(MURRAY, Ky.) — Halli Poock and Sharnecce Currie-Jelks each scored 28 points to lead Murray State to a 96-88 victory over Saint Louis on Saturday night at the CFSB Center.
The Racers (2-1) overcame a slow shooting night by dominating at the free-throw line, converting 44 of 50 attempts for an impressive 88 percent. The performance at the charity stripe proved decisive in a back-and-forth contest that featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes.
“We knew we had to be aggressive and get to the line,” said Poock, who finished 15-of-17 from the free-throw line to go with five rebounds and four assists. “That’s where we won this game.”
Currie-Jelks matched Poock’s 28-point output while adding 10 rebounds for a double-double. She was equally efficient from the line, hitting 13 of 15 free throws.
Keslyn Secrist added 18 points for Murray State, hitting three three-pointers and grabbing 10 rebounds for her own double-double performance.
Saint Louis (1-4) was led by Zya Nugent’s 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Alexia Nelson added 21 points on an efficient 10-of-19 from the field, while Zhykera Brown contributed 14 points including three three-pointers.
The Billikens shot 46.1 percent from the field compared to Murray State’s 34.3 percent, but the Racers’ 26-point advantage at the free-throw line made the difference. Saint Louis attempted just 14 free throws, making 12.
Murray State seized control with a dominant fourth quarter, outscoring the visitors 38-30. The Racers’ fast break proved particularly effective, generating 29 points compared to just 11 for Saint Louis.
The game remained tight through three quarters, with the teams knotted at 58-58 heading into the final period. But Murray State’s aggressive play earned them repeated trips to the line in the fourth quarter, where they converted 26 of 29 free-throw attempts.
Saint Louis fought back late, with Brown hitting back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
Murray State also held advantages in points off turnovers (21-14) and bench points (11-12), while Saint Louis dominated in the paint with a 40-24 edge.
A crowd of 2,147 watched the contest officiated by Terra Moyers, Angel Kent, and Troy Winders.
Saint Louis (1-4) will look to bounce back from their fourth consecutive loss, while Murray State will head back out on the road for a 11AM matchup Tuesday with the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign.
