CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Halli Poock scored 33 points, Shamecce Currie-Jelks added a double-double and top seed Murray State beat Evansville 91-70 on Sunday to win a second straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Racers (31-3) head to the main event on a 15-game winning streak under coach Rechelle Turner, who is in her ninth season. Murray State’s only previous appearance before winning back-to-back championships came in 2008.
Poock made 12 of 19 shots from the floor, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Currie-Jelks finished with 12 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists.
Haven Ford hit four 3-pointers and scored 18 for Murray State, and Keslyn Secrist added 12 points.
Mireia Mustaros scored 16 off the bench to lead the 10th-seeded Purple Aces (10-25), who dispatched second-seeded Belmont in the quarterfinals and third-seeded Illinois State in the semifinals. Sydney Huber and Breaunna Ward scored 15 apiece. Camryn Runner scored 12.
Ford and Poock sank 3-pointers and Murray State used a 13-0 run to take a 16-4 lead in the first 5:15. Poock hit another 3 and had 13 points by the end of the quarter for a 21-10 advantage.
Currie-Jelks had the first two baskets and Ford followed with a 3-pointer as Murray State used a 7-0 run to up its advantage to 28-10 less than two minutes into the second period. The lead was 46-27 at halftime.
Murray State outscored the Purple Aces 24-17 in the third quarter to make it 70-44.
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