Racers Keep OVC Title Hopes Alive With Win at UTM

Thursday, February 27

Martin, Tenn.

7 p.m.

Murray State

18-9 (13-2OVC)

UT Martin

8-22 (3-12OVC)

Murray State

UT Martin

Photo by: Tab Brockman

2/27/2014 11:32:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

I Box Score (PDF)

Fueled by 20 points from T.J. Sapp, the Murray State men's basketball team kept its dreams of a 24^th OVC regular-season title alive with an 86-72 win over UT Martin Thursday night at the Elam Center. The Racers shot a blazing 55.2 percent in the game, as they overcame a pesky Skyhawk squad that never seemed to go away.

Murray State led by just one at the half, at 42-41, and by only one, at 63-62, with just over 11 minutes to play. However, from that point the Racers buckled down and outscored UT Martin 23-10 down the stretch to leave Martin with their title aspirations still intact.

Sapp led MSU with 20 points, while Cam Payne tossed in 17. Jarvis Williams was only a rebound away from a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds. Dexter Fields and Jeffery Moss each added 12 points to the Racer attack.

With one game left in the regular-season, the Racers (18-9, 13-2 OVC) are tied with Belmont at 13-2 in the OVC. If both teams win or both teams lose on Saturday, they would share the regular-season crown. Belmont would then earn the No. 1 seed in next weekend's OVC Tournament via head-to-head tiebreaker. For the Racers to take the crown outright, they would need to win Saturday at Southeast Missouri and would need Belmont to fall at Jacksonville State.

Tip-off for Murray State's season finale against SEMO is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center. Please check GoRacers.com later Thursday for a full recap of the night's game at UT Martin.