MSU Wins Opener 66-65 Over Rider

Saturday, November 10

Murray, Ky.

7:00 p.m.

Murray State

Rider

11/10/2007 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

In the past 17 home openers, the Murray State Racers had come out on top and were looking for 18 Saturday at the Regional Special Events Center. Kevin Thomas sank a free throw with two tenths of a second remaining in the game to lift the Racers over the Rider Broncs 66-65 in what was MSU's 18^th straight win in home openers dating back to the late 1980's.

Murray State head coach Billy Kennedy's team had to fight off a strong rally from the visitors before getting the win.

“We could not break away and we had some good looks at the basket,” Kennedy said. “Rider is a good team and they showed at the end of the game that they can hit big shots and play with a sense of urgency.”

Indeed, every time it looked like Murray State might run away, Rider made a run to get back in the contest.

With the Racers holding a 30-24 lead at half, the Broncs cut the MSU lead to two only two minutes into the second half.

However, the Racers put together a 6-0 run in varied fashion. First, Danero Thomas scored after having his shot blocked, Bruce Carter made a gutsy lob into the lane that Tony Easley converted. After a Rider miss, Tyler Holloway hit a high arching floater in the lane for a 36-28 lead causing Rider to call timeout with 16:44 left.

At the 8:30 mark, Bruce Carter's free throws gave MSU its first double digit lead at 53-43.

Rider cut the lead to 55-52 on a three by Harris Mansell with 4:53 left.

After MSU pushed it back to a five point lead on Jewuan Long's free throws, Jason Thompson hit a shot down the lane to make it a three point lead again 57-54 with 4:00 left.

The excitement was just beginning.

Danero Thomas of Murray State and Harris Mansell of Rider started trading shots. With 3:00 left Mansell's three tied the game at 57-57, but Thomas answered with a three for a 60-57 advantage with 2:28 left. Mansell hit another three pointer, only to be answered again by Thomas who had his foot on the three point line and was given a two pointer instead. MSU was in front 62-60 with 1:34 left.

Danero hit two free throws for a 64-60 lead but Rider's Lamar Johnson's three with 22.6 left cut the MSU lead to 64-63.

Thomas was fouled again with 17.8 left and made one for a 65-63 MSU lead, Rider called timeout.

With 3.5 left, Kevin Thomas was called for a foul on Mansell. He hit both free throws and the game was knotted at 65.

It was MSU's turn to call a timeout.

The Racers ran a play to inbound the ball in the backcourt for Kevin Thomas. He used an excellent screen to get past mid court and made a bee line for the basket. As Thomas entered the lane, he was fouled by Rider's Justin Robinson with .2 on the clock. Thomas hit the first free throw and missed the second. Rider could not get a shot off before the buzzer sounded.

“We were fortunate to win it,” Kennedy said. “Our biggest problem right now is sustaining our effort and focus for the entire game.”

The season opener was a game filled with fouls and free throws.

Murray State was whistled for 30 fouls, while Rider had 22. The Broncs were 24-35 from the line for 68 percent, while MSU was 17-25 for the same percentage.

The Racers had a productive game from their post players, Georges Fotso, Tony Easley and Tarod Sanders. The trio combined for 21 points on 7-9 shooting. They also combined for seven rebounds.

“Our team defended well and Fotso, Sanders, and Easley had a good game,” Kennedy said. “When teams are going to play zone, you have to be able to hurt them inside.”

MSU managed to hold Rider's all-star center Jason Thompson to modest numbers. He had 13 points and six rebounds.

The Racers were led by Danero Thomas who had 15 points, with Kevin Thomas scoring 13. Easley had 11 and Sanders had 10.

GAME NOTES

The Racers pushed their home opening win streak to 18 straight. MSU still hasn't lost a home opener in the RSEC, now 10-0 and haven't lost one since a triple overtime defeat to Southern Illinois in 1989 at Racer Arena.

When Danero Thomas hit back to back three point shots late in the game, MSU was 1-11 up to that point.

Two players played their first game in a Murray State uniform. Tarod Sanders had 10 points, while Jewuan Long had two points. The best MSU debut since 1984 is still Antoine Whelchel's 27 points against Gardner-Webb in 2000.

MSU is 15-3 in the last two seasons when they have the lead at the five minute mark.

Tyler Holloway hit one three pointer against Rider. He is now nine from catching 10th place Aubrey Reese (97-00) on the all-time Racer list.

The Racers are 106-21 all time in the RSEC. This is the 10^th season for MSU in the building.

Next Saturday the Racers travel to Bowling Green to take on Western Kentucky in Diddle Arena, marking their first trip there since winning a double overtime game in 2003. The last meeting between the two was at the RSEC in 2004 when Western scored their first win in Murray since 1988. Western was a member of the Ohio Valley Conference from 1948 to 1982 and leads the all-time series 93-51. MSU has won seven of the last 11.