MURRAY, Ky. – Alabama A&M (0-6, 0-0 SWAC) hung with one of the top teams in the Ohio Valley Conference for a half but could not overcome a massive 29-9 run as they fell by a 66-40 score at Murray State (5-1, 0-0 OVC) in an NCAA Division I women's basketball game on Saturday, November 27.
 
Senior forward Dariauna Lewis (Omaha, Neb.) led the way for the Bulldogs with four points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks and graduate guard Nigeria Jones (Lincoln, Neb.) added eight points, two assists and two steals.
 
Graduate guard DeShawna Harper (Indianapolis, Ind.) chipped in with eight points and senior center Jada Clowers (Macon, Ga.) came away with six points, six caroms and a pair of steals. Freshman guard Jill Harris (Navarre, Fla.) rounded things out with six points, a block and two boards.
 
A&M would jump out to an early 9-3 advantage over the first 2:46 behind four different scorers before the Racers offense came to life with a 14-5 run that flipped the script and put them up 17-14 with 1:42 remaining in the opening frame. A triple by sophomore guard Darian Burgin (Cincinnati, Ohio) at the 53 second mark then sent the teams to the second deadlocked at 17-17.
 
The lead would then change hands three times in the opening 2:22 behind a Macey Turley bucket, a Harris three and a fast break basket by MSU's Hannah McKay. The latter kicked off another 14-5 run, this to close the half and put the Racers ahead 35-25 at the break.
 
Over the course of the third quarter, that margin would grow to 21 as Murray State outscored the Bulldogs 15-4, making for an overall run of 29-9 in a span of 17:38. That powerful stretch put the score at 50-29 heading to the fourth.
 
The teams alternated buckets over the first five minutes but it would not get much better from there as the Racers maintained at least a 19 point lead before closing out the 66-40 victory.
 
Leading that effort was ­Katelyn Young with a monster double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds while McKay came away with 13 points, five boards and four assists. Turley added 10 points with five assists, five caroms and a pair of steals and Alexis Burpo capped the top performers with a well-rounded day of six points, four rebounds, two assists, a pair of blocks and a steal.
 
Alabama A&M will now be off until Thursday, December 9 when they take the short trip to Birmingham, Alabama to face Samford. Game time is set for 6 p.m.