The Murray State women’s basketball team is set to kick off the new year with a matchup against Valparaiso on Sunday afternoon. The Racers enter the game with a 1-0 record in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) after a 68-55 victory over UIC. Katelyn Young led the way for Murray State with 21 points, while Hannah McKay recorded a double-double with 17 points and a season-high 12 rebounds.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the Racers and the Beacons. Valparaiso comes into the game with a 2-7 overall record and has lost each of its last seven contests. Leah Earnest leads the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game, followed by Olivia Brown and Ali Saunders at 12.1 and 12.0 points per game, respectively. Earnest also leads Valparaiso in rebounds with 8.8 per game. As a team, the Beacons average 65.3 points on 43.3% shooting with 32.4 rebounds per game. Their opponents, on the other hand, average 75.9 points on 41.5% shooting with 38.4 rebounds per game.
A win for Murray State would bring the team two victories away from reaching two historic milestones. It would give the Racers 649 all-time program wins and 199 all-time wins at the CFSB Center. This will be the sixth time that Murray State has played on New Year’s Day, with a record of 2-3 in those games. Four of the five games were decided by one possession.
Young has scored 20 or more points in five or more games this season, and the Racers are currently ranked 17th in the nation in 3-point percentage. They shot 10-for-17 from beyond the arc in their last game and are shooting 37.4% from downtown for the season.
In addition to Young and McKay, Murray State will also look to key contributors like Anna Nilsson, who leads the team in assists with 3.9 per game, and Te’Airra Lewis, who is averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. The Racers will need to continue their strong shooting and defensive efforts in order to come out on top against the Beacons.
Valparaiso will look to bounce back from their loss to Belmont and pick up their first MVC win of the season. In addition to Earnest, Brown, and Saunders, the Beacons will also rely on players like Ella Van Weelden, who is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game, and Kaitlyn Slagus, who is averaging 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Sunday’s matchup promises to be a competitive and exciting start to the new year for both teams. Who will come out on top? Tune in to the CFSB Center at 2 p.m. to find out.
