The Murray State women’s basketball officially kicks off the 2018-19 season Wednesday against Evansville at 6 p.m. at the CFSB Center. The game will air locally on 1340 WNBS and on the web via ESPN+.
The Racers return just five players and two starters from a year ago with perhaps the biggest hole to fill being left by the 2017-18 OVC Player of the Year Ke’Shunan James. With just four players returning that saw action last season, MSU will look to replace 79.6 percent of its 70.1 points per game in 2017-18.
Brianna Crane leads all returners for Murray State averaging 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds a season ago. Other returners included Paige Barrett, Janika Griffith-Wallace and Michaela Manley. To help fill the scoring gap in 208-19, Murray State will have eight new faces this season including Evelyn Adebayo, who sat out due to NCAA transfer rules last year, the hometown trio of Lex Mayes, Macey Turley and Alexis Burpo and junior college transfers Cekeya Mack and DeAsia Outlaw, among others.
Rechelle Turner enters her second year as the head coach of the Racers, after guiding them to the OVC tournament and coaching the OVC Player of the Year in her first season. Joining Monica Evans and Amber Guffey as assistants on Turner’s staff this season is Jauwan Scaife. The former Ball State men’s basketball standout comes to the Racers after one season at Evansville and two at Southeast Missouri State.
Wednesday will be the 26th all-time meeting between Murray State and Evansville with the Racers holding a 20-15 advantage, despite Evansville entering the contest on a two-game series win streak. In Murray, the Racers have lost just six time in 17 game, however the past two times UE has visited the CFSB Center, it has walked away with a victory.
Courtesy of MSU Athletics