GAME NOTES | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE AUDIO, VIDEO, AND STATS)
Morehead, Ky.– The Morehead State women’s basketball team concludes its non-conference schedule this Sunday afternoon as they take on IU Columbus at Johnson Arena, part of a doubleheader with the men’s team. The game is set to begin at 3:00 PM. Fans can tune in to the Eagle Sports Network on flagship WIVY-93.6 FM, where Tom Lewis and Wes Holland will provide commentary. Additionally, the game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with coverage from Jared Stacy and Dean Hardin.
The Eagles are looking to bounce back after a challenging 76-70 defeat against Bellarmine in their last outing. Sophomore guard Kate Novik led the team with an impressive 19 points, adding seven assists and three blocked shots. Morehead State out-rebounded the Knights 42-34, with junior Kuryn Brunson grabbing 11 boards. Freshman Chrishawn Coleman contributed 14 points, while redshirt junior Alyssa Berry achieved a career-best with 12 points and redshirt freshman Michelle Ugwah scored 10. Bellarmine, however, had an advantage at the free-throw line, converting 28 of 36 attempts (78%) compared to Morehead State’s 11 of 14 (79%).
In their most recent game, IU Columbus suffered a 95-48 loss to IU South Bend, with Jacelyn Starks leading the Crimson Pride with 16 points. Amaya Collins and Abby Fleetwood added 13 and 11 points, respectively, with Collins leading the team for the season at an average of 14.8 points per game.
Team Records
Morehead State: 4-5
IU Columbus: 2-8
Series Information
This match marks the inaugural meeting between both teams.
Notable Insights
– Morehead State ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for steals (11.9 per game) and blocked shots (5.11 per game). They also rank fourth in field goal percentage defense (.401) and fifth in overall field goal percentage (.397).
– Freshman guard Chrishawn Coleman earned the title of Ohio Valley Conference Co-Freshman of the Week following her standout performance last week. She scored 13 points against Alice Lloyd while establishing a career-high with six steals in just under 15 minutes and added another 14 points against Bellarmine.
– Kate Novik remains a pivotal player for the Eagles, ranking in the top 10 in the OVC across ten different statistical categories, including leading the team with an average of 16.9 points per game, which is third-best in the conference. She also leads in rebounds (7.0 RPG), assists (46), steals (26), free throw percentage (77.8%), and field goal percentage (52.8%).
– Throughout her career at Morehead State, Novik has played in 38 games and has recorded at least one steal in all but eight of them. She boasts a total of 76 steals, averaging 2.00 steals per game.
– Aileen Marquez, with an average of 12.8 points per game, ranks second on the team, placing sixth in the OVC. She also averages 2.25 made three-pointers per game, with teammate Harley Paynter contributing 2.00 made threes per game while averaging 9.8 points.
– Michelle Ugwah is gaining momentum in her performance; she narrowly missed a double-double against Jackson State, registering nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. In the recent game against Bellarmine, she scored 10 points on 4-6 shooting.
– Both Novik and Katie Dike are tied with 11 blocked shots this season, ranking fifth in the OVC with an average of 1.22 blocks per game.
– Morehead State’s roster is bolstered by returning player Kate Novik, while Michelle Ugwah, Alyssa Berry, and Marie Perdew were part of last season’s team but did not participate due to injuries.
– The Eagles have demonstrated a solid rebounding performance in their last three games, out-rebounding their opponents 130-111, translating to a +19 margin.
– Last week’s loss against Bellarmine saw the Eagles committing 28 fouls, the highest of the season so far. Morehead State has recorded 20 or more fouls in seven of their nine games thus far.
– As they prepare for the OVC conference season starting Tuesday, Morehead State looks towards their next opponent, UT Martin, who holds a record of 1-8. However, they have faced one of the most formidable non-conference schedules in the OVC.
