Racers Ride 20-2 Start To Victory Over TSU

Saturday, January 17

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

15-4 (5-0OVC)

Tennessee State

3-17 (0-5OVC)

Tennessee St.

Murray St.

Photo by: Tab Brockman

1/18/2015 12:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

The Murray State Racers used a 20-2 start to push their winning streak to 13 Saturday in a 91-72 win over the Tennessee State Tigers at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.

The Racers improved to 5-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference and 15-4 overall in winning their eighth straight game at home.

Jarvis Williams led the way with 21 points, 13 from the free throw line, and T.J. Sapp tossed in 18 points on a career-high five 3-point baskets. Cameron Payne tied his season-high with nine assists as he added 14 points, while Jeffery Moss had 13 points.

Murray State broke from the gate with an amazing 20-2 run in the first 7:45 of the game and enjoyed a 42-23 advantage at half time.

The Racers pushed their lead to 31 points (68-37) with 12:29 remaining and cruised from there.

MSU has won the last five over TSU and are 51-16 all-time.

The win sets up quite a showdown Thursday when the Racers travel to Lantz Arena in Charleston, Ill., to face the Eastern Illinois Panthers. EIU has won nine straight including road wins this weekend at Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State. EIU is 12-6 and 6-0 in the OVC. The game will tip at 8 p.m. and televised by the CBS Sports Network.

Game Notes
Since their loss to Houston in the season opener, MSU has run off eight straight wins at home. MSU's next home contest is against Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 29) on ESPNU. Since their loss to SEMO in March of 2013, MSU has won 10 straight OVC home games.

MSU had only six turnovers in the game and only one from the starting five. MSU has four games this season of less than 10.

The Racers had 24 assists on 30 field goals.

MSU's 12 steals was their third of 10+ this season against D-I teams. The other two came against Drake (14) and Valparaiso (10).

Jonathan Fairell has three straight games of 10+ rebounds for the first time at MSU. He has grabbed 32 in the last three games.

Payne's nine assists tied his season high from the Alcorn State game from Dec. 17.

Payne, Moss and Williams are closing in on joining the MSU 1000-Point Club. Payne has 921, Williams has 817 and Moss sits at 795.

Wayne Langston had a career-high eight rebounds in only 14 minutes.

The 23 points MSU held TSU to in the first half was a season-best for the Racers. Conversely, the 49 points MSU gave in the second half was only a point off the season-high of 50 against Valparaiso (Nov. 29).