MURRAY —Anyone familiar with the Rechelle Turner Era of Murray State women’s basketball knows that SIU-Edwardsville was one of the toughest opponents the Racers faced in their final years as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Turner’s teams were 7-4 against the Cougars during the time the teams were conference foes but, even when the Racers won, it was in anything but easy fashion. The final OVC season seemed the perfect example of this — 2021-22, when the Racers were 22-10 and 13-5 in the league.
Murray State won all three games that season, but had to survive a feverish final minute at Edwardsville, Illinois, then saw the feisty Cougars almost gain enough momentum to mount big comebacks from large late deficits both at Murray and in the OVC Tournament at Evansville. So, perhaps fittingly, it is this same SIUE outfit that will be in front of the Racers tonight for the season opener of a 2024-25 campaign many believe will see them have a chance to challenge the biggest predators of the mighty Missouri Valley Conference. And Turner seems to enjoy the fact that a historically dangerous opponent will face her team in tonight’s 6:00 tipoff at the CFSB Center.
“This is a perfect example of a team that I put on the schedule for a reason,” said Turner, who opens her eighth season as the Racers’ head coach. “(SIUE) has always been a thorn in our side and it seemed like, no matter what was on paper or who was picked to win the game, it was always down to the wire.