EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE women's basketball trailed by five at 36-31 during halftime, but Morehead State outscored the Cougars 26-16 in the third quarter to run away with the contest, 77-64, on Saturday afternoon at First Community Arena.
SIUE falls to 3-15 overall and 0-5 against Ohio Valley Conference opponents. Morehead State improves to 9-7 and 4-1.
"I thought we had a much better fight and energy about us compared to Thursday," Head Coach Samantha Quigley Smith said. "We came out and had a pretty decent start to the game. So much of the game is about little details and if you don't take care of them, they can pile up."
SIUE finished the game 21-58 (36 percent) from the field, 6-18 from three-point territory, and 16-22 at the stripe. Morehead State, who finished the contest 35 percent (24-68) overall, scored 26 points off 24 SIUE turnovers. MSU outrebounded the Cougars 43-42 and 16-11 on the offensive glass.
"We didn't take care of the basketball like we have been the last few games," added Smith. "We might have had 13 or 14 turnovers in the first half. When you turn the ball over, it leads to transition opportunities for the other team. We have to minimize those mistakes to be successful."
Three SIUE players finished in double-figures, led by Molly Sheehan's 18 points. The junior went 5-10 from the field, 2-6 from deep, and 6-7 at the charity stripe. She also led SIUE with eight of Cougars' 17 total assists.
Olivia Clayton contributed 11 points while grabbing four rebounds.
"We were very balanced in scoring, which is our goal every night," said Smith. "We had some balance in terms of finding opportunities for our forwards to have success in the paint."
Ava Stoller recorded her first collegiate double-double, scoring 11 points while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds. Nine of her boards came in the first half of play. Sofie Lowis tied a season best mark with six rebounds while Halle Smith added five.
"It's really impressive to have a freshman who's 5-6 snatch 12 rebounds," said Smith on Stoller. "It's something we can all learn from a little bit, in terms of going to get the ball."
Morehead State was led by 18 points and eight assists by Veronica Charles. Katie Novik provided 16 points off the bench.
"It comes down to defense," said Smith. "We need to lock in and focus on getting consecutive stops while finding ways to contain the glass. They had extra opportunities where we didn't give ourselves the chance to take a lead. So much of rebounding is effort and a want for the ball."
SIUE hits the road for a pair of games next week, beginning with a trip across the river at Lindenwood on Thursday, Jan. 18. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and will be streamed on EPSN+.
"Every game in the OVC is a winnable game," said Smith on next week's schedule. "As a team, we have to find some confidence and motivation in that. We are one or two wins away from being right there. Every possession, practice, and game are critical."
Stay connected with the Cougars all season long by following @SIUEWBB on X, @SIUEWBB on Instagram, and SIUE Women's Basketball on Facebook.
