Racers drop 66-64 home loss to Valparaiso

Saturday, December 29

CFSB Center

2 p.m.

Murray State

9-3

Valparaiso

10-4

Valparaiso

Murray State

Photo by: Tab Brockman

12/29/2012 3:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

| Box Score(PDF)

The Murray State Racers saw their home winning streak end at six in a 66-64 loss to Valparaiso Saturday afternoon at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.

The Racers (9-3) were led by Isaiah Canaan's 24 points, while Ed Daniel added 14 and Dexter Fields had 12.

MSU tried for a come from behind finish in front of a home crowd of 4,343, but fell just short after their five-point lead (54-49) at the 7:32 mark disappeared when the Crusaders went on a 10-0 run to lead 59-54 with 5:30 remaining.

MSU's Dexter Fields cut into the lead with a three-pointer at the 4:45 mark to make it a two-point game 59-57.

MSU was again five points down at the 1:43 mark when Canaan hit a pair of free throws which was followed by Ed Daniel drawing a charge on VU's Kevin Van Wijk. Canaan's bid to tie the game with 22 seconds remaining was off the mark and VU finished a fast break to lead 64-59 with 15.3 left. Canaan made a layup to again cut the VU lead to three (64-61) with 9.7 left. Canaan also hit a three just before the final horn to make it a 66-64 final.

MSU shot 41 percent from the field (22-of-53), while the Crusaders were 45 percent (24-of-54). From three-point land, the Racers shot 39 percent (9-of-23), with VU shooting 37 percent (6-of-16).

The Racers led at the half even with a tough finish in the last nine minutes when VU put together an 11-0 run to lead 25-22 with 3:03 left. MSU hit 4-of-6 from three range to start the game and led 13-2 only four minutes into the contest.

MSU now springs into OVC play next week as 2013 begins. MSU plays Thursday at UT Martin in a game carried by the Racer TV Network and ESPN3. The 7 p.m. tip is also on Racer Radio over the air on WFGE 103.7 FM and streamed online at Froggy103.com and GoRacers.com. The Racers' second league game is at Southeast Missouri next Saturday at 5 p.m. in a game carried by ESPNU.

GAME NOTES
Today's game brings to a close 2012 for the Racers. In the calendar year, MSU was 26-5.

MSU's back-to-back losses stand to highlight an amazing run of winning for the Racer program over the last three seasons. MSU's recent defeats to Dayton and today to Valparaiso are the first back-to-back losses for MSU in a span of 71 games dating back to the Anaheim Classic (Nov. 28, 2010) when MSU lost to UNLV and Oklahoma State at the Anaheim Classic.

MSU is 176-29 (.885) in 15 seasons at The Bank and 71-10 (.858) against non-OVC teams. MSU's non-OVC home win streak of 19 was stopped. MSU's last loss was against Louisiana Tech (Feb. 21, 2009). During the same period, MSU had won 11 straight against D-I teams.

MSU's Isaiah Canaan made three three-point baskets today to up his career total to 249, just behind MSU career leader Frank Allen, who had 251 from 1989-93.

Ed Daniel's two blocks today gives him 129 for his career and one behind MSU career third-place man Jeff Martin (1985-89) who had 130. MSU's all-time leader is Cuthbert Victor (2000-04) at 160, while Tony Easley (2006-10) is second on the list at 142.