Story by Gage Johnson
Sports Editor
gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
In the midst of a three-way tie for the fifth seed in the OVC, Murray State women’s basketball couldn’t carry its momentum into Clarksville, falling to Austin Peay in a Battle of the Border matchup.
With the game coming to a close the Racers were scoreless for the final 2:45, while the Governors took off on a 6-0 run to propel them to a 59-56 victory.
Murray State came running out of the gates to open up play. An 11-2 run over the first four minutes of the game had the Racers looking to run away with the game. However, Austin Peay retaliated with a 9-0 run of its own.
The two continued to go back and forth in the second quarter, but Murray State ultimately headed into the locker room with a 34-28 lead in large part to junior forward Evelyn Adebayo’s 14 first-half points.
In the second half, the Racers couldn’t find their rhythm offensively. After gaining a nine-point lead in the third quarter, the Governors cut it to 41-35. Thanks to shooting troubles for Murray State, the Racers never regained an insurmountable lead after that.
After shooting 52 percent from the field in the first half, the Racers shot 25 percent from the field in the second. However, Murray State still found themselves in a position to win in the fourth quarter.
With 23 seconds left to play the Racers had possession trailing 57-56. After freshman guard Macey Turley missed a jumper, the Governors rebounded the ball and sank the ensuing free throw to go up 59-56. With six seconds to play, Adebayo shot a three from the top of the key and it didn’t fall, giving Austin Peay the 59-56 win.
When Murray State can’t find a third primary scorer this season, it tends to show in the win-loss columns. After a solid first half, Adebayo struggled scoring only two points in the second half. While sophomore guard Janika Griffith-Wallace picked up the slack with 14 second-half points and 22 points to finish the game, no other Racer finished with more than eight points.
Murray State will return home after the two-game road stint to take on UT Martin and Southeast Missouri. The Racers will face off against UT Martin first at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, at the CFSB Center.