MURRAY, Ky. – Murray State withstood Saint Louis’ strong second-half comeback attempt and defeated the Billikens 78-64 Saturday night at Murray State’s CFSB Center.
Courtney Webb scored 20 points, including a 4-of-6 effort from 3-point range, to lead Saint Louis (2-5). Janisha Gearlds netted a season-high 14 points, including 10 in the second half, while Lorreal Jones recorded her second double-double of the season with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Murray State (3-5), which fell to Saint Louis 59-49 last Saturday at Chaifetz Arena, got a game-high 21 points and four steals from Erica Burgess. Mariah Robinson had 14 points and nine rebounds, Kayla Lowe contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, and Tessa Elkins tossed in 12 points to go with a game-high four assists.
The Billikens edged the Racers 47-45 on the boards, giving SLU the rebounding advantage for a seventh time in seven games this season. Webb grabbed a season-high seven, Desirae Ball had a career-high six and Gearlds tied her season high with five.
Trailing 51-39, the Billikens put together a 14-5 run that made it a one-possession game. Gearlds banked in a 3-pointer, and Webb got a kind bounce on a trey of her own. Webb’s driving layup narrowed the Murray State lead to 51-47.
After a bucket and two free throws gave the Racers a 55-48 advantage, Ball put back an offensive rebound for a basket, and Gearlds made a free throw followed by a strong driving layup to whittle the MSU lead to 56-53.
Unfortunately, that was as close as the Bills would get as Murray State scored on five of its next six possessions to pull out to a 66-55 advantage. SLU scored five straight points to make it a 66-60 game, but Mariah Robinson collected a loose ball and hit a 3-pointer to re-establish control for the Racers.
The Billikens jumped out to a 12-4 lead with the help of five early points from Webb, who scored 15 in the opening period, but a 10-0 run gave Murray State a 14-12 edge. After Webb hit a long 2-pointer to knot the score at 14, Mariah Robinson’s driving layup gave the Racers the first-half lead for good and sparked a 7-0 spurt that put the hosts on top 21-14.
Murray State expanded the lead to 30-18 before a 12-4 Saint Louis flurry narrowed the lead to 34-30. Gearlds ignited the run with two free throws, and Webb hit a jumper in the lane. Jones recorded a three-point play and followed with two free throws to make it 34-27, and Webb punctuated the spurt with a trey from the right wing. However, Murray State tallied a driving layup and a 3-pointer on its final two possessions to take a 39-30 advantage to the locker room.
Saint Louis stays on the road to take on Wisconsin Monday, Dec. 5. Tip time at the Kohl Center is 7 p.m.
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