Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Tennessee Tech
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Racers Hold Off Tennessee Tech Comebacks, Take Down OVC Leader 55-51
1/26/2006 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MSU hasn't broken the 70-point plateau in four of its last five games, but are 4-1 in those five games.
"When you have two athletic teams with that much talent, it's hard to find baskets out there," said Murray State Head Coach Mick Cronin. "I thought it would come down to turnovers and easy baskets. Fortunately we won the game with our defense and making enough free throws at the end. I'm proud of our guys, this was a big win."
The Racers (12-5, 9-2 OVC) used two lay-ups and a dunk by Pearson Griffith to take a 6-2 lead two minutes into the game. Milone Clark's three-pointer for the Golden Eagles (14-6, 9-3 OVC) brought the visitors within one, 8-7, with 15:41 to go.
Derek Stribling's lay-up at the 15:02 mark put Tech in front 9-8 but it would be the only lead of the game for the Golden Eagles.
Murray State used a 6-0 run with, three points coming from the free throw line, to edge out in front by seven, 18-11. Tennessee Tech made the first of what turned out to be numerous runs at the Racers, but could never overtake the home team.
Six unanswered capped off by Stribling's lay-up with 7:50 remaining before intermission made it 18-17 and a dunk by Amadi McKenzie with 5:03 to go made it a one-point game again, 20-19.
Darnell Hopkins forced a turnover with 17 second left in the half. Murray State showed patience and worked the ball to the top of the key and back into the hands of Hopkins. The senior doubled the Racer advantage by sinking a three-pointer as the clock ran out, sending MSU to the locker room with a 29-23 lead.
Hopkins would finish the night with a team-high nine points and three steals.
A pair of lay-ups by Griffith and two free throws by Rob Kennedy to start the second half gave the Racers their largest lead of the game, 35-25, with 16 minutes to go.
Once again Tech answered, this time with a 12-4 run as MSU connected on just four of its first 15 shots to open the second period. Anthony Fisher's lay-up drew the Golden Eagles within a basket, 39-37, with just over nine minutes remaining.
With seven unanswered points of their own, the Racers edged ahead by nine, 46-37, after Issian Redding's trey with five minutes to go in the game.
Again, the Golden Eagles answered. Two free throws by McKenzie cut the deficit to just a single point, 46-45, with less than three and a half minutes to go. After Keith Jenifer's two makes at the charity stripe, Keyon Boyd's lay-up made it a one point game again, 48-47, with two and half left.
Boyd led all scorers with 13 points on four-of-five shooting from the field, including two-of-two from beyond the three-point arch.
Murray State connected on just seven of 12 free throw attempts in the final two minutes but it was enough to keep the Golden Eagles grounded.
With four seconds left on the shot clock and the Racers getting nothing, Pearson drove into the paint and was fouled with 1:56 remaining. He made one and the Racers lead was two at 49-47.
Tech got the ball on the block to McKenzie with 1:33 remaining, but he couldn't connect after drawing a double team from Griffith and Jenifer and Justin Orr grabbed the rebound.
Orr and Shawn Witherspoon each finished with a game-high eight rebounds. Witherspoon added seven points and four steals.
The Racers worked the shot clock again under five seconds before Orr was fouled taking a shot. He missed both and the lead was still two with 56 seconds on the clock.
Tech missed on the other end, but Boyd secured the rebound and the Golden Eagles called timeout with 45 seconds left.
When play resumed, Fisher drove into the paint where Griffith was protecting the goal and he tied Fisher up with the jump ball arrow in MSU's direction.
TTU fouled Pearson with 40.8 seconds left. Pearson made both to put the Racers in front by four, 51-47.
After a missed shot and an offensive rebound, Tech had a chance to draw within two with a pair of free throws, but McKenzie missed both. Jenifer made a pair from the charity strip at the other end for a six-point advantage with 23 seconds to go.
Boyd's lay-up with seven seconds on the clock made it a one possession game, 54-51. Pearson's one free throw in two attempts gave MSU a four-point cushion as time ran out on the Golden Eagles.
"Last year we led Tech 33 to 27 at halftime, and then we came out and gave up 45 points in the second half," Cronin said. "Our whole game plan was to stop their transition and not turn the ball over to put them in position for transition lay-ups. We did that for the most part."
MSU shot 19-of-58 from the field for 36.4 percent but won the rebounding battle, 40-39, and the turnover battle, 12-16. The Racers were just three-of-16 (18.8 percent) from beyond the three-point arch and 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) from the free throw line.
Tech didn't shoot much better, going 18-of-49 for 36.7 percent. The Golden Eagles were three-of-14 (21.4 percent) from deep and 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) from the charity stripe.
"We did all the small things to win tonight, getting loose balls, rebounds," Witherspoon said. "We knew this was a team we had to beat to stay in the OVC race. Every game is a must-win situation, it's important to get a win from here on out."
