GAME NOTES | SCHEDULE PAGE (LINKS TO LIVE AUDIO, LIVE VIDEO AND LIVE STATS)
Morehead, Ky.-- The Morehead State women's basketball team travels to Nashville for a pivotal game at Tennessee State Thursday. The teams are tied for eighth place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings, the final place to qualify for a trip to the OVC tournament next week. The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Network (flagship WIVY 96.3 FM) with Tom Lewis and
Drew Barnette on the call. The game can also be seen on ESPN+.
Morehead State is coming off a thrilling 62-61 win over Eastern Illinois Saturday in the Eagles' home finale of the season. With Morehead State down 61-59 with four seconds to play, sophomore guard
Kate Novik took an inbounds pass at half court and drove the right side of the lane for a layup to tie the game, getting fouled on the play. Novik made the free throw for the game winner. She led all scorers with 23 points.
Aileen Marquez added 15 for MSU, going five for seven from three-point range.
Tennessee State lost at Tennessee Tech 84-71 Saturday in Cookeville, Tenn. The Tigers were paced by Somah Kamara with 24 points. Aaniya Webb added 10 for TSU. Tennessee Tech dominated the Tigers on the glass, outrebounding TSU 41-27. Tech was opportunistic as well, although they had six more turnovers than TSU, they had a 24-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
RECORDS
MSU 9-19/ 4-14 OVC | TSU 8-20/ 4-14 OVC
THE SERIES
Record vs. Tennessee State: 42-32
Last Meeting: MSU won 68-51 in Morehead (12/21/24)
First Meeting: MSU won 67-60 in Nashville (1/20/88)
Streak: MSU, 1 game
Record in Morehead: 26-10
Record in Nashville: 16-20
Record at Neutral Sites: 0-2
NOTABLE
• In these teams' first matchup of the season, Morehead State outscored Tennessee State 39-17 in the second half to erase a five-point halftime deficit to win 68-51 December 21 in Johnson Arena The Eagles placed four players in double figures led by
Chrishawn Coleman and
Michelle Ugwah with 16 points apiece. Ugwah just missed her first career double-double with nine rebounds.
Katie Dike added 12 and
Kate Novik posted her third double-double of her career with 10 points and 10 assists.Tennessee State was led by Saniah Parker with 16 points.
• MSU's free throw percentage of 68.3% in conference play ranks ninth in the OVC. On the season the Eagles have hit 67.2% of their free throws, which ranks 10th in the OVC. Tennessee State is last in the conference hitting 60.6% of their free throws.
• Morehead State ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference with 284 steals on the season. Tennessee State leads the OVC with 291.
• In conference play, MSU ranks sixth with a -1.1 rebounding margin. Tennessee State ranks last in the OVC with a -5.3 rebounding margin.
• Tennessee State and Morehead State rank 1-2 in offensive rebounds. TSU has pulled down 368 boards off the offensive glass. MSU has gathered 352 offensive boards.
• Morehead State ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference with 114 blocked shots (4.1 per game average). In conference play the Eagles rank fourth, averaging 3.6 blocked shots per game. In conference games, MSU has swatted 65 opponents' shots, behind Eastern Illinois, Tennessee Tech and SEMO. The Eagles' season-high was nine at UTEP on November 10.
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Chrishawn Coleman leads Morehead State averaging 13.1 points per game in conference play. That ranks 13th in the conference. She also leads MSU in steals in conference play with 32, which ranks 10th in the OVC.
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Maia Rosarion leads the Eagles and ranks seventh in the OVC in conference games averaging 6.9 rebounds per game. She ranks second in the OVC averaging just over three offensive rebounds per game in league play.
• Rosarion She also ranks seventh in the OVC with 17 blocked shots in league play.
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Katie Dike has 35 blocked shots on the season, which ranks fourth in the OVC. She has 24 blocked shots in conference play, which ranks fifth in the OVC.
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Kate Novik has shot 19-21 (90.5%) in the last five games at the free throw line. On the season, she has hit 80.2% of her charity tosses, which ranks seventh in the OVC. In conference play she is hitting at a 82.1% clip.
• Novik finished with 23 points in Saturday's 62-61 win over Eastern Illinois, her third 20+ performance on the season. She set her career-high of 27 at USC-Upstate November 29. On the season, she leads Morehead State averaging 13.6 points per game, which ranks seventh in the OVC. Her 43.7% accuracy from the floor this season ranks sixth in the conference.
• Novik not only scores, she can dish it out too. She leads the OVC averaging 4.7 assists per game on the season.
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Aileen Marquez and
Harley Paynter rank 13th and 14th respectively in the OVC in three-point baskets made. Marquez has sunk 42 treys, Paynter 39.
