MSU women release non-conference schedule
WBB: The Racers will play four non-conference games at home
One scheduling mystery is finally solved, as today Murray State’s women’s team released their 2023-24 non-conference schedule. Here’s a breakdown of the nine games (plus one exhibition) the Racers will play before starting Missouri Valley Conference play.
November 2nd vs. Lindsey Wilson (Exhibition)
First exhibition meeting since November 1st, 2017
Lindsey Wilson finished 10-19 last season
The Blue Raiders graduated two seniors off last team, including second-leading scorer Maleigha Oldham (11.0 points per game)
November 10th at Arkansas
Murray State is 0-2 all-time vs. Razorbacks
First meeting since December 5th, 1990
Arkansas finished 24-13 last season, advanced to WNIT quarterfinals
Razorbacks return nine players and 61.8% of their scoring from last season
Samara Spencer is the top returning scorer (14.4 PPG) and was the 2022 SEC Freshman of the year
November 14th vs. Cumberland
Murray State is 3-0 all-time vs. Phoenix
First meeting since December 28, 2019
Racers are 32-24 all-time in home openers
Cumberland finished 13-16 last season
Senior Lindsey Freeman was team’s top-scorer last season (10.1 PPG)
November 17th at Indiana
Murray State is 0-2 all-time vs. Hoosiers
First meeting since November 12th, 2012
Murray State’s two losses against Indiana were by a combined four points
Indiana was 28-4 last season, but was upset by Miami (FL) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament
Hoosiers returns 86.5% of their scoring from last season, including five of their top six scorers
Indiana is led by Mackenzie Holmes, who averaged 22.3 PPG, was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-American
Sharnecce Currie-Jelks transferred in from UT Martin and was the 2023 OVC Freshman of the Year
November 21 vs. Bellarmine
Murray State is 2-1 vs. Knights
The teams met last season in Louisville, and the Racers won 74-59
Bellarmine went 9-22 last season
Knights return 96.2% of their scoring from last season, including eight of their top nine scorers
Bellarmine is led by 6’6 sophomore center Gracie Merkle who averaged 15.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game
November 28th vs. UT Martin
UT Martin leads the all-time series 55-37
Murray State has won three-straight in the series, including last year’s 71-52 win in Martin
UT Martin went 13-17 last season
The Skyhawks welcome nine newcomers this season
UT Martin lost three of top four scorers from last season
Shae Littleford is the top returning scorer at 13.0 PPG
December 1st at Southern Indiana
Murray State leads the all-time series 4-1
The Racers won in Murray last year 77-59
Last year’s meeting was the first for the two teams since 1986
USI went 12-17 last year in their first season in the Ohio Valley Conference
Screaming Eagles graduated six players off last year’s roster
Meredith Raley is the top returning scorer at 13.3 points per game
December 9th at Austin Peay
The all-time series is tied 53-53
Austin Peay rallied to win in Murray last season 71-67
The Govs had ten seniors on last year’s team that went 17-12 overall in the ASUN
December 14th vs. Little Rock
Murray State leads the all-time series 5-2
This will be the first meeting since Murray State beat Little Rock in the opening round of the 2009 WNIT
Little Rock went 21-11 overall and 17-1 in the OVC, winning a regular-season championship in their first year in the conference
Trojans welcome eight newcomers this season
Little Rock averaged just 52.5 points per game last season
Top scorer Sali Kourouma, who averaged 17.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, transferred to Arizona
Trojans return 58.7% of their scoring
Little Rock allowed 51.5 points per game last season, which was the 3rd-best scoring defense in the country
December 18th at Western Carolina
Murray State leads the series 1-0
The only other meeting came on November 30th, 1987
The Catamounts went 9-21 overall last season, and lost their final eight games
Mya Love is the top returning scorer from last season, averaging 10.7 points per game