Murray State Locks Down On Morehead State In 63-44 Win

Saturday, December 8

Murray, Ky.

7:30 p.m.

Murray State

Morehead State

Murray State Locks Down On Morehead State In 63-44 Win

12/9/2007 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

The Murray State Racers evened their record in the Ohio Valley Conference Saturday with a 63-44 victory over the Morehead State Eagles at the Regional Special Events Center. MSU is 1-1 in league play and 4-3 overall. The Racers effectively bounced back from a bitter mid-week to Eastern Kentucky.

With the Racers leading by a point at the 8:30 mark of the opening half, they put together a 12-0 run to go ahead 23-10. Tony Easley scored a three-point play, while Tyler Holloway capped it off with his second three-point basket of the game with 6:14 left.

With 2:45 left, Kevin Thomas hit another MSU three and the lead was back to 13 at 29-16.

The Racers ended the half leading 31-20.

Murray State shot an impressive 60 percent from the floor in the half going 12-of-20, while holding Morehead State to 25 percent on 7-of-27 shooting. The Racers hit 4-of-8 from three point range and the Eagles were 3-of-13.

The Racers had 11 assists for their 12 first half baskets.

Tony Easley and Bruce Carter each hit two baskets to help Murray State start the second half with an 8-0 run. The Racer lead was 19 at 39-20 with 16:41 left in the contest.

The Racers kept pouring on the offense until their lead was 57-33 when Ray George connected in the lane with 9:42 left.

The Racers ended the game shooting 54 percent (26-of-48), while holding the Eagles to 26 percent (12-of-46).

Ten different Racer players scored in the game, including 13 by Carter and 11 from Holloway.

Kevin Thomas had seven assists.

MSU had 27 points in the paint.

MSU head coach Billy Kennedy liked the way his team performed.

“I am very thankful that we responded well on the defensive end tonight,” Kennedy said. “To hold Morehead State to 44 points and for our defensive field goal percentage to be at 26 percent, that's as good as we've played since I've been here.”

The Racers will now take the coming week off to concentrate on final exams and won't return to action until they play at Jacksonville State Dec. 18 and Samford Dec. 20. MSU will also play in the Dr. Pepper Classic at Chattanooga Dec. 29-30 before playing at Eastern Illinois Jan. 3. MSU's next home game is Jan. 5 against Tennessee State.

GAME NOTES

Murray State is now 109-22 (.832) in the RSEC playing their 10th basketball season in the building. MSU is 74-14 (.840) in OVC games.

The Racers lead the all-time series with Morehead State 99-44. The series began in 1932.

Tyler Holloway's three three-point baskets mean he has 110 in his Murray State career and is still in 10th place on the Racer list. William Moore is in 9th place with 123. Holloway ranks 10th in all-time three percentage at .389.

Carter led the Racers in scoring for the 11th time at MSU and the second this season with his 13 points.

Tony Easley, who leads the OVC in field goal percentage, is now shooting 771 (27-of-35) after hitting 4-of-6 shots.

In the free throw department, Ray George has hit six straight, while Easley has a streak of five straight.