Murray State University Athletics
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MSU hopes third time is still the charm against the UT Martin Skyhawks
2/27/2006 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The two just wrapped up the regular season Saturday in Murray, where the Racers won 81-63 and finished the regular season 21-6 and 17-3 winning the OVC regular-season championship.
This is the 31st all-time meeting between the two teams. MSU leads 28-2 and has won 10 straight. The Racers have never lost at home to the Skyhawks, winning all 15 meetings. The last UTM win over MSU came in Martin in 2001, and prior to that, the Skyhawks beat the Racers also in Martin in 1999. The series began in 1979 and has been played every season since UTM's entry into the Ohio Valley Conference in the 1992-93 season.
During his Monday news conference with media members, one question given to MSU head coach Mick Cronin was: Did he hold anything back Saturday against UT Martin?
Are you kidding?
Cronin knew what kind of team he was dealing with, a tough Skyhawks squad that has perhaps the best duo in the OVC in Jeremy Kelly and Jared Newson.
No, the Racers gave UTM their best.
"That's the last thing you want to do is give a team the idea they can win at Murray," Cronin said. "We did that to SEMO last year, and you saw what happened. Coming off a loss, we wanted to right the ship.
"Both of those guys are capable of having a great game every time out. Their inside guys didn't produce like they have this season. It's big for Pearson Griffith to play well like he did the other night.
"When he comes out of the game, they immediately go inside every time" Cronin said. "Obviously, Jeremy Kelly made some tough shots (Kelly had 25 points). We didn't leave him open. He's a great player. If you come out and a player like gets going, you can be in trouble."
The Racers are the No. 1 seed in the OVC Tournament, while UT Martin is the eighth seed.
MSU is 52-28 (.650) all-time in the Tournament, and is looking for their 13th tournament championship. The Racers have advanced to the semifinals every season since 1987. The lone exception came last season, when they were upset at home by Southeast Missouri State. MSU has won 10 of 18 OVC Tournament championships since 1988 and two of the last four.
Mick Cronin is 3-1 in the tournament. His first squad in 2003-04 won the tournament with wins over Tennessee Tech, Morehead State and Austin Peay.
Tuesday is the 114th game for the Racers in their eighth season in the Regional Special Events Center. MSU is 97-16 (.858) and 13-1 at the RSEC this season, including 10-0 in OVC games. MSU has won 10 straight at home since a Dec. 28 loss to Southern Illinois, and has won 12 straight regular-season OVC games since a Feb. 10, 2005, loss to Tennessee Tech.
Here are more thoughts from Cronin and additional notes:
On the difference between the regular season and the post-season:
"Seniors know every game is their last game, that's the kind of intensity you're dealing with."
"A couple of years ago, we had to beat TTU here. Cameron Crisp tossed in something like 35. It's winner-take-all in the conference tournament. If they're (UT Martin) going to go down, they're going to do it giving their all. Our seniors have to match their intensity."
Did the Racers get a wake-up call with their loss at Tennessee Tech last Thursday?
"We're at the point in the season that I don't have to be a 'rah-rah' guy. We have to understand why we've only lost twice since the new year. It was because we didn't rebound and defend. I was very matter-of-fact with them. They understand why we win and why we haven't. They understand the same formula will work in the conference tournament. We win when we out-rebound the opponent and hold them to under 40 percent from the field."
On playing UTM twice in just a few days and for the third time in the season:
"It's hard to beat a team three times. We're going to find out if that's true or not."
Tournament Notes:
The Racers are again hosting a first-round game in the OVC Tournament, an honor given each season to the top four teams in the standings. Since the league began playing first-round games on campus sites (1997), MSU has hosted all nine seasons. This season will make 10 straight. Until their surprising loss to SE Missouri in the first round last season, MSU had made it to the OVC Tourney semifinals every season since 1987. MSU and UTM are meeting in the tournament for the first time. The Racers have won 12 OVC Tournament titles and are 52-28 all time in the OVC post-season event, and Mick Cronin is 3-1.
Here are the first-round matchups of the OVC Tournament, which were all sweep situations in the regular season.
(8) UT Martin at (1) Murray State 7:00 p.m.
(5) Eastern Ky. at (4) Jacksonville 7:00 p.m.
(7) Tenn. State at (2) Samford 7:30 p.m.
(6) APSU at (3) Tenn. Tech 7:30 p.m.
JSU was swept by EKU
TSU was swept by Samford
UTM was swept by Murray State
APSU was swept by Tenn. Tech
Mick Cronin is 6-0 against UT Martin, and if the Racers can win, he'll lead the Racers against either Jacksonville State or Eastern Kentucky Friday at 6 p.m. in Nashville at the Gaylord Entertainment Center. Cronin is 4-0 against JSU and 5-1 against EKU.
For the first time, the semifinals of the OVC Tournament will be broadcast on national television. ESPN-U with Dave Weekly and Larry Conley will carry both semifinals Friday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday's 3 p.m. championship game is on ESPN-2 with Dr. Jerry Punch and Jimmy Dykes.
