Murray State University Athletics
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Racer Men Look To Bounce Back Against Morehead
12/8/2007 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Morehead State
(2-5) (0-1 OVC)
at
Murray State
(3-3) (0-1 OVC)
Sat., Dec. 8 7 p.m.
RSEC
Murray, Ky.
Live Video: OVCsports.tv
Live Radio: GoRacers.com
Live stats: GoRacers.com
The Murray State Racers play their final game before final exams when they host the Morehead State Eagles Saturday at the Regional Special Events Center. The Racers are coming off a tough defeat from Wednesday when they failed to hold an 11-point lead in the final five minutes of a 59-58 game with visiting Eastern Kentucky. Bruce Carter led the Racers with 17 points.
The Racers are taking on Morehead State for the 143rd time in a series that started in 1934. Both teams are charter members of the Ohio Valley Conference and have met on the hardwood every season since 1942. Murray State holds a 98-44 advantage in the series including a 54-14 record at home. The Racers have won nine straight since 2003 after the Eagles had won four straight starting in 2002. Another MSU win will equal their longest winning streak against Morehead State that was set between 1997 and 2001.
The Eagles are 2-5 and 0-1 in the OVC. Morehead State has wins over Western Illinois (61-49) and Alice Loyd (85-51) and losses to Houston (83-54), Bowling Green (86-70), Oklahoma (74-42), Marshall (69-56), and Austin Peay (67-63) in their league opener Thursday night. The Eagles are led by freshman Leon Buchanan who is scoring 14.4 points per game. Jamyron Steward and Maze Stalloworth also score in double-figures.
GAME NOTES
Playing in their 10th season of hoops at the RSEC, MSU is 108-22 (.830) and 3-1 this season with wins over Rider (66-65), Avila (84-55), and Arkansas State (81-67). The Racers have an all-time mark of 73-14 (.839) in OVC games.
OVC PREDICTIONS: The Racers were picked fourth in the OVC preseason poll of the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Austin Peay was the choice to win the regular season title with 19 first place votes, followed by Eastern Kentucky (one first place vote) and Tennessee Tech (two first place votes). The Racers were 2-4 against the trio last season. Southeast Missouri was selected 5th, with Tennessee State (6th), Samford (7th), Eastern Illinois (8th), Jacksonville State (9th), Morehead State (10th) and UT-Martin 11th.
HOLLOWAY AND THE THREE:
Take a look at the all-time three point shooters at Murray State and how Tyler Holloway ranks.MSU CAREER MADE 3-POINT SHOTS
1. Frank Allen 1989-93 251
2. Don Mann 1986-89 204
3. Justin Burdine 1998-02 198
4. Marcus Brown 1993-96 173
Paul King 1987-91 173
6. Chris Shumate 1999-04 170
7. Rick Jones 2002-04 133
8. Antoine Whelchel 2000-04 124
9. William Moore 1994-95 123
10. Tyler Holloway 2005- 107
Aaron Page 1996-00 107
12. Aubrey Reese 1997-00 105
MSU CAREER 3-POINT PERCENTAGE
1. Jeff Martin 1986-89 .449
2. Don Mann 1986-89 .421
3. Cedric Gumm 1990-94 .418
4. Chris Shumate 1999-04 .412
5. De'Teri Mayes 1996-98 .411
6. Terence Brooks 1987-89 .404
7. William Moore 1994-95 .403
8. Paul King 1987-91 .402
9. Rick Jones 2002-04 .393
10. Tyler Holloway 2005- .389
11. Justin Burdine 1998-02 .349
CLOSE TO 30:
Tyler Holloway has come very close twice to hitting the 30 point mark in a single game. His 26 on Nov. 26 against Arkansas State was three off his career best of 29 that came last January at Tennessee State. MSU's last 30 point night was 78 games ago on Jan. 6, 2005 when Shawn Witherspoon netted 33 against Morehead State.SIX THREES:
Holloway's six three point baskets against ASU was a career-high. The last MSU player to hit that number was Darnell Hopkins who went 6-of-6 against Eastern Illinois at the RSEC on Jan. 9, 2006.HOME COOKIN:
With the Racers' win over Rider Nov. 10, they have now won 18 straight home openers and have fashioned quite a home court advantage at the RSEC. In its 10th season of games, MSU is 108-22 for a winning percentage of .833.Here is how the Racers compare with the rest of the teams in the OVC since the 2003-04 season.
Team 07-08 Since 03-04 Pct.
Tennessee Tech 2-2 50-10 .833
Austin Peay 2-0 45-10 .812
Murray State 3-1 50-12 .806
Eastern KY 3-1 43-14 .754
Samford 2-2 40-15 .727
Jacksonville St. 2-1 36-21 .631
Tennessee St. 1-1 31-20 .607
SE Missouri St. 3-0 31-25 .553
UT-Martin 2-1 28-23 .549
Morehead St. 2-0 30-25 .537
Eastern Illinois 1-2 24-30 .444
IF THERE IS OT:
MSU hasn't had an overtime game yet this season, but played four last season going 2-2. MSU is 21-13 in overtime games since 1983. The Racers have played 11 overtime games in OVC play since 2000 and are 5-6.MSU's most famous overtime game came in 1990 against Michigan State in Knoxville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That game is still the only time a #16 seed has taken a #1 seed into overtime.
MILES FOR HOOPS:
A year after traveling nearly 12,000 miles in the 2006-07 season, the Murray State Racers have a much easier road in 2007-08. According to Kyle Whelliston of ESPN.com, the Racers have the seventh best travel schedule this season in terms of total miles. Last season the Racers had trips to the east and west coasts. This season's miles are further held down by the fact that MSU will have a BracketBuster game at home. Here are the 10 schools with the fewest miles to travel this season.10 FEWEST MILES (by ESPN.com)
1,821 - Manhattan
2,153 - Saint Peter's
2,640 - Central Connecticut State
2,666 - Tennessee State
2,698 - Columbia
2,736 - Sacred Heart
2,916 - Murray State
3,133 - Fairleigh Dickinson
3,176 - Quinnipiac
3,332 - Lehigh
WHAT A STREAK: One story line in the 07-08 season will be Murray State's push to ensure another winning season. MSU currently has 20 straight years of winning hoops which is tied for fourth in the nation with Connecticut. The Racers share the same neighborhood with first place Syracuse (37 years), Oklahoma (27 years) and Kansas (24 years). MSU hasn't had a losing season since the 1986-87 campaign.
