Morant's Triple-Double Leads Racers Past EIU

Thursday, December 28

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

9-3 (1-0OVC)

Eastern Illinois

4-8 (0-1OVC)

Eastern Ill.

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

12/28/2017 10:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Murray State Racers got the 70^th Ohio Valley Conference season going Thursday with an 80-52 win over the Eastern Illinois Panthers at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky. The Racers (9-3) win their OVC opener for a 10^th straight season since their last loss in 2007 at home to Eastern Kentucky. Murray State gets back on the floor Saturday at 7 p.m. when they host the SIUE Cougars.

The thrill of the night came from freshman sensation Ja Morant who turned in the Racers' first triple-double in eight years when he recorded 11 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out 14 assists. His 14 assists were a CFSB Center record as MSU is playing its 20^th season there.

Jonathan Stark led the Racers with 21 points, while Shaq Buchanan tossed in 15 and 11 each came from Terrell Miller, Jr., and Morant.

Leading 41-31 at the half, the Racers were in front 61-47 with 8:42 remaining when they locked the Panthers down and didn't allow a field goal the rest of the way and finished the day on a 19-5 run.

In the first half, the Racers were down early 5-4, but took the lead for good with 15:31 on the clock on a tip-in by Miller.

The Racers have won the rebound battle in all nine of their wins this season and they also set a season-best in holding EIU to .286 field goal percentage of 18-of-63 from the field.

Game Notes
The Racers now lead the all-time series with EIU 45-11 and have won the last 3-of-5. MSU is 25-3 at home in the series. Game two between the Racers and Panthers is in Charleston, Illinