OTAHKIANS MISFIRE AGAINST MURRAY ST.

MURRAY, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball coach Ed Arnzen knew winning at Murray State Thursday night would not be easy.

But Arnzen came away particularly frustrated after the Lady Racers used a late spurt to post a 62-61 victory over the Otahkians at the Regional Special Events Center.

"This game was there for the taking," said Arnzen. "We just didn't play very well."

The Otahkians, who lost their second contest during this week's key three-game road swing, fell to 12-10 overall and 7-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play. They remained in fourth place in the nine-team league.

MSU, which broke a four-game losing streak, improved to 7-16 overall and 5-7 in the OVC.

Despite getting what Arnzen thought were plenty of good looks most of the night, the Otahkians hit just 20 of 52 field-goal attempts for a dismal 38.5 percent.

"Tonight we just couldn't shoot a lick. That was the story of the game for us," Arnzen said. "I thought we got good shots, but we just didn't hit them."

The Lady Racers also shot poorly (22 of 60 for 36.7 percent) as the game was not exactly an artistic masterpiece. Both teams had 18 turnovers.

"I don't think either team played very well. It was not a pretty game," said Arnzen. "We both shot poorly, but they outrebounded us (44 to 37) and I thought that was a big factor."

MSU senior center Monika Gadson, the OVC's leading rebounder, had a huge game as she scored 23 points and matched her rebounding average by grabbing 10 boards.

"She's a very strong player inside and she really hurt us," said Arnzen.

Liz Stansberry added 14 points for the Lady Racers.

Lori Chase, LaShelle Porter and freshman Tisa Thomas all scored 12 points for the Otahkians. Tiffany Melis added nine.

The Otahkians trailed briefly early but controlled most of the first half, building their biggest lead at 20-12. Southeast was still up 30-23 in the late going, but MSU scored the final seven points of the period to pull into a 30-30 halftime tie.

Thomas scored all 12 of her points in the opening half while Porter had 10 points to account for the bulk of the Otahkians' offense over the first 20 minutes.

In the second half, the lead changed hands seven times. Southeast led for the last time at 55-54 after Chase hit one of two free throws with 3:53 remaining.

The Lady Racers then scored six straight points to take control. Gadson's follow shot at the 3:39 mark put MSU up for good at 56-55.

After Denise McDonald, who pulled down 10 rebounds, scored a fast-break layup, Gadson got another follow shot with 2:25 left to put the Lady Racers ahead 60-55.

A conventional three-point play by Chase with 2:10 remaining pulled the Otahkians to within 60-58, but Stansberry hit two free throws with 1:24 left to put MSU up 62-58.

Melis drilled a 17-footer at the 1:06 mark as Southeast closed to within 62-60, then the Otahkians had a chance to tie with 39 seconds left, but Veronica Benson made just one of two free throws, leaving the score 62-61.

The squads traded turnovers before MSU twice missed the front end of one-and-one opportunities, so the Otahkians had a chance to win at the end.

But Melis misfired on an open 3-point attempt in the closing seconds and time ran out as several players from both teams scrambled on the floor for a loose ball.

"We got a good look at the end but it just didn't fall," Arnzen said. "That's pretty much the way the entire game went for us."