Williams Hauls In 18 Boards - Racers Beat SEMO 82-75 - Murray State University Athletics

Thursday, January 2

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

6-7 (1-0OVC)

Southeast Missouri

8-6 (0-1OVC)

Southeast Mo.

Murray St.

Photo by: Tab Brockman

Williams Hauls In 18 Boards - Racers Beat SEMO 82-75

1/2/2014 10:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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The Murray State Racers opened the Ohio Valley Conference season with an 82-75 win over Southeast Missouri State Thursday night at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.

Jarvis Williams tied a CFSB Center record with a career-high 18 rebounds, with Cameron Payne and T.J. Sapp scoring 23 and 16 points respectively. Williams tossed in 16 points and Payne's 23 set a career-high.

The Racers (6-7, 1-0 OVC) pushed their home win streak to four straight, while the Redhawks fell to 8-6 and 0-1.

A late 7-0 run got the Racers over the hump as the OVC West Division favorites battled in their first of two meetings this season. Trailing 67-66 with 4:27 left, Payne hit a corner three to give the Racers the lead for good. After a defensive stop, Williams made a free throw and rebounded the miss of his second attempt. The ball was moved around the horn and eventually Sapp nailed 3-pointer completing a rare 4-point play for the Racers and a 73-67 lead with 3:36 left.

SEMO made another push and cut the MSU lead to 75-73 with 2:33 left, but Sapp answered with another 3-pointer and MSU led by five with 2:03 remaining.

Jeffery Moss and Sapp each made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

After losing the rebound battle in the last two games at Western Kentucky and Dayton, the Racers claimed a win tonight 42-34. MSU's +8 margin over the Redhawks was second this season in D-I games only to the +11 margin they had (Dec. 17) against Southern Illinois. MSU is 5-0 this season when winning the rebound statistic.

After leading 38-34 at the half, MSU got going at the outset of the second half. MSU pushed in front by 10 points twice including at the 13:05 mark when Tyler Rambo hit a reverse layup for a 55-45 lead.

SEMO took their first lead of the game at the 7:52 mark when Jarekious Bradley scored, but T.J. Sapp answered with a fast break score for an old fashioned 3-point play and a 62-60 MSU lead.

The Racers had a splendid start to the game when they jumped out to a 14-2 lead only 4:39 into the contest. Payne hit three straight 3-pointers to put MSU in front 9-0. MSU led 19-7 at the 12:23 mark when Sapp hit a corner three. The Racers hit 4-of-7 from long range to start the game.

MSU's final field goal of the half came when Moss scored on the baseline for a 30-19 lead with 3:41 left. MSU's final eight points of the half came from the line where they were 8-of-10.

Lucas Nutt scored at the buzzer and MSU held a 38-34 lead at the break.

The Racers return home Sunday for a 2 p.m. tip against the UT Martin Skyhawks. The game will be televised by the CBS Sports Network. All Racer games are heard over the air on WFGE Froggy 103.7 FM and online at Froggy103.com and GoRacers.com.

Game Notes
18 rebounds by Jarvis Williams tied the CFSB Center record held by former MSU player James Singleton who did it twice against Eastern Illinois in 2003 and 2003. MSU's all-time single game record is 23 by the great Popeye Jones against Morehead State in 1991. MSU rebound records date back to 1982. The CFSB Center is hosting its 16^th season of Racer Basketball.

Williams' 18 rebounds is a new MSU career-high. He had 16 boards against Evansville (Dec. 4).

Williams has six career double-double games and is tied for 15^th place all-time at MSU with Ricky Hood (1982-83), Mike Lahm (1983-85) and Aubrey Reese (1997-00). Popeye Jones is MSU's all-time double-double king with 77.

MSU made 19 free throws in the last two games combined at WKU and Dayton, but topped that tonight making 23.

MSU is 6-1 at home this season and have won four straight.

MSU has won four of their last five against SEMO and 11-of-13. The Racers opened the OVC season against SEMO tonight and will play the Redhawks in the season final in Cape Girardeau, Mo., (March 1).

UT Martin comes into Sunday's game 0-2 in the OVC and 5-12 overall. The Skyhawks lost tonight at Austin Peay 81-68. UTM lost their OVC opener 70-65 (Dec. 30) at Jacksonville State.