Murray State University Athletics
Racers-Govs Wrestle For OVC First Place
1/30/2008 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Murray State
(13-7) (9-3 OVC)
at
Austin Peay
(13-9) (9-3 OVC)
Thursday 7:30 p.m.
Dunn Center
Clarksville, Tenn.
Click here for LIVE AUDIO
Click here for LIVE VIDEO
When the season began, all fans of Ohio Valley Conference basketball looked to the meetings between the Murray State Racers and Austin Peay Governors as the biggest games of the season. The Thursday 7:30 p.m. tip at the Dunn Center is just that as first place will be on the line when the two meet for the 106th time in a series that started in 1941.
The Racers improved to 9-3 and moved into a tie with the Govs Tuesday when MSU mowed down Samford 62-34 at home, while APSU slugged it out on the road with Southeast Missouri State for three overtimes before losing 121-116.
In their first meeting in Murray Jan. 10, the Racers got a double-double from guard Kevin Thomas and 26 points from Bruce Carter in an 82-70 win at the Regional Special Events Center. The Racers run of 21-10 over a period covering 8:07 of the second half was the difference in the game.
The Racers are still in control of a rare grand-slam of stat categories in the OVC. In league games, MSU leads in field goal percentage (.487), and three-point percentage (.419) and in defense of those categories, FG defense (.416) and three-point defense (.317). The Racers' are ranked nationally in the top-100 in field goal percentage (29th), rebound margin (59th), free throw percentage (78th), assists per game (89th), and steals per game (96th). Kevin Thomas ranks 97th in assists per game and 91st in assist/turnover ratio.
MSU carries an eight-game winning streak (the longest this season in the OVC) into the APSU game, their longest since the 2005-06 team won 10 straight on their way to the OVC regular season title. The Racers streak is seventh best in the nation. Kansas has the best at 20 straight, while Memphis has won 19 straight. Drake has won 17 in a row, South Alabama 13, while Mississippi State and Davidson have won nine straight. MSU's program record is 16, set twice under legendary coach Carlisle Cutchin in back to back seasons in the 1930's.
SERIES HISTORYOverall: Racers lead 69-36
@ Murray: Racers lead 41-8
@ Clarksville: Governors lead 25-22
Neutral: Racers lead 6-3
OVC Tourney: Racers 8-5
First Meeting: 1941 MSU won 53-43
Last Meeting: Jan. 10 MSU won 82-70
Trend: Home team has won the last three games
Billy Kennedy vs APSU: 2-1
Dave Loos vs MUR: 14-26
MEDIA INFORMATION
Television: MSU TV-11 Delay 10 p.m.
Radio: Froggy 103.7 FM Neal Bradley & Josh Perigo
Internet: GoRacers.com FREE live audio, OVCsports.tv PAY live video
GAME NOTES
KENNEDY'S RUN:
Head coach Billy Kennedy now has his longest winning streak in 10 seasons as a head coach. MSU's eight-game streak tops the six-game streak Kennedy had at Southeastern Louisiana durng the 2004-05 season.TERRIFIC TRIO:
Together they're one senior, one junior, and one sophomore and they've led the Racers' in scoring this season in 18 of 20 games. Bruce Carter, Tyler Holloway, and Danero Thomas have combined to lead MSU in scoring 37 times over the last two seasons.A WIN MEANS:
The Racers are 14-7 overall and 10-3 OVC and in solo first place. Billy Kennedy is 30-21 at MSU. The Racers are 170-36 all-time against APSU and 23-25 in Clarksville.A LOSS MEANS:
The Racers are 13-8 and have snapped an eight-game winning streak. The Racers are 9-4 in the OVC and are 22-26 all-time in Clarksville.RUNNING RACERS:
MSU's eight-game win streak is the seventh best in the nation. Three MSU opponents this season (Rider, Western Kentucky, Mississippi State) also have nationally ranked winning streaks.Current NCAA D-I Winning Streaks
Memphis 19
Drake 17
South Ala. 13
Davidson 9
Miss. State 9
Murray St. 8
Duke 7
Oral Roberts 7
Rider 7
Texas-Pan Am 7
UNC-Asheville 6
Western Ky. 6
STATS IN THE STREAK:
During the winning streak, Bruce Carter is scoring 18.0 points per game and getting 7.4 rebounds. Tyler Holloway is scoring 13.9 ppg and Danero Thomas 13.8 ppg.
