MOREHEAD, KY -- After battling to the final horn, the Morehead State women's basketball team took down SIUE 69-66 in a close contest at Johnson Arena Thursday night.
Veronica Charles chipped in with 16 points and five assists. Blessing King tacked on seven points to her 11-rebound game for the Eagles (12-10, 7-4 OVC), while Katie Novik helped out with eight points and eight rebounds. Matilda Soderlund hit some big shots off the bench, tallying 14 points in her first double figure scoring game since December.
King pulled down three offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second chance opportunities for Morehead State, grabbing 13 boards and turning them into 10 second chance points.
The Morehead State defense held SIU-Edwardsville shooters to just 34.9 percent from the field.
How It Happened
After playing to an 8-8 tie early in the game, Morehead State went on a 7-0 run with 5:09 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Matilda Soderlund, to take a 15-8 lead. The Eagles then maintained that lead and entered the quarter break with a 25-18 advantage. Morehead State relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down four shots to account for 12 of its 25 points.
The Eagles maintained their lead in the game's second frame and entered halftime with a 41-35 edge. Morehead State was strong from deep in the period, knocking down three three-point shots to account for nine of its 16 points.
After intermission, Morehead State added to its advantage and owned a 55-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Morehead State played well near the basket, scoring eight of its 14 points in the paint.
The Eagles then held on for the victory in the fourth quarter. Morehead State got a boost from its bench in the period, with non-starters scoring four of its 14 total points.
Game Notes
» The Eagles held the Cougars to only 34.9 percent shooting from the field.
» The Eagles never trailed after taking a 25-18 first quarter lead.
» The Eagles shared the ball well, recording an assist on 71 percent of made field goals.
» Morehead State had a 44-32 edge on the boards in the win.
» Morehead State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 13 offensive boards in the game.
» Veronica Charles led the Eagles with 16 points.
» Morehead State got a game-high 11 rebounds from Blessing King.
Morehead State will look to secure another season sweep on Saturday, as the Eagles host Eastern Illinois.
