Murray State University Athletics
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MSU Returns To RSEC After 40 Days
1/7/2009 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game 14
Tennessee State
(5-9) (3-1 OVC)
at
Murray State
(6-7) (1-2 OVC
Thursday 7:30 p.m.
Murray, Ky.
RSEC
GAME NOTES
HOME AT LAST: For the first time in 40 days, the Murray State Racers are back at home in the Regional Special Events Center when they host the Tigers of Tennessee State in a 7:30 p.m. game in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Racers last played at home Nov. 29 in a 76-66 win over St. Catharine. Since then, the team has battled through a tough eight-game road trip that ended Monday with a hard-fought 75-71 loss at UT Martin. MSU is 6-7 overall and 1-2 in the OVC and carry a five-game home winning streak and a 10-game streak in OVC games. The Racers placed four players in double-figures Monday, but fell short at UTM in snapping a 15-game win streak against the Skyhawks. Kevin Thomas and Isacc Miles each had season highs in leading MSU with 21 and 18 points. The Racers' normally reliable free throw shooting left them in the UTM game when they hit only 10-of-20 after coming into the game ranked 15th in the nation. The Racers still lead the league in free throw shooting at 74 percent, and are tops in the OVC in field goal defense holding opponents to 42 percent.
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SERIES INFORMATION
Overall: Racers lead 37-15
@ Murray: Racers lead 21-5
@ Nashville: Racers lead 16-7
Neutral: 0-3
OVC: Racers lead 34-14
OVC Tournament: Tied 3-3
Trend: Tigers have won the last two meetings and three of the last four.
Billy Kennedy vs TSU: 2-3
Television: MSU TV-11 - Delayed 10 p.m.
Radio: Froggy 103.7 FM - Neal Bradley & Nathan Higdon
Internet: GoRacers.com FREE live audio - GoRacers.com FREE live stats - OVCSports.tv PAY live video
SCOUTING REPORT: Tennessee State comes into the game 5-9 on the season, but has caught fire in winning their last two OVC games with a pair of home wins and come in 3-1 in the league. TSU, Morehead State and Austin Peay share first place at 3-1. Monday Tennessee State handed Morehead State its first league loss with a 71-64 win. Saturday, Parker Smith's 26 points helped off-set a 31-point game from Eastern Kentucky's Mike Rose as TSU posted a 69-63 victory. TSU's Gerald Robinson leads the way with 18.5 points per game, while Jerrell Houston adds 14.1 and Darius Cox scores 10.9. TSU leads the OVC in three-point defense in holding opponents to 30 percent and are third in the league in blocked shots.
UT Martin will host Austin Peay Thursday at the Elam Center, with the pairings switching Saturday as TSU goes to UTM and APSU comes to MSU.
RSEC-THE FRIENDLY CONFINES: The Regional Special Events Center continues to be a great home court advantage for the Racers who were 14-2 last season and upped their mark in their 11th season of basketball in the RSEC to 122-23 (.841) with a win in their last time at home against St. Catharine. MSU is 17-2 in the last two seasons at the RSEC. MSU's winning percentage in OVC games at the RSEC is even better at .857 with a mark of 84-14. MSU is 11-1 at the RSEC against Tennessee State.
HOME STREAKS ON THE LINE: The Racers enter the Tennessee State game with a five-game win streak at the RSEC and a streak of 10-straight in OVC games.MSU's OVC home winning streak
| 03-05-08 | #Tennessee Tech | Won | 77-74 |
| 03-01-08 | UT Martin | Won | 98-59 |
| 02-16-08 | Eastern Illinois | Won | 67-56 |
| 02-02-08 | Jacksonville State | Won | 95-85 |
| 1-29-08 | Samford | Won | 62-34 |
| 1-26-08 | SE Missouri | Won | 86-85 |
| 1-24-08 | Tennessee Tech | Won | 81-67 |
| 1-05-08 | Tennessee State | Won | 92-88 |
| 12-08-07 | Morehead State | Won | 63-44 |
| 12-06-07 | Eastern Kentucky | Lost | 58-59 |
| # | OVC Tournament | ||
MSU's overall home winning streak
| 11-29-08 | St. Catharine | Won | 76-66 |
| 11-22-08 | Western Kentucky | Won | 89-61 |
| 11-15-08 | Lyon | Won | 84-46 |
| 03-05-08 | #Tennessee Tech | Won | 77-74 |
| 03-01-08 | UT Martin | Won | 98-59 |
| 02-23-08 | %Indiana State | Lost | 62-79 |
| % | ESPNU BracketBuster |
GETTING TO THE LINE: Through 13 games, the Racers are having a good season at the free throw line. MSU has made 223-of-300 for a 74.3 percentage. However, they have not performed well from the line in the last four games in hitting 56.9 percent (37-65). When the first NCAA statistics report came out Dec. 1, the Racers were second in the nation at just over 84 percent. This week they dropped to 15th. UC Davis is first in the country at 80.9 percent. The Racers are flirting with the MSU team mark of 76.9 set in the 1994-95 season.
WHEN YOU'RE HOT:
Kevin Thomas had a perfect night from the field against UT Martin Jan. 5 when he hit 7-of-7 shots. The MSU record of 11-of-11 by Cuthbert Victor against Tennessee State in 2001 is still stands as MSU's shooting mark for a single game.MOVING ON UP: Tyler Holloway is three three-pointers from catching Chris Shumate for sixth place on the MSU all-time list. Holloway has 167, while Shumate made 170 from 1999-04. Fourth place is shared by Marcus Brown (1993-96) and Paul King (1987-91) as each made 173. Frank Allen (1989-93) tops MSU's list with 251.
