Murray State University Athletics
OVC Judgment Day - Murray State vs UT-Martin
2/29/2008 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UT-Martin
(16-14) (11-8 OVC)
at
Murray State
(16-12) (12-7 OVC)
Saturday March 1
7:30 p.m.
RSEC
Senior Day
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The Murray State Racers return home to the Regional Special Events Center to host the UT-Martin Skyhawks Saturday in the 2007-08 regular season final for both teams. The second meeting between the two finds much on the line with final seeding and pairings for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament still up for grabs. A Racer win means MSU wraps up the second seed in the tournament and makes it tougher for the Skyhawks to get a home game in Tuesday's quarterfinals. If UTM can win, they get a home game as a top-4 seed and the Racers will still get a home game.
The Racers' series with UT-Martin leans heavily in MSU's direction since they first played in 1979. Murray State has won 32 of the 34 meetings and all 17 games that have been played in Murray. UTM and Jacksonville State are the only two OVC teams that have never beat the Racers in the RSEC. The first meeting between the two Jan. 19th at Martin was a close contest as the Racers built a 12-point lead with 4:38 left before UTM closed the gap to three, but couldn't get the tying points in the final seconds. Danero Thomas scored 19 points and Marvin Williams came off the bench to nab 10 rebounds. Lester Hudson led UTM with 32 points.
After a grueling 20-game schedule of home-and-home battles, the regular season is over with tonight's contest and the standings will be final and the pairings set for the OVC Tournament which begins Tuesday with the quarterfinals at the top-four seeds home courts. Murray State has already guaranteed a top-four seed and a 12th straight home game. The Racers have never failed to host a game in the quarterfinals. The only thing for sure is that the Racers host a game Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. after the MSU women's team plays a home game at the RSEC at 5:30 p.m.
The final regular season home game also means it's senior day when Bruce Carter and Ray George are honored before the game.
SERIES INFORMATION
Overall: Racers lead 32-2
@ Murray: Racers lead 17-0
@ Martin: Racers lead 15-2
Neutral: None 0-0
OVC Tournament: Racers lead 1-0
First Meeting: 1979 MSU won 75-65 in Murray, Ky.
Last Meeting: Jan. 19 MSU won 76-72 in Martin, Tenn.
Trend: MSU has never lost at home to the Skyhawks in 17 meetings
Billy Kennedy vs UTM: 3-0
Brett Campbell vs MUR: 1-16
MEDIA INFORMATION
Television: MSU-TV 11 (delayed 10 pm)
Radio: Froggy 103.7 FM Neal Bradley & Josh Perigo
Internet: GoRacers.com FREE live audio
OVCsports.tv PAY live video
GRAND SLAMMER: In checking all NCAA D-I conferences, the Racers are still in control of what could be called a "Grand Slam of Stats." Currently in league games only, the Racers are the only team in the country leading their league in field goal and three-point percentage and in defending them. The Racers are shooting .494 from the field, and .405 from three-point range. On defense, MSU holds opponents to .416 from the field and .331 from behind the arc. All are the best in the OVC.
OHIO VALLEY SCHEDULE
Tenn. State at Eastern Ky. 6pm
Austin Peay at Morehead State 630pm
Samford at Eastern Illinois 715pm
Jax. State at SE Missouri 730pm
UT-Martin at Murray State 730pm
OVC STANDINGS OVC TOTAL
Murray State 12-7 16-12
Morehead State 12-7 15-13
UT-Martin 11-8 16-14
Eastern Kentucky 10-9 14-14
Samford 10-9 14-14
Tennessee Tech 10-10 13-18
Tennessee State 9-10 12-16
SE Missouri 7-12 12-18
Eastern Illinois 5-14 6-22
Jacksonville State 4-15 6-22
OVC TIEBREAKERS:
Thanks to some fine work from Kyle Schwartz of the conference office, here are the various combinations of tiebreakers that are in effect on the final day of the regular season.What We Do Know
*APSU, MSU and MOR have clinched first-round home games.
*Although no other seeds have been set, the 8-team field is set with Austin Peay, Morehead State, Murray State, UT Martin, Eastern Kentucky, Samford, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State.
If Murray State Wins and Morehead State Wins ...
The Racers clinch the No. 2 seed (13-7). They would win a head-to-head tiebreaker with Morehead State (2-0 vs. Eagles during the regular season).If Murray State Loses and Morehead State Wins ...
Morehead State is the No. 2 seed (13-7).If Murray State Loses to UT Martin and Morehead State Loses ...
There is a three-way tie at 12-8 between Murray State, Morehead State and UT Martin. Murray State would win the composite tiebreaker with a 3-1 record against the other two schools and would be the No. 2 seed. Morehead State (2-2 against the other two teams) would be the No. 3 seed and UT Martin (1-3 against the other two teams) would be the No. 4 seed.If Eastern Kentucky Wins, UT Martin Loses and Samford Wins ...
There is a three-way tie for the No. 4 seed (11-9). The composite tiebreaker between the teams would be tied a 2-2 and then would move to record against No. 1 seed (Austin Peay). Samford would be the No. 4 seed because they were the only one of the tied teams to beat Austin Peay. That leaves a two-way tie between EKU and UTM; Eastern Kentucky would be the No. 5 seed and UT Martin the No. 6 seed because EKU topped UTM in both games this season.If Eastern Kentucky Wins, UT Martin Loses and Samford Loses ...
