WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
@Murray State 97, Mid Continent 54
Belmont 56, @UT Martin 46
Valparaiso 64, SIU Edwardsville 55

MURRAY STATE 97, MID CONTINENT 54
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State women's basketball team not only improved its 2009-10 record to 3-0, making it the best start since the 1988-89 campaign, but also extended its home-court winning streak to a school-record 20 games, with the 97-54 victory over Mid Continent at the Regional Special Events Center.

The Racers seemed to have the scoring touch, as six players tallied double-digit point totals.  Sophomore Rachael Isom tallied a team-best and career-high 17 points, while freshman Mariah Robinson recorded 16.  Sophomores Kristen Kluempers and Mallory Schwab added 12 each, and freshman Jessica Holder and Alex Duck garnered 11 and 10 points, respectively.

MSU opened the first half with an 8-0 run in the first two minutes of action, with Robinson starting the scoring for the second game in a row on a three-pointer just 22 seconds into the game.  The Racers continued to show strong shooting ability and tough defense through the game, holding the Cougars (0-6) under double-digits until 9:12 remained in the first half.  By that point MSU had tallied 32 points.  The Racers went into the locker room with a 55-25 advantage.

MSU continued its strong performance through the second half, increasing its lead to as many as 45 points before earning the 97-54 win.

MSU performed well across the stat sheet, recording a 42.7 shooting percentage (35-of-82), a 45.2 percent (14-of-31) mark from three-point range, 46 rebounds, 21 assists, eight blocks, and 26 steals.  The Racers 26 steals set a new team record for steals in a game, with the previous high being 25 against Arkansas State (Feb. 2, 1984).  The team also recorded the most blocks in a game since Jan. 22, 2005 against Tennessee State (9), good for the No. 8 spot on the MSU lists.  The Racers also recorded the fourth-best number of three-point shots in a game in school history.

BELMONT 56, UT MARTIN 46
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team accomplished one of its two primary goals in its season-opening matchup against Belmont, which was to contain reining Atlantic Sun player of the week Amber Rockwell and hold the potent Bruin offense at bay. Unfortunately though the Skyhawks were unable capitalize on the offensive end of the floor as missed opportunities ultimately allowed Belmont to escape with a 56-46 win.

The Skyhawks connected on only 19 of 33 attempts at the charity stripe and were held to only one three point bucket after draining nine from beyond the arc in their final exhibition game only two nights prior. Pace led the offensive effort for UT Martin, scoring 18 points on 6-11 shooting along with a team-high six free throws.

As a team UT Martin forced 15 Bruin turnovers but was only able to turn that into four points, while Belmont was able to pick up 11 points off 15 take-a-ways from the Skyhawks. The real difference came on the glass where Belmont out rebounded UT Martin 42-38. Haley Nelson led the Bruins on the glass with a career-best 20, while also netting a game-high 19 points.

Belmont opened the game with a Kristin Bunch three-pointer only eight seconds into the game but then only netted one more field goal until the 13:15 point of the half. The Skyhawks weren't able to capitalize though because they were held scoreless to open the game until Pace drove the lane for a layup with 15:56 left in the half.

A pair of Pace free throws pulled the game even at 8-8 with 11:29, but Belmont was able to respond and pull back ahead by five at 16-11 with 4:32 left in the half. UT Martin then went on a 6-0 run off a Pace layup and a pair of jumpers from Yalonda Davis to capture the lead at 17-16. It would be short-lived though as Belmont answered on the next trip down the floor with a Tristian Daniel layup and three-point play.

Two more free throws by Cali Cupples tied the game at 19 apiece but Belmont then closed the final 1:21 of the half on a 7-0 run to take a 26-19 lead into the locker room.

At the break Nelson already had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for Belmont, while UT Martin was led by Pace's eight points and Weatherly's four boards.

In the second half the two teams combined for 32 fouls and 39 free throw attempts. The Skyhawks 12-25 shooting at the charity strip allowed Belmont to continue building its lead in the early moments of the second period and Rockwell's only bucket of the game, a three-pointer with 14:43 remaining, allowed the Bruins to move ahead by 12. They then extended the lead to its widest margin of the night at 42-27 on a Lawanna Holiday three-pointer with 11 minutes left, before Paige Smith answered on the offensive end with the Skyhawks only 3-ball of the night.

UT Martin trimmed the lead back to single digits briefly at 42-33 on a Pace free throw with 8:23 remaining. Belmont moved back in front by as much as 13 before a late 6-0 run pulled UT Martin to its closest point of the second half at 53-46 with 1:26 left. Belmont answered with a Rachel Swisher layup to end the Skyhawk run; then a Tereva Moore free throw set the final score at 56-4

VALPARAISO 64, SIU EDWARDSVILLE 55
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville rallied back from 19 points down but didn't make it all the way back in a 64-55 loss at Valparaiso.

Melia Duncan turned in a 17-point effort before fouling out late in Wednesday's game. Raven Berry added 10 points off the bench.

Valparaiso's Lauren Kenney and Betsy Adams each scored 21 for the Crusaders, which improved to 2-0 overall. Kenney also grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.

SIUE was outrebounded overall 44-29.

After being down by just eight points at halftime, Valparaiso extended its lead to 19 with 10:56 to play. The Cougars would rally with a 20-9 run over the next eight minutes. Danielle Bennett's basket with 2:34 pulled SIUE within eight points.