Racers' Strong Second Half Leads To 73-62 Win Over SDSU

Saturday, February 23

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

20-7

South Dakota State

21-9

Team	1	2	F
South Dakota State	39	23	62
Murray State	33	40	73

Photo by: Kyser Lough/Ledger & Times

Racers' Strong Second Half Leads To 73-62 Win Over SDSU

2/23/2013 10:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score I Box Score(PDF)

The Murray State Racers overcame a 14-point deficit and scored a 73-62 win over South Dakota State Saturday at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky., in the final playing of the Ramada Worldwide BracketBusters.

Isaiah Canaan led the way for MSU with 22 points, while Stacy Wilson added 15 to go with a game-high four steals. Jeffery Moss led MSU with seven rebounds.

The Racers moved to 20-7 on the season marking their 28^th 20-win season in program history and tying the school record with four straight.

MSU took their first lead since the 11:51 mark of the first half at 57-56 when C.J. Ford scored back-to-back baskets with 9:06 left. When Moss hit a three at the shot clock buzzer, the Racers had a 9-0 run and outscored SDSU 29-19 over a span of 10:14 to take a six point lead with 7:23 left.

Canann scored nine straight points for MSU to give MSU a 71-58 advantage with 2:08 left.

MSU outscored the visitors 40-23 in the second half in holding the Jackrabbits to 44 percent shooting (10-of-23) from the field and 3-of-10 from three-point range for 30 percent. MSU heated up to 49 percent in the second half (16-of-29) and 50 percent from three 6-of-12. MSU came away with eight steals (with Wilson getting half) on 13 SDSU turnovers. MSU also pressed the tempo and had 16 points on fast breaks.

The game featured only 16 combined fouls and eight free throws.

When SDSU started the second half on an 8-0 run, the Racers were down by their largest deficit of the day at 14 points (47-33), but answered with their own 7-0 run when Canaan hit a three and was fouled, his free throw made it a four-point play and when Dexter Fields hit a three, MSU trailed 47-40 at the 16:36 mark.

MSU made a 12-5 run keyed by their defense. A pair of steals led to a pair of Wilson dunks and it was followed by another MSU stop and a three-point play by Ed Daniel to get the Racers to one down (54-53) with 10:04 remaining.

In the first half the game was tied 13-13 at the 11:48 mark when the Jackrabbits put together a 17-3 run over the next 4:42 to lead 30-16. SDSU hit 5-of-6 from three-point range. The Racers saw Wilson and Canaan hit back-to-back threes to cut the lead to eight at 32-24 with 4:25 remaining. MSU cut the lead to eight once more with 3:48 left on a pair of free throws from Canaan.

Moss scored two late baskets for the Racers, but Marcus Heemstra's tip in at buzzer gave SDSU a 39-33 lead at the break.

The Racer four-year senior class of Canaan, Daniel and Jordan Burge set the new record for total wins at 105, surpassing the former record of 104 set just last season by Ivan Aska, Jewuan Long and Donte Poole.

MSU has but two games remaining in the regular season and both are at home next week. MSU hosts UT Martin Thursday at 7 p.m. and Saturday hosts Southeast Missouri State on what is shaping up to be a memorable Senior Day.

Game Notes
The Racers secured their fourth straight 20-win season today and their 28^th in program history. The Racers have tied the all-time mark with the teams from 1996-2000. The 20-win season is the second for Steve Prohm as he joins Tevester Anderson (1998-00) as the only MSU coaches to win 20 in each of their first two seasons.

The Racers ended their BracketBusters experience winning their last four and going 7-2. Their only losses were to Louisiana Tech at home in 2009 and 2008 at home to Indiana State. MSU still has two return games to make, going to Saint Mary's next season and South Dakota State two seasons from now. MSU is 5-2 in return games.

MSU's Isaian Canaan had 22 points today and is closing on becoming the sixth to get to 2,000 points in the Racer program and the 17^th to do it in the OVC. Canaan now has 1,946.

Ed Daniel pulled down six rebounds today and has 683 as he tries to become the 11^th to get to 700 at MSU. Daniel had no blocked shots today and still has 151 for his career, as he tries to catch all-time MSU leader Cuthbert Victor who had 160 from 2000-04).