The greatest season in Murray State women’s basketball history ended as the Racers fell 92-57 to the University of Iowa Hawkeyes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Norman, Oklahoma on Saturday, March 22.
The loss marked the end of their 10-game win streak.
The Racers played the Hawkeyes close in the first half, only being down five with 1:31 left in the half. Iowa didn’t go easy on them, finishing the half on a 7-0 run to take a 42-30 lead into the halftime break. Of the seven players that saw the floor for Murray State in the first half, five of them each had six points.
The second half started by delivering a devastating blow to the Racers, as graduate forward Katelyn Young fell to the ground clutching her ankle. The training staff did everything they could but after she tried to jog on the ankle, the decision was made that she wouldn’t return to the game. Young’s day and historic career was over 39 seconds into the second half.
With 3:04 left in the third quarter and Iowa leading by 18, senior forward Ava Learn picked up her fifth personal foul and the fourth Racers foul of the quarter. She walked down the bench in tears as her collegiate career came to an end.
Any momentum the Racers could muster was gone after their two senior leaders were done, and Iowa kept the foot on the accelerator. Iowa’s defense held the Racers to their worst game statistically of the season.
Murray State shot a season-low 31% from the field and 17% from the three-point line. Their 57 points was also a season low.
Sophomore guard Halli Poock led the Racers with 15 points. She went 0-for-8 from the three-point line. Junior guard Briley Pena finished with nine points, all of which came from the three-point line. Sophomore guard Haven Ford, freshman guard Braxcynn Baker and Learn all finished with eight points. Learn also finished with a game-high 10 rebounds.
Young finishes her career 14th all-time in scoring Division 1 women’s basketball. She finished with six points against the Hawkeyes and 3,029 for her career. Young reiterated in the post-game press conference how much Murray State meant to her.
“It’s pretty sad coming to an end, but I’m glad I came here,” Young said. “It was the best decision ever.”
Head Coach Rechelle Turner talked about how you don’t replace people but you have to “figure out a way to replace their productivity” when talking about the senior class.
“(Katelyn, Ava and Trinity) gave us so many things, sometimes not even in the stat sheet,” Turner said. “It’s going to be difficult to say ‘Oh we’ll replace them with this person or that person or that type of player.’ They’re a special group.”
The Racers finished the season with a program-best 25 wins and were co-regular season champions and tournament champions of the Missouri Valley Conference.
