Murray State
Austin Peay
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MSU Beats APSU 82-70 - Back-To-Back Wins Over 6-0 Teams
1/11/2008 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Murray State Racers got a double-double from guard Kevin Thomas and 26 points from Bruce Carter and notched an 82-70 Ohio Valley Conference win Thursday over Austin Peay in front of the biggest crowd of the season of 4,061 at the
The win made the Racers 8-7 overall and moved them into third place in the OVC with a mark of 5-3. The Governors dropped to 10-7 overall and 6-1 in the league, now in a first place tie with
The Racers have won three straight for the first time this season.
By looking at the match-up, one figured this to be a close game and it was for most of the game.
The Racers took an 11-7 lead on a Kevin Thomas jumper with 15:22 left in the half, but moments later the game was tied at 11 with 14:40 remaining.
At the 12:50 mark, the Racers again went in front by four on a jumper by Ray George.
Austin Peay answered with a 17-6 run to take their biggest lead of the half at 31-24 with 4:13 left.
MSU made a push and ended the half in the lead, but how big it would be was up for debate. The half ended with the Racers' brand new courtside monitor put to use when the officials counted a circus shot by Danero Thomas at the buzzer. After further review, the officials discounted the basket and the Racers three point lead at the half was actually one at 33-32. This game was only the second game since MSU installed replay monitors per an OVC mandate.
In the second half, MSU stormed to a 51-44 lead on back-to-back hoops by Bruce Carter and a big offensive rebound and score by Tony Easley with 12:30 left.
The Governors came right back with back-to-back three-pointers from Derek Wright and Todd Babington and four free throws to complete a 9-0 run and a 54-51 lead.
MSU countered with the run that decided the game.
It began with Tyler Holloway and Carter hitting back to back three-pointers for a 64-60 lead at the 4:57 mark.
After the Govs cut it back to two, Carter scored and the Racers forced an APSU miss that Tarod Sanders converted with a hook shot the paint. MSU forced another APSU miss and Kevin Thomas hit the jumper that put the Racers in front 72-64 with 1:51 left. The Racers run was 21-10 over a period that covered 8:07.
Kevin Thomas hit eight straight free throws down the stretch to seal the 82-70 final for
Carter was two off his career best with 26 points on 11-20 shooting and 4-of-7 from three-point range.
Holloway added 16 on 7-of-11 shooting and 2-of 3 from three-point range.
Danero Thomas scored 12 points to round out four Racers in double-figures.
The Racers won the battle on the backboards 30-24 and had 17 assists to Austin Peay's nine.
After playing four games in a week, the Racers slow down a bit. MSU hosts Indiana-South Bend Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the RSEC in a non-conference game before traveling to UT-Martin Jan. 19 for a 6 p.m. contest.
GAME NOTES
The Racers have won three straight games for the first time this season and are 8-7 overall and 5-3 in the OVC.
MSU leads the all-time series with APSU 69-36 and have a 41-8 mark against them at home. MSU has won back-to-back games in the series and six of the last seven.
MSU's all-time mark at the RSEC is 111-22 (.834) and 76-14 (.844) in OVC games.
Billy Kennedy's career record at
Tyler Holloway's 2-of-3 night means he now has 123 career three pointers which ties him for 9th place on the MSU all-time list with William Moore (1994-95). Antoine Whelchel (2000-04) is in 8th place with 124, and 7th place belongs to Rick Jones (2002-04) at 133. Holloway is in 9th place on the career three-point percentage list at .390.
Bruce Carter has really picked up his game in the last few weeks and is coincides with the Racers' recent good play. His 26 points against APSU was two off his career best of 28 from last season against
The Racers are hitting free throws when they matter most. In games where the leading team is ahead by 10 points are less in the final two minutes, the Racers are 33-of-38 this season for .868. In MSU wins, that number is 21-of-25 for .840.
Kevin Thomas has 15 straight games with at least one assist.
