Five In Double-Figures Pace 92-88 MSU Win Over TSU

Saturday, January 5

Murray, Ky.

7:30 p.m.

Murray State

Tennessee State

1/6/2008 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

The Murray State Racers scored their highest point total in two seasons for head coach Billy Kennedy in route to a 92-88 Ohio Valley Conference victory Saturday over Tennessee State at the Regional Special Events Center.

The Racers Led by 20 points with 16:45 left and held off a strong rally from the Tigers to snap a four-game losing streak and improved to 6-7 overall and 3-3 in the league.

Unlike the last three games in which they had cold starts, the Racers broke from the gate with three three-point baskets, two from Danero Thomas and one from Kevin Thomas for a 13-4 lead at the 13:56 mark. The MSU lead grew to 17-7 when Marvin Williams hit a jumper with 12:10 left in the half.

When TSU cut the Racers' lead to six with 3:11 left, MSU responded with a jumper by Williams and a three from Danero Thomas on a fast break to go up again by 11 after leading by as many as 14.

With 8.2 seconds left Bruce Price of TSU made a shot and was fouled. In the process, Jewuan Long was assessed a technical foul. The scene turned into a five-point play for the Tigers to cut the Racers lead to 10 at 44-34.

Long scored the last basket of the half with 2.2 seconds to give the Racers a 46-34 lead at the half.

The Racers had an outstanding first half from the field and made 16-of-31 (.516), while holding TSU to (375) on 12-of-32. MSU hit 6-of-10 from three-point range, the Tigers were 3-of-14.

Murray State put together another burst to start second half on an 11-3 run led by Tony Easley. He scored three baskets during the run that ended with MSU in front 57-37 with 16:45 remaining in the game.

Easley started the game missing his first four shots but finished with making six of his last seven shots.

At the 1:18 mark the Racers' lead was 17 points, but amazingly the Tigers were able to cut the final margin to four.

The Racers put five players in double-figures: Danero Thomas had 16 points, while Bruce Carter, Tony Easley, and Tyler Holloway each added 15. Marvin Williams had 13 and was perfect in the game hitting 5-of-5 from the field, including a three pointer and 2-of-2 from the line.

Murray State has Sunday off and gets right back in the battle with a Monday night 7:30 p.m. game in Cape Girardeau, Mo at the Show Me Center. MSU leads the all-time series with the Redhawks 41-16 and are 21-7 at SEMO. MSU leads the all-time series with the Redhawks in OVC games 28-7. The teams split their series last season with each winning on the road. MSU has won four straight at SEMO since their last loss in 2003. Before that, the Racers had won nine straight after losing there in 1992.

GAME NOTES

Tyler Holloway extended his free throw streak to 19 straight when he hit his first four. He missed the first of a pair of free throws with1:47 left to end his run. Greg Coble's 1990 record of 33 straight is still safe.

The Racers are now 110-22 (.833) all-time in the RSEC in their 10^th season and 5-1 this season. MSU is 75-14 (.842) all-time against OVC opponents.

Both teams started slow with each getting no points in their first four possessions. The game's first points didn't come until MSU's Bruce Carter hit a jumper at the 16:39 mark.

MSU's 92 points is the highest ever scored in 43 games under head coach Billy Kennedy. The previous high score was 86 last season Jan. 4^th at Tennessee State in overtime. The previous high in a regulation game was 85 at Southeast Missouri last season Jan. 27^th in Cape Girardeau.