Despite shooting over 50 percent from the field, the Morehead State women's basketball team dropped an 81-80 decision to Ohio Valley Conference opponent Austin Peay Saturday afternoon at the Dunn Center.
The Eagles netted 28-of-54 (.519) shots but were unable to hold onto a seven-point lead as they went 0-for-4 from the field over the final 3:49 of play.
Austin Peay's Brianah Ferby knocked down a pair of free throws with 3 seconds remaining in the game to give her team the victory. Morehead State senior guard Darianne Seward had a chance to win the game at the final buzzer but saw her shot roll off the cup.
"I thought we played with a lot of intensity today but just lost some steam down the stretch," said Eagles' head coach Greg Todd. "We were a little shorthanded today with some injuries but credit to Austin Peay for executing down the stretch."
The Eagles were without their steals leader, senior guard Crystal Simmons Cozar, while graduate forward McKenzie Calvert was limited to five minutes of play after suffering an injury in the first quarter.
The Governors closed the game on a 10-2 run to improve to 7-6 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Austin Peay was led offensively by guard Keisha Gregory with a game-high 25 points.
Morehead State's efficient shooting game was paced by senior guard Miranda Crockett with a team-best 22 points. Crockett was 7-of-10 from the field and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. The Martinsville, Va., native also pulled in nine rebounds and assisted three hoops.
The 22-point outing extends Crockett's double-digit scoring streak to 20 games. The trend began during the 2017-18 campaign at Tennessee State on February 15, 2018.
Junior guard Aliyah Jeune finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists for the Eagles. Jeune has now scored 20-or-more points in her last four outings.
Seward rounded out the double-digit scorers for Morehead State with 15 points.
Senior forward Tierra McGowan nearly complied her first double-double of the 2018-19 season, pulling down a game-high 10 boards to go along with nine points.
Morehead State's record drops to 10-5 overall and 1-1 in OVC play with the loss.
The Eagles next challenge will come away from home against the defending OVC Tournament Champion Belmont Bruins on Thursday. Morehead State and Belmont will be featured nationally on ESPNU. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.
