EVANSVILLE, Ind. — With an impressive performance, Katelyn Young propelled Murray State to its inaugural triumph at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, defeating Belmont with a final score of 83-62 on Sunday. Young’s exceptional play not only secured the victory but also saw her surpass 3,000 career points, moving her past Cheryl Miller to claim the 15th spot on the all-time NCAA Division I scoring list.
During the game, Young dominated from start to finish, scoring 23 points in the opening half alone, with 16 of those points coming in a robust second quarter. Hallie Poock made significant contributions as well, adding 15 points, helping the Racers secure a 45-29 lead by halftime. Belmont made a concerted effort to close the gap, especially after Poock accrued her fourth personal foul with 3:34 remaining in the third quarter. This sparked the Bruins to go on an 8-2 scoring run, tightening the score to 51-48 with less than two minutes left in the quarter. The Racers, however, responded with a 6-0 run, wrapping up the quarter with a nine-point advantage to enter the fourth quarter.
The contributions from Murray State’s supporting players were modest during the first three quarters, tallying just nine points, but they came alive in the final period. Briley Pena energized the team with a pivotal 3-pointer, stretching the lead to 63-52, followed by Ava Learn, who also connected from long range, extending the margin further to 66-54. Young and Poock each landed critical 3-pointers in the closing minutes, putting the game out of reach at 79-58 with just over three minutes remaining.
Young’s performance was marked by efficiency as she converted 13 of 18 shots and sank 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, while also providing seven assists to steer the Racers to a final record of 25-7. Poock complemented this effort with 22 points on 6 of 11 shooting from the three-point line. Haven Ford asserted her presence beneath the basket, collecting 12 rebounds alongside nine assists, with Ava Learn contributing 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Belmont’s push was led by Kendal Cheesman, who scored 18 points and secured seven rebounds, yet their campaign concluded with a record of 22-12.
