Murray State
Arkansas Tech
Racers prepare for Missouri with 81-50 win over Arkansas Tech
11/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
With a Sunday game against Missouri coming up, the Racers wanted to show improvement in their second game of the season. The Racers put 12 players in the scoring column and defeated the Wonder Boys of Arkansas Tech 81-50 tonight at the Regional Special Events Center.
The Racers (2-0) had such balanced scoring, that they didn't have a player reach double-figures in scoring until nine minutes left in the game.
Sophomore Shawn Witherspoon made his 2004-05 debut with 12 points on 5-for-7 field-goal shooting. He added five rebounds and two assists.
Witherspoon missed about five weeks of practice time and games with a broken bone in his left hand.
Racers head coach Mick Cronin tried to help Witherspoon get back into playing shape tonight.
"He tried to tell me he was ready to go, but that's not the case when you've missed a month," Cronin said. "The only way to get in game shape is to play, so I left him in there a little more tonight to try and help him get his wind back."
The Racers' trademark full-court press quickly helped them build a 12-point lead against their Division II foe nine minutes into the game.
The Racers enjoyed a 21-point margin at the break and never let Arkansas Tech (2-1) closer than 15 in the second half.
The Racers, in their seventh season of basketball at the RSEC, are 75-11, good for a winning percentage of .872. They have won 11 straight at home.
Murray State out-rebounded Arkansas Tech 45-32. The Racers are 26-0 under Cronin when they out -rebound their opponent.
Trey Pearson was the other Racer in double-figures in scoring with 10. Darnell Hopkins came off the bench to add nine points and four rebounds.
Knowing what lies ahead in the next month, Cronin wants the Racers to get physical.
"Our guys have to learn quickly that from know on, if you don't put a body on someone you're going to get whipped," he said.
Cronin and the Racers face a tough stretch of games beginning Sunday at Missouri. The game is broadcast regionally by Fox Midwest and can be seen in the Murray area on WQWQ (UPN The Beat).
After that, the Racers host Texas-San Antonio, an NCAA qualifier last season, on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Then, rival Western Kentucky comes to town on Dec. 4, and the Racers play at Southern Illinois on Dec. 11.
