Racers Move Into OVC First Place With 67-58 Win At APSU

Saturday, February 5

Clarksville, Tenn.

7:30 p.m.

Murray State

Austin Peay

Photo by: Cindi Cripps

Racers Move Into OVC First Place With 67-58 Win At APSU

2/5/2011 8:11:23 PM | Men's Basketball

Boxscore

Boxscore(PDF)

The Murray State Racers took over first place in the Ohio Valley Conference Saturday with a 67-58 win at Austin Peay at the Dunn Center in Clarksville, Tenn.

MSU's fifth straight win gives them a half-game lead in the OVC at 9-3, while the Govs are 9-4. It marks the first time this season that the Racers have had solo first place in the league race.

The Racers (17-6) overcame a dry spell that saw them miss 14 straight shots in the first half.

When MSU got their shots to finally fall, they ended the first half on an 11-2 run after falling behind 20-13 at 2:36. MSU hit three straight three-point baskets. Isacc Miles broke an 0-of-8 start from behind the arc for MSU and Isaiah Canaan hit two threes including one at the buzzer to give MSU a 24-22 lead at the half.

MSU ended the half making 5-of-10 from the field after missing their previous 14 attempts.

With MSU leading by two with 17:52 remaining, Miles hit a three which was followed by a basket from Jeffery McClain and a three from Canaan for a 38-28 lead with 15:11 left.

MSU pushed to their largest lead of the game with 11:11 left with an 18-point lead on a steal and finish by Canaan.

APSU chipped away and closed to as close as seven (56-49) with 2:16 left, but MSU held the Govs off by hitting eight straight from the line to finish the game.

After having no 20-point scorers in the first three games, Canaan's 21 gave MSU three straight. He was 7-of-14 from the field and 3-of-8 from three in the game.

Miles tossed in 15 for MSU, while McClain added eight points to go with five rebounds. Ed Daniel scored seven and had eight rebounds for MSU.

MSU won the rebound battle 34-27 and limited APSU to only four offensive rebounds.

Miles has made a three-pointer in 10 straight games, while Canaan's run is nine straight.

NOTES

The Racers' 17^th win brings them closer to another 20-win season which will be the 24^th in school history in their 86^th season. When number 20 does come, Billy Kennedy will be the seventh straight MSU coach that has recorded at least two 20-win seasons.

Billy Kennedy recorded his 101^st win at MSU and 205^th in his career tonight. Kennedy's Racers are 48-11 in the last two seasons and 36-4 in OVC regular season games. Those rare losses have come to: Morehead State (2) and one each to APSU and Eastern Illinois.

Now the Racers try and make it a sweep of the toughest stretch of games they'll play this season Monday at Eastern Illinois. Game time at Lantz Arena Saturday is 7 p.m. in Charleston, Ill. MSU lost the first meeting at the CFSB Center (Jan. 20) 61-60.

MSU returns home next week for a pair of home games with Tennessee Tech Thursday and Jacksonville State on Saturday. Each game is a women's – men's doubleheader beginning at 5:15 p.m.