MSU Women's Hoops Scraps to the End but Fall 64-58 at UT Martin

Morehead, Ky.-- Morehead State ran into a hot-shooting UT Martin squad that hit better than 50% from the floor and fell to the Skyhawks 64-58 Saturday afternoon in the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center in Martin, Tennessee snapping the Eagles' six-game winning streak.
 
Morehead State (15-10, 10-4 OVC) was led in scoring by Violet McNece, who matched her career high with 18 points for the second straight game. McNece hit six of her nine three-point attempts, adding three rebounds and also matching her career high with three assists.
 
Laura Toffali added 15 points and gathered three steals. Kate Dike finished with 13 points and pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
 
After trailing the entire second half, the Eagles cut the UTM lead to 59-57 on a Dike layup with 3:42 remaining in the game. Morehead State ended the game without another field goal. In the quarter, MSU shot 5-15 (33%) and shot 38% from the floor for the game.
 
UT Martin (13-10, 9-5 OVC) was led by Kenley McCarn with 20 points, highlighted by four of five shooting from three-point range. Brittani Wells finished with 17 and Zy Thompson chipped in 13.
 
The game was tightly contested in the opening quarter, with four lead changes and two ties. Morehead State got an early seven-point run capped by a three-pointer by McNece to go ahead 9-4. UTM rallied and led at the quarter break 14-13.
 
The Skyhawks caught fire in the second quarter hitting seven of their 11 field goal attempts and three of four from behind the arc. Morehead State managed four of 12 shooting from the field and hit three of nine from distance. The Eagles trailed 31-26 at the half.
 
The hot shooting continued out of the intermission. Morehead State heated up hitting half of their field goal attempts and went five of nine (56%) from three-point range. UTM hit seven of 11 (64%) from the floor and drained four of their seven three-pointers (57%). The Skyhawks led 50-44 after three quarters.
 
The Eagles trailed by as much as eight twice, the last time coming with just over eight minutes to play. MSU whittled the lead down to two twice before losing the range from the field.
 
Morehead State will return home next to take on Tennessee Tech Thursday in Johnson Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.
 
NOTABLE

• Morehead State finished shooting 19-50 (38%) from the field and 10-30 (33%) from three-point range.  UT Martin shot 25-48 (52%) from the floor and 10-18 (56%) from three-point range.
• Turnovers plagued both teams: MSU finished with 17, UTM ended with 18 miscues. Morehead State had a 13-12 edge in points off turnovers.
• UT Martin hit four of six (67%) from the free throw line. Morehead State went 10-14 (71%). That's the sixth consecutive game the Eagles have hit better than 70% from the charity stripe, and it's the first game in that span they hit less than 75%.
• UTM outrebounded MSU 28-26. The Eagles had six boards off the offensive glass to three for the Skyhawks. MSU had a 5-4 edge in second chance points.
• Laura Toffali now has 73 steals this season; that's the seventh-most in a season in program history.