There would be a two-way tie for the No. 4 seed between EKU and UT Martin. Eastern Kentucky would be the No. 4 seed and UT Martin the No. 5 seed due to the head-to-head season series (EKU won 2-0).If UT Martin Wins, Eastern Kentucky Wins and Samford Wins ...
UT Martin would be at least the No. 4 seed and Samford and Eastern Kentucky would tie for No. 5. Samford would be the No. 5 seed due to the head-to-head tiebreaker (2-0 in regular season) and EKU would be the No. 6 seed.If Tennessee State Wins (at Eastern Kentucky) and Samford Loses ...
There would be a four-way tie for the No. 5 seed (10-10) between Eastern Kentucky, Samford, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State. Samford would be the No. 5 seed because they would win the composite tiebreaker with a 4-2 total record against the other tied teams. Eastern Kentucky would be the No. 8 seed because they would have a 2-4 record against the other tied teams. Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech would go to a head-to-head tiebreaker which is tied and then to record vs. the No. 1 seed; TSU would be the No. 6 seed (having beaten No. 1 Austin Peay) and Tennessee Tech would be No. 7.If Samford wins, UT Martin Loses and Eastern Kentucky Loses ... (Part I)
Samford and UT Martin would be tied for the No. 4 seed (11-9). UT Martin would win the head-to-head tiebreaker (2-0) and be the No. 4 seed. Samford would be the No. 5 seed.If Samford Wins and Tennessee State Wins (at Eastern Kentucky) ... (Part II)
Samford would be either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed (depending on what UT Martin does ? see above). Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State would be in a three-way tie for the No. 6 seed (10-10). The composite records between the teams would be tied at 2-2, sending the tiebreaker to head-to-head vs. the No. 1 seed (Austin Peay). Tennessee State would be the No. 6 seed thanks to a win against APSU earlier this season. That would leave EKU and TTU locked in head-to-head record and against the No. 1 seed (0-2). The tiebreaker would go to record vs. the No. 2 seed. If that is Morehead State, that does not break the tie and must go to the No. 3 seed (which would be Murray State). In that case EKU would be the No. 7 seed (2-0 vs. Murray State) and TTU the No. 8 seed (1-1 vs. Murray State). If Murray State is the No. 2 seed, the same result occurs, as EKU would be the No. 7 seed and TTU the No. 8 seed.If Eastern Kentucky Wins and Samford Loses ...
Samford and Tennessee Tech would be tied for the No. 6 seed (10-10). The head-to-head tiebreaker would be tied and go to record vs. the No. 1 seed (Austin Peay). Samford would win the tiebreaker as they were 1-1 against Austin Peay this year. Samford would be the No. 6 seed, Tennessee Tech the No. 7 seed and Tennessee State the No. 8 seed.OVC TOURNAMENT:
The 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Men's & Women's Tournaments will be held March 4, 7-8. The first round games will be held at campus sites (top four seeds on each side) on Tuesday, March 4. Those games can be seen live on OVCSports.TV. The winners of those games will shift to historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville, Tenn. for the semifinals and finals. The men's semifinals will be held on Friday, March 7 at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and televised on ESPNU with the championship game on Saturday, March 8 at 4 p.m. and televised live on ESPN2 (note, this is a change from the original time announced). The women's semifinals are set for 12 and 2 p.m. on March 7th (televised on OVCSports.TV) and the women's championship game is set for March 8 at 11 a.m. and will be televised on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS).This marks the 14th time in 15 years that the tournament has been held in Nashville and the fifth time it will take place in Municipal. The event was also held there in 1989, 1994, 1995 and 2004.
CAREER NUMBERS:
Tyler Holloway is on his way to becoming the 34th member of the MSU 1,000-Point club. He passed the 800-point mark Feb. 28 at Tennessee Tech. He has 804 points in 88 career games. Danero Thomas is only 56 games into his MSU career but already has 486 points. He'll be more than half way to 1,000 before the season is over. Marvin Williams grabbed his 100th career rebound Dec. 20 at Samford and reached 200 against Indiana State Feb. 23. Bruce Carter zoomed past 600 career points against SEMO on Jan. 26. and surpassed 700 against Eastern Illinois Feb. 14. Ray George passed 250 points in his career Jan. 15 against Indiana South Bend. On Feb. 2 against Jacksonville State he passed 100 career assists. Kevin Thomas passed 100 career assists in the Feb. 9 game at Morehead State.RACE TO THE BREAK:
The Racers' chances of winning go up when they have the lead at the half. MSU has had the lead at halftime 17 times this season and won 15. Conversely, they are 1-10 when they trail at the intermission.TOO CLOSE TO CALL:
MSU has been involved in some close games this season. Ten times they've played a game that was decided by five or fewer points and are 4-6. MSU has lost two heart-breakers in overtime to Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay.THE MAGIC 80:
Getting to the 80-point mark has been a magical thing for MSU this season, they're 8-1 when they do and only 8-9 when they score 79 or less.STATS GRAND SLAM:
As mentioned on page one, the Racers are the only team in NCAA D-I leading their league in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and defense of both, based on statistics from league games only. There are four teams that lead in three of the categories: Cornell (Ivy), American (Patriot), Stephen F. Austin ( Southland), and IUPUI (Summit).
