Road Winning Streak to 15 - Racers Win 82-70 At Evansville

Saturday, December 8

Evansville, Ind.

1:05 p.m.

Murray State

7-1

Evansville

5-3

Team	1	2	F
Murray State	36	46	82
Evansville	39	31	70

Photo by: Tab Brockman

Road Winning Streak to 15 - Racers Win 82-70 At Evansville

12/8/2012 12:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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The Murray State Racers won for the fourth straight time Saturday with an 82-70 win at the University of Evansville in the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.

The Racers (7-1) overcame a 39-36 halftime deficit to push their school-record road winning streak to 15.

Brandon Garrett scored career-highs with 16 points and eight rebounds in the win and watched front-court mate Ed Daniel score his sixth straight double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Isaiah Canaan had a 21-point day, while Stacy Wilson made it four Racers with double-figure scoring with 18 points.

Trailing by three at the half, the Racers turned up the defensive pressure at the start of the second half.

Garrett scored the first bucket and when MSU stopped the Aces on three straight possessions, Canaan hit a three-pointer and a fast break hoop and MSU had a 10-1 run and a 46-40 lead.

The run continued for MSU when Garrett scored a slam dunk and Jeffery Moss assisted Wilson for a layup. Canaan added his second three of the day and MSU's run to start the half was 21-6 with a 57-45 lead with 11:29 remaining. Canaan hit another three with 3:54 remaining and MSU led by 14 at 72-58. MSU's largest lead was 16 with 2:38 left.

MSU did as much clawing back from deficits of 15-2 only 5:02 into the game and 24-9 with 12:11 before half as they did in the second half.

MSU got back into the game when Daniel and Garrett combined for eight points starting at the 2:38 mark before half. When Canaan picked up a loose ball and scored at the buzzer, the Racers were back in the fight down only 39-36.

In the first half, MSU was held to 43 percent shooting on 14-of-32 shots, while the Purple Aces fired at 52 percent on 14-of-27 shots. However, the second half saw MSU hold UE to 35 percent on 10-of-29, while they were 18-of-27 for a blazing 68 percent.

MSU won the rebound battle 41-30 with the combination of Daniel and Garrett grabbing 23.

The Racers now prepare for final exams next week and get back home to host Western Kentucky (Dec. 16) in a 2 p.m. tip at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.

Game Notes

MSU's school-record road winning streak is now 15 with the win. MSU hasn't lost a road game since going to Missouri State in the NIT in March of 2011. MSU was the only team in NCAA D-I to go unbeaten on the road last season at 13-0.

Brandon Garrett's 16 points surpassed his career-high 13 points he had against Old Dominion (Nov. 24) and his eight rebounds was better than his previous career-high of seven rebounds against St. John's (Nov. 16).

Ed Daniel now has six straight double-doubles with 21 points and 15 rebounds against UE. The last six-game streak by a MSU player was in 1982 by Ricky Hood. Vincent Rainey had a seven-game streak in 1997. Popeye Jones, MSU's all-time leading rebounder, had a 17-game streak in 1991.

MSU ran into a hot shooter in UE's Ned Cox who was 7-of-7 from the field for 16 points in the first 6:30 of the game. MSU held Cox to 0-of-4 from the field in the final 33:30 of the contest.

MSU's game at home (Dec. 16) against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will be the 150^th meeting in this long-running rivalry. MSU trails the all-time series 95-54, but are 33-29 all-time against the Hilltoppers at home.