MSU Basketball Holds Media Day

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

10/27/2015 2:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball

The Murray State basketball programs hosted their annual Media Day Tuesday morning at the CFSB Center in Murray. MSU head women's basketball coach Rob Cross and Racer head men's coach Matt McMahon fielded questions from the local media and also select Racers student-athletes spoke with the media as well.

This will be the eighth season for the Racers with coach Cross at the helm. The Racers return eight student-athletes from last season's squad, including last year's OVC Freshman of the Year in Ke'Shunan James. James, who is on the All-OVC Preseason Team, was second on the team in 2014-15 in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg) and led the squad with 46 steals. Joining James from last year's squad will be a quartet of seniors in Bianca Babic, Kyra Gulledge, Jashae Lee and Ajee Smith. Jasmine Borders, Lexii Cassell and LeAsia Wright also return to this year's squad.

A trio of talented junior college transfers, Bria Bethea, Krystal James and Daniella Pisano join the Racers in 2015-16, all three student-athletes ranked amongst the top 34 scorers in the JUCO ranks a season ago. Bethea averaged 19.1 points per game at Southeastern Illinois CC, James 20.5 per at Sauk Valley CC and Pisano averaged 17 a contest at Lewis and Clark. Cross also welcomes four freshmen to this season's squad in Kacie Fountain, Abria Gulledge, Michaela Manley and Taylor Reese.

The gathering brings both MSU teams closer to the opening of the season. The men's team hosts Freed-Hardeman (Nov. 5) in an exhibition game. The regular season opener is a double-header (Nov. 13) when the women's team hosts Oakland City at 5 p.m. and the men's team takes on Harris-Stowe at 7 p.m.

The Coach Matt McMahon era is underway for the rookie coach. McMahon became head coach when Coach Steve Prohm took the job at Iowa State. McMahon is the 16th Coach in MSU history. He was with Prohm the last four seasons as the Racers compiled 104 victories.

The Racers lost four starters from a 29-win team that won the OVC title last season. Now they have eight players wearing the Murray State uniform for the first time. Jeffery Moss is a senior and is on the All-OVC Preseason team. He'll wear No. 2 this season after wearing No. 31 in his first three.

The Racers need to replace 72 percent of its scoring from last season and 64 percent of its rebounding. Justin Seymour, Kedrick Flomo and Wayne Langston expect to step into larger roles. Gee McGhee and Damarcus Croaker are tansfers that are ready to play as are junior college players Bryce Jones and A.J. Patty. Senior Terron Gilmore and freshmen Charles Brown, Chad Culbreath and Brion Sanchious make up the 2015-16 Racers.