Murray State
Morehead State
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MSU Gets 1,400-Thomas 1,000 as Racers Roll Eagles 86-56
12/6/2009 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The win also moved the Racers winning streak to seven, which includes a 2-0 start in the Ohio Valley Conference. MSU is 7-1 overall and hasn't lost since their Nov. 9 opener at No. 12 California.
MSU turned the game in their favor with 6:41 remaining in the first half and never looked back.
With the game tied 21-21, Danero Thomas, who became the 35th member of the MSU 1000-Point Club, hit a three-pointer which was followed by another long three from Donte Poole for a 10-point Racer lead.
The Racers ended the half on another driving shot by Thomas to lead 43-28 at the break with a 22-7 run in the final six-plus minutes of the half.
The Racers scored 25 points off of 18 Morehead State turnovers and pushed their lead to 78-48 with 5:22 remaining on a fast break dunk by A.J. Wilson.
MSU's dominating effort gave head coach Billy Kennedy his 60th win with the Racers.
"Defensively we came out with a good effort and we had a good night shooting the ball," Kennedy said. "We've got a chance to be a good team when we use our depth like we did tonight."
The Racers hit 11-of-24 from three-point range, tying the best for a Kennedy team in four seasons.
"We shot the ball well," Kennedy added. "And it was all in the confines of our offense."
Danero Thomas led the Racers with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting and became the 35th member of the MSU 1000-Point Club on a free throw with 17:28 remaining.
"I feel great about it," Thomas said. "I am a senior and this is my last year. It's something that I'm very proud of and some day, I'll look back on it and feel good about it."
"I'm proud of Danero," Kennedy said. "He's been through the tough times with us when we were first starting here. He's done a good job academically too and I am glad to see him reach that milestone."
B.J. Jenkins scored 17 for MSU, marking his high with the Racers, while Ivan Aska added 10.
Jenkins had a team-high seven assists.
MSU shot 57 percent from the field (31-of-54), while holding the Eagles to 40 percent (22-of-54).
GAME NOTES
When B.J. Jenkins hit a three-pointer at 9:35 of the first half, it was the fourth for MSU matching what they had the entire game Thursday against EKU.
Danero Thomas entered the history book as the 35th member of the MSU 1000-Point Club when he hit a free throw with 17:28 left in the game.
MSU's 11 three-pointers matched a game-best in the four seasons of the Billy Kennedy era. In his first game against San Diego State in 2006, the Racers also hit 11 threes.
The Racers now have an eight-game winning streak at home. They won the final four of last season and the first four this season. MSU is 135-25 (.843) all-time in the building in 12 seasons and are 95-15 (.826) in OVC games. The Racers are 10-2 all-time against the Eagles in the building.
The Racers once again defended the opponents' leading scorer in holding Morehead State's Kenneth Faried to 14 points. He came into the game averaging 19.2. It's the fifth straight game the Racers have accomplished this feat.
Thomas and Jenkins were certainly a one-two punch tonight for the Racers. Together they were 12-of-20 from the field and 7-of-14 from three-point range.
Next week the Racers will be concentrating on final exams and won't play until Dec. 12 in Johnson City, Tenn., against East Tennessee State. Game time at Memorial Center is 3 p.m. central time. The Buccaneers are 4-5, but posted a 94-85 win Nov. 27 at Arkansas where junior Tommy Hubbard scored a career-high 32 points. ETSU was a member of the OVC from 1957-78 and haven't played the Racers since 1978. MSU leads the series 22-19.
