Eagle Women Go Cold in 4th Quarter, Fall 73-68 at Little Rock

Morehead, Ky. -- A frigid fourth quarter from the floor sank Morehead State's chances as the Eagles fell to Little Rock 73-68 Thursday night in the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock, Arkansas in the Eagles' season finale.
 
MSU's Violet McNeece canned a three-pointer at the 7:01 mark of the final stanza to put the Eagles ahead 60-54. The Eagles would not score another field goal until Laura Toffali made a layup with 21 seconds to play to trim the Little Rock lead to 70-66.
 
Morehead State (18-13, 13-7 OVC) hit just two of their seven field goal attempts in the final 10 minutes. Little Rock sizzled in the final frame, hitting nine of 12 from the floor and 10 of 13 from the free throw line. The Eagles also committed eight turnovers in the final period.
 
The Eagles were led by Laura Toffali, who sparkled in the second half. Toffali poured in a career-high 32 points, 22 in the final 20 minutes. Toffali shot 11-21 (52%) including three of six from three point range. She hit seven of her eight free throw attempts, pulled down seven rebounds and recorded five steals.
 
Kate Dike tossed in 15 points and led the Eagles with eight rebounds. McNece finished with 12 points, hitting four of eight beyond the arc.
 
Little Rock was led by Jordan Holman, who also posted a new career high with 29 points. Holman hit seven of 17 from the floor and 12-14 from the free throw line. Destinee Salgado added 13 and Alaina Payne chipped in 10.
 
Tied at 30-30 at the half, Morehead State rolled out of the intermission with a 9-1 run led by Toffali with seven of those points and capped by a free throw by Kate Dike to push ahead 40-31 with 5:35 left in the period. Toffali scored 14 points in the period hitting six of seven shot from the floor and two of three from three-point range.
 
The Eagles hit 47% (9-19) from the floor and five of their 12 three-point attempts. MSU outscored Little Rock 24-15 in the quarter and led 54-45 heading into the final frame.
 
The Eagles got off to a quick start in the game, hitting six of their first nine shots from the floor. Kate Dike led the MSU attack with 11 points on five of five shooting from the floor. MSU hit seven of its 11 shots from the floor (64%). Little Rock hit five of 11 (46%) from the field. The Eagles led 17-13 after the first 10 minutes.
 
Morehead State cooled off in the second quarter, missing its first six shots in the period. The Eagles hit just four of 15 (27%) from the floor in the quarter. Little Rock fared a little better, hitting five of its 14 shots (36%).
 
Morehead State will get back on the court next Thursday afternoon in the quarter-finals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. Morehead State is guaranteed to be at least the four seed in the tournament, depending upon the outcome of Saturday's Southern Indiana-Little Rock game.
 
If Southern Indiana wins, Morehead State will be the four seed. If Little Rock wins Saturday, the Eagles will head to Evansville as the three seed.
 
NOTABLE

• Morehead State finished shooting 42% (22-52) from the field. The Eagles hit nine of their 26 three-point shots. Little Rock finished 21-49 (43%) from the floor and three of 10 from three-point range.
• The Eagles went 15 of 22 (68%) from the free throw line. Little Rock hit 28 of its 34 free throws for (82%).
• The Trojans outrebounded Morehead State 35-30
• Both teams committed 18 turnovers. Little Rock had a 19-18 edge in points off turnovers.
• Toffali's five steals gives her 94 total on the season, one away from the program record of 95 set by Chynna Bozeman in the 2010-11 season.
• McNece ended the season scoring in double figures in seven of the last eight games.