Story by Gage Johnson
Senior Writer
On Thursday, Jan 24, Murray State played arguably its best game of the season against the defending OVC Champion Belmont Bruins. On Saturday, the 1-18 Lady Tigers took on the Racers and left fans in the CFSB stunned by the result of the showdown.
You could hear a pin drop as regulation came to a close, as Tennessee State claimed their second victory of the season, defeating the Racers 65-61 behind a strong performance an unlikely star.
Sophomore guard Cebria Outlow, who averages 5.0 PPG on the season, led the Lady Tigers with a season-high 31 points off the bench en route to their victory.
Murray State came out of the gates in control on both ends of the floor. Halfway through the first quarter, a 10-3 rebounding advantage had the team out in front 11-2. After the Racers gained a 19-8 lead, a full-court press from the Tigers led to a 10-2 run. By executing this defensive intensity, the Lady Tigers were able to cut their deficit to three going into the second quarter.
From there on out, it was a back-and-forth affair. Murray State would come out on top going into the locker rooms, holding a 36-31 lead.
Poor shooting struck both teams offensively in the third quarter. With 4:16 left in the third quarter, the two teams had only combined for six points. However, TSU would win the quarter by outscoring the Racers 14-12 in the quarter, and go into the fourth trailing by three.
With 2:07 left in the fourth quarter, Murray State led 60-55. Over the next two minutes, the Lady Tigers would go on a 10-1 run, claiming a 65-61 victory.
Freshman guard Macey Turley and junior forward Evelyn Adebayo combined for 36 of the Racers 61. Turley scored 20 on 6-for-15 shooting, while Adebayo scored 16 on 7-for-13 shooting and grabbed 18 rebounds.
Murray State will now hit the road after losing two straight at home. The first will be against Jacksonville State at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, at Jacksonville, Alabama.
