Morehead, Ky., -- The Morehead State women's basketball team endured a barrage of threes from SIUE in the first half, battled back to a lead but fell 83-75 Thursday in Johnson Arena.
SIUE (5-21/ 3-14 OVC) made 11 of 16 three-pointers (67%) in the first twenty minutes while shooting 18 for 30 (60%) from the floor. Morehead State (8-19/ 3-14 OVC) opened the game shooting 10 of 19 (52%) from the floor in the first quarter but cooled off to just 28% in the second frame. The Cougars took a 49-39 lead into the intermission.
The Eagles were led by
Chrishawn Coleman with 20 points, her fifth game of the season with 20 or more points.
Harley Paynter finished with 18, her fourth straight game in double figures.
Kate Novik finished with 11, and
Michelle Ugwah just missed her first career double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
Maia Rosarion finished with a game-high 11 rebounds, her fifth double-digit rebounding effort of the season.
The Eagles ran off eight straight points out of the intermission capped off by a
Kuryn Brunson lay-in to pull within 49-47. The Eagles got their first lead since the first minute of the game with a Coleman three-pointer to make it 54-43 with 3:36 left in the quarter. SIUE took a 65-60 lead into the final frame.
SIUE stretched the lead to as many as nine early in the fourth quarter. MSU responded with an 8-0 run capped by a
Maia Rosarion layup off an SIUE turnover to pull within one, 72-71 with 4:03 to go. SIUE responded with an eight-point run of their own and were never again threatened.
The Cougars were led by KK Rodriguez with 27 points on 10-14 shooting from the floor, including 4-5 from three-point range and 3-4 from the free throw line. Macy Silvey added 14 and Ava Gugliuzza finished with 12.
Morehead State returns to action Saturday when they host Eastern Illinois in Johnson Arena in the final home game of the season. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Morehead State won the battle on the glass 40-30. The Eagles also had a 12-6 edge on the offensive glass, led by Rosarion with five. MSU had a 13-9 advantage in second-chance points.
- The Eagles went 15-18 (83%) from the free throw line, the second straight game they shot better than 80% for the game. SIUE was 7-13 (24%) in free throws.
- MSU committed 18 turnovers to 13 for the Cougars. SIUE held a 20-15 edge in points off turnovers.
- SIUE assisted on 21 of their 30 field goals for the game. MSU had nine of their 27 field goals assisted.
