Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
Tennessee Tech
Racers Fall to Tennessee Tech in OVC Semifinals 64-59
3/4/2011 10:45:13 PM | Men's Basketball
Box Score (pdf)
The Murray State Racers stumbled in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Friday when they dropped a 64-59 semifinal game to Tennessee Tech at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.
The Racers were led by junior Ivan Aska, with 15 points and five rebounds. Senior Isacc Miles added 11 points as the only other MSU player in double digits. Sophomore Ed Daniel added six points and a team-high six boards in just 15 minutes of action after getting into early foul trouble.
After trailing 29-24 starting the second half, MSU saw Tech go on a 10-2 run for their biggest lead of the game at the 11:57 mark of the second half, 40-32, and eventually led by 10 with 10:43 left.
MSU answered with a 10-2 run and cut the Tech lead to two when MSU got a three from Isaiah Canaan and another from Donte Poole. The Racers used a 6-0 run to tie the game and take a one-point advantage with just over three minutes left to play. Over the next two minutes the teams battled through two more tie scores before the Golden Eagles finished the last 1:27 with a 9-4 run to secure the victory.
In the first half, Donte Poole came off the bench and hit a jumper and three-pointer to put MSU up 14-8 at 11:25. MSU also led 20-16 at 5:40 but Tech ended the half on a 13-4 run to claim a 29-24 lead at the break.
The key to the game was shooting percentages. The Racers shot .333 from the field and just .167 from beyond the arc, while TTU hit 48.9 percent of their overall shots and 50 percent of their triple attempts.
MSU ends the season with a 23-8 record and claimed its 22nd OVC regular-season championship, the most among OVC teams.
By claiming the regular season title, MSU will be able to participate in the National Invitational Tournament.
