Murray State
Delaware State
Racers give Delaware State a chilly reception 68-39
12/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Delaware State had two chilly receptions on its first trip to Murray, Ky. The Hornets arrived at MSU's Regional Special Events Center amid freezing rain and a light snow, but that was nothing compared to the cold reception the Racers gave them, 68-39.
Delaware State (3-7) scored the first seven points of the game, but Murray State (4-3) countered by scoring the next seven to skate through a 26-4 run over the next 11-1/2 minutes. The Racers kept a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game, taking a 33-17 lead at the half.
The Hornets got to within 10 points, 33-23 early in the second half, but MSU plowed through seven straight points to bolster its lead. A 25-0 Racer run over an 11-minute stretch late in the game put the game on ice.
Charles Johnson led all scorers with 16 points off the bench on 7-for-9 shooting from the field and had a game-high six rebounds. Darnell Hopkins added 12 points, while Reggie Jackson pulled down five rebounds.Keith Jenifer shoveled a game-high five assists, while Shawn Witherspoon chilled a game-high four steals.
For Delaware State, Tracey Worley had a team-high 10 points, going 7-for-7 from the line. Aaron Fleetwood had a team-high four rebounds, while Aaron Williams had three assists.
The Racers forced 19 Hornet turnovers, including three shot-clock violations, committing only 10. MSU shot 52.9 percent from the field (27-for-51), holding DSU to 30.8-percent shooting (12-for-39) and a 25-percent output (5-for-25) in the second half.
Murray State will take Christmas off, returning to action on Tuesday at the Shamrock Office Solutions Classic in Moraga, Calif. The Racers will open at 7 p.m. CT against UC-Davis, then will take on Radford or host St. Mary's on Wednesday.
