CARBONDALE, Ill. (Interstat) — The Murray State women’s basketball team built a commanding early lead and never trailed, defeating Southern Illinois 87-74 on Thursday night at SIU Arena. The Racers opened with a 23-point first quarter and led by 13 at halftime. Halli Poock led all scorers with 23 points for Murray State. Haven Ford added 20 points and five assists, and Sharnecce Currie-Jelks scored 19. Indya Green paced the Salukis with 18 points. Murray State improved to 16-2 overall, while Southern Illinois fell to 4-12. An announced crowd of 374 attended the game.

CARBONDALE, Ill. (Interstat) — The Murray State Racers used a dominant first quarter to establish control and never looked back, defeating the Southern Illinois Salukis 87-74 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at SIU Arena. The Racers, improving to 16-2 overall, opened the game on a 9-0 run and outscored the Salukis 23-14 in the opening period. That early cushion proved vital as Southern Illinois, which fell to 4-12, mounted several challenges but could never close the gap to a single possession. The most critical sequence came late in the third quarter with Murray State leading 65-54. Southern Illinois’ Indya Green, who finished with 18 points, blocked a Haven Ford layup attempt, sparking a potential fast break. But the Salukis could not convert on the other end, and Murray State’s Keslyn Secrist answered with a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, assisted by Ford, to push the lead back to 14 points. That exchange typified the night, as every Saluki push was met with a decisive Racer response. Murray State’s offensive efficiency was the story, as they scored 87 points on 73 possessions for an offensive rating of 119.2. They shot 51.6% from the field (33 of 64) despite connecting on only 5 of 26 from 3-point range. Their ability to score inside and get to the free-throw line, where they made 16 of 21 attempts, offset a poor night from beyond the arc. Southern Illinois, which managed an offensive rating of 101.2 on the same number of possessions, was hampered by 14 turnovers and struggled to contain Murray State’s primary scorers. The Salukis did dominate the offensive glass, grabbing 18 rebounds to Murray State’s 9, but converted that into only 12 second-chance points. Halli Poock, a 5-foot-6 guard from Waterloo, Iowa, led all scorers with 23 points and added five assists for Murray State. It continued a stellar stretch for the Racers’ top star, who has now scored at least 19 points in five consecutive games. Sharnecce Currie-Jelks, a 6-2 forward from Jackson, Tennessee, provided a major interior presence with 19 points and three blocks. Haven Ford contributed 20 points and five assists, while Keslyn Secrist added 15 points. For Southern Illinois, Green’s 18 points led the way. Jeniah Thompson scored 12 points, and Kynnedi Davis added 10 points and three assists. The Salukis shot 41.4% from the field (29 of 70) and were an efficient 5 of 13 from 3-point range, but their 14 turnovers led to 18 points for the Racers. After the Racers’ explosive start, Southern Illinois fought back in the second quarter, outscoring Murray State 23-21 behind 10 points from Green to trim the deficit to 44-37 at halftime. The Salukis pulled within seven points again early in the third quarter, but a 7-0 Murray State run, capped by a Poock 3-pointer, restored a 14-point advantage and effectively stifled the rally. Murray State maintained a double-digit lead throughout the entire fourth quarter, with the margin never dipping below 10 points after the 7:30 mark. The Racers’ balanced scoring and steady ball security, committing just eight turnovers, allowed them to comfortably close out the road victory. The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 374 at SIU Arena. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Murray State entered with a 98.50 percent probability to win. Murray State will look to continue its strong season when it hosts Belmont on Sunday. Southern Illinois will aim to rebound at home against Illinois-Chicago, also on Sunday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in a rematch in Murray, Kentucky, on Jan. 29.

Preview: Murray State Racers at Southern Illinois Salukis CARBONDALE, Ill. (Interstat) — A surging Murray State squad riding a nine-game winning streak will face a struggling Southern Illinois team when the women’s basketball programs meet Thursday at SIU Arena. The Racers (15-2) enter as one of the nation’s hottest mid-major teams, fresh off a dominant 95-67 victory over Drake on Sunday. Their last loss came on Nov. 23. Southern Illinois (4-11) snapped a five-game skid with a 97-59 rout of Valparaiso on Saturday, but has found consistent wins hard to come by this season. Murray State’s success is fueled by forward Sharnecce Currie-Jelks, who is coming off a monstrous 18-point, 17-rebound performance against Drake. Over her last six games, she is averaging 17.8 points and 4.2 blocks, providing a dominant two-way presence. She is complemented by guards Haven Ford and Keslyn Secrist, who combined for 37 points in the win over Drake. The Salukis will counter with guard Jeniah Thompson, who exploded for a season-high 25 points and five assists against Valparaiso. She has averaged 18.3 points over her last three contests, providing the primary scoring punch for Southern Illinois. Support from Kayla Cooper and Indya Green, who added 19 points off the bench last game, will be crucial. The matchup pits Murray State’s high-octane offense, which has scored 90 or more points in five of its last six games, against a Southern Illinois defense that has allowed 75 points or more in eight of its 11 losses this season. This is the first of two scheduled meetings between the teams this season. They will meet again in Murray, Kentucky, on Jan. 29. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST Thursday at SIU Arena.