Story by Bryan Edwards, Staff Writer
After opening the season winning four of their first five games, the Murray State women’s basketball team traveled to Athens, Ohio, to go up against the Ohio University Bobcats.
After scoring a big run in the second quarter, the Racers couldn’t close the gap, falling 79-70 to the Bobcats.
The Racers struggled throughout the first quarter, shooting 39 percent from the field, digging a hole early and trailing the Bobcats 24-14. The Racers’ defense allowed Ohio to shoot 53 percent in the first quarter.
The Racers found the bottom of the net in the second quarter, going on a 14-0 point run in the middle of the second, tying the game at 28 points each. The Racers would go into the half trailing the Bobcats 38-36 after senior guard LeAsia Wright hit a three-point jumper at the buzzer.
Murray State made eight threes in the half, shooting 41 percent in the first 20 half and were led by junior forward Ke’Shunan James, who had 11 points. The Bobcats shot 42 percent from the field in the first half.
The Bobcats came out in the second half and allowed the Racers to score 13 points in the third quarter, extending their lead to nine going into the final quarter of the game, 58-49.
Murray State couldn’t close the nine point gap for the remainder of the game, falling to the Bobcats 79-70.
Wright led the Racers with 22 points on the night in the loss, with James adding 18 points behind her.
The Racers (4-2) will be back on the floor at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 28, in Johnson City, Tennessee, against East Tennessee State University.