WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM GETS DOUBLE DIGITS FROM THREE PLAYERS AGAINST MURRAY STATE
Boxscore
MARTIN– Junior guards Jasmine Newsome and Heather Butler scored 25 and 19 points respectively while senior Rickiesha Bryant continued to be a dominate factor inside for The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team Saturday afternoon at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center.
Newsome has led the Skyhawks in scoring five times this season and her effort against Murray State marked the third time she has led the team in scoring with 25 points.
However, visiting Murray State had five players score in double digits as they claimed an 82-72 victory over UT Martin in an Ohio Valley Conference title. Both UT Martin and Murray State are now 1-1 in the OVC race.
“Murray State played with a lot of passion and heart and just did things the right way,” UT Martin head coach Kevin McMillan said.
Senior Mariah Robinson led Murray State with 26 points, while freshman Erika Sisk tossed in 16 points.
The difference in the game came at the free throw line where Murray State was 25-of-39 for 64 percent. Robinson was 6-of-8 and Bianca Babic was 5-of-6.
The Skyhawks were 11-of-16 from the line for 68 percent. Newsome was 4-of-5 at the charity stripe against Murray State. The Millington native is 24-of-27 from the line in her last six games.
Murray State claimed a 44-42 advantage, with 18:15 in the game, when Sisk made a 3-pointer. The Racers never trailed in the game again.
In the first half, the lead went back and forth 10 times much like a teeter-totter in a park goes up and down. Murray State claimed a 3-0 lead to open the game, but the Skyhawks went on a 10-0 run to claim a 10-3 advantage, with 14:01, when Newsome canned one of her three 3-pointers in the game.
With 2:21 to play, freshman Katie Schubert made a free throw to give the Skyhawks a 38-37 lead. Schubert finished the game with four points and four rebounds.
Murray State’s Keiona Kirby made a layup with 28 seconds left in the half and the Racers grabbed a 39-38 edge at the half.
“We found out today that you can’t overcome things you’ve already done,” McMillan said. “You have to play the right way for 40 minutes and just take what comes. Tonight we just didn’t do that. Once we started pressing (emotionally) we just couldn’t overcome.”
The Skyhawks will close out their three-game league homestand at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 7, when they host the Lady Govs from Austin Peay.
Notes:
- Junior Heather Butler extended her games with at least one 3-pointer to 62. Butler is closing in on the NCAA Division I record for most games (69) with a 3-pointer made. She also extended her streak of double-digit scoring games to 79 against Murray State.
- Senior Rickiesha Bryant finished the game with three blocks. She is now second in career blocks. Mary Kate Long (1985-89) holds the school record for most blocks in her career with 203.
- Junior Jasmine Newsome is 24-of-27 at the free throw line in her last six games.
Photo Courtesy of Randy Cavin/Union City Messenger and Weakley County Press