The Skyhawks refused to give up when they beat the Racers 72-60 Sat. Feb. 23. The Racers beat the Skyhawks at home on Jan. 5 82-72. The challenge to be a better team was accepted before tipoff.
“The game was very up and down, but I thought we played very well,” said Coach McMillan.
Played very well could be considered an understatement as the game started off as a stalemate. It wasn’t until Heather Butler hit a 3-pointer that the game took a whole different tone altogether. The shot increased Butler’s NCAA record of 74 consecutive games with a 3-point shot. The Skyahwks trailed by one early on in the game, but when they took the lead, they never looked back.
Jasmine Newsome was on fire during the game. Murray State was gunning for Butler, which left Newsome wide open for goalsThe woman was all over the place in defense and offense. She and her partner in crime Heather Butler were making impossible shots. Under the goal, Rickiesha Bryant and Katie Schubert were making rebounds so their teammates could make the impossible shots. The Skyhawks were a well-oiled machine.
Not surprisingly Jasmine Newsome was the leading scorer of the game. Newsome brought home 31 points. It was her second consecutive game to score 30 points or more. She had four rebounds, one steal and two assists. Butler was the runner up with 18 points, a low for Butler. She had three steals and three assists. Rickiesha Bryant exploded into action and came in third with points. Bryant had a double-double of 13 points, 15 rebounds and a tied her career high of eight blocks. Bryant is tied with Mary Kate Long for most blocks.
The Skyhawks will back in action at home on Thursday against Eastern Illinois. To keep up with the game, follow The Pacer on Facebook and Twitter, @thepacer.
