HUNTSVILLE – The bad news for the Murray State women’s basketball Saturday is that their offensive struggles continued against Alabama A&M.
The good news is that her defense and rebound were outstanding. Their free-throw shooting wasn’t too shabby either — 85% — as the Racers limited the host team to just 22.8% shots from the field while holding a paltry 60-37 advantage on the boards in an easy 57-36 win in the finals first women’s game at brand new TM Elmore High School in Huntsville.
“If we want to be a defensive and rebound team, that’s fine with me, but we need to get our rhythm going offensively,” said Racers head coach Recelle Turner, whose team went 3-1 up early in the young season, while AA&M went 0-5 without a win. “We’re not on rhythm right now with our shooting (28.1% off the field at the end of Saturday), passing (20 turnovers) and offense, but our defense and rebounds have been exceptional.”
One of the old reliables for this team was her usual self, as forward Katelyn Young had a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds. The 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year was also 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Another veteran racer, guard Macey Turley, posted 14 points and three assists.
However, it was forward Jaidah Black’s improved game that continued to matter Story. After making several big plays in a win against UT Chattanooga a week earlier, she surpassed herself on Saturday, finishing with 18 rebounds, seven of which were on offense, three blocked shots and two four-point steals.
“She’s capable of doing that very well with the confidence she has now,” said Turner, who made it 6-0 a sophomore by including her in the starting XI on Saturday. “She’s focused on recovering and sometimes we focus on the wrong things. But because she’s focused on rebounds (which has given the Racers a 13-1 advantage in second chance points and a 20-10 advantage in offensive boards), she’s able to sometimes convert those rebounds into points , which gives us second and third opportunities.”
This game was anything but artistic and that on both sides of the midfield strip. Throughout the game, the action kept getting interrupted for one reason or another, and while she refused to use that as an excuse, Turner said it bothered her team because those interruptions came while her team appeared to be winning offensively a certain continuity.
Young said her team needed to breathe and take their time.
“Most of the time there were tons of people (in the suit on second-chance occasions) and we have to take our time, walk on two legs, be strong and tough,” she said.
Young had a consecutive free throw streak that ended on 42. This is now the second time in her racing career that she has made at least 30 consecutive charity rolls. According to Murray State Athletics, Young is the only player in school history to achieve this.
The 36 points allowed also marks the first time a Murray State team held an NCAA Division 1 opponent below the 40-point mark since 2011, when the Racers held Southeast Missouri to 34.