Murray State
Austin Peay
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MSU stays in OVC top spot with 67-56 win over Austin Peay
1/12/2006 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MSU is now 10-4 and 7-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference, a half-game ahead of 6-1 Samford for the top spot in the standings.
With the game tied at 30 starting the second half, the Racers used a time-tested formula to put some distance between themselves and the Governors.
Justin Orr's old-fashioned three-point play gave the Racers a 36-34 lead, followed by Trey Pearson's first points of the night on a short jumper for a 38-34 lead with 15:58 left in the game.
Moments later, at the 14:37 mark, Issian Redding blocked a shot to start a fast break, which Holloway finshed with a three-point shot to put the Racers up 41-34.
Moments later, Redding -- another Racer who had not scratched the scoring column -- did so on a short jumper, and the MSU lead was 42-34 with 13:20 left.
The next APSU possession was stopped by a Pearson Griffith block, which led to a Holloway lay-up and a 44-34 lead.
Another block by Griffith led to another Holloway three-pointer, and the MSU lead was 48-34 with 12:17 left.
Just like a year ago when they opened the second half on a 15-0 run, the Racer run this time was 18-4.
The Racers took the game to the finish from there by the final score of 67-56.
Racer head coach Mick Cronin was obviously pleased with the victory.
"This is a great win for us," he said. "In a rivalry game, you throw the records out the window, and I told our guys we're going to see these guys at least once more and probably twice again this season. Our defense in the first 10 minutes of the second half was the difference in the game."
Indeed it was, as the Racers recorded five blocks, 11 steals and 41 deflections and forced APSU into 16 turnovers.
Cronin said a key component to winning was his gamble in playing Griffith when he had three fouls early in the second half. It worked, because Griffith shored up the middle and never commited a foul in the second half.
"Griffith did a great job of playing with three fouls and still being a defensive factor," Cronin said. "Most teams on all levels of college basketball have good guards, but very few teams have a big man who can change the game. He has that ability to effect both ends of the court."
The Racers held Austin Peay to 29-percent shooting in the second half and 30 percent for the game (18-for-60).
The Racers shot 48 percent in the second half (11-for-23) after shooting only 36 percent in the first half.
Holloway finished with a career-high 16, topping the 14 he scored against Tennessee Nov. 30 in Nashville.
"We ran a lot of double-screens and my teammates did a great job of finding me open," Holloway said. "It was big-time (making the two threes to key the run). Luckily, I was able to knock down the shots, and it's a great feeling, especially in a big game like this."
Racer senior Shawn Witherspoon turned his sixth career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
In the first half, with the Racers leading 19-15 with 8:07 before the half, Maurice Hampton was able to get past the MSU press and was fouled while shooting, making the basket.
However, when the ball fell through the net, Griffith slammed the ball with his fist and was given a technical foul. Worse for the Racers, it was his third of the game.
Hampton made two of three free throws for a four-point play and tied the game.
The Racers fell behind 23-21 on a Landon Shipley three-pointer with 5:45 before half, but a bucket with less than a minute left in the half by Rob Kennedy tied it at 30.
The Racers enjoyed their six-game home stand and were 6-1, with the only loss coming to Southern Illinois.
MSU hasn't lost since then, with five straight wins.
The Racers will play seven of the next 10 away from home beginning with Monday's contest in Charleston, Ill., against Eastern Illinois, a team they defeated by one point Monday.
