Redhawks women out for revenge at Murray

The Murray State women's basketball team is not having nearly the type of success it did last year when it won the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title.

But the Racers looked plenty good to Southeast Missouri State on Jan. 23 as they routed the Redhawks 90-72 at the Show Me Center.

Southeast hopes to reverse that outcome tonight and also pick up a much-needed win when the squads square off at 7 p.m. in Murray, Ky.

"I can't remember being part of a game where we gave up 90 points," Southeast coach John Ishee said.

The Redhawks (7-17, 4-10) have lost five straight and nine of 11. They are last in the 10-team OVC, one game out of eighth. The top eight finishers qualify for the OVC tournament.

"We've got to win two or three," said Ishee, whose squad has four OVC contests remaining. "But you have to win one first and it starts [tonight]."

MSU (11-14, 6-8) is sixth in the OVC after losing just two conference games all of last season when the Racers went 23-9 overall.

The Racers lead the OVC in scoring with an average of 70.3 points per game. By contrast, Southeast averages just 53.2 points, including a league-worst 50.8 in OVC play.

Southeast couldn't slow down MSU in the earlier meeting as the Racers shot 50 percent from the field and hit 13 of 31 3-pointers (41.9 percent).

MSU features a balanced offensive attack led by sophomore guard Rachael Isom (12.5 ppg), senior guard Kayla Vance (12.2) and senior guard Mallory Luckett (10.0).

Luckett leads the OVC in assists (5.6) and 3-point percentage (44.6).

"We've got to play with every ounce of energy we've got," Ishee said.

Following tonight's game, Southeast has its final OVC road contest Saturday at Tennessee-Martin.

The Redhawks finish the regular season next week with conference home games against Tennessee State and Austin Peay.