half.
Morehead State bounced back in the third quarter, shooting 8-16 from the floor and hit all three of their trey attempts. The Eagles tied the Cards 20-20 for the quarter and went to the final frame 79-57.
Freshman Imari Berry led the Cards with a career-high 21 points on the strength of 8-12 shooting from the floor, including 5-8 from three-point range. She also went 2-2 from the free throw line. Tajianna Roberts, Isla Juffermans and Jayda Curry all added 11 for Louisville.
Morehead State will return to action next week after Thanksgiving in Spartanburg, S.C., for the Spartan Shooting Thanksgiving Tournament. The Eagles will face the host USC-Upstate on Friday and square off with Jackson State on Saturday.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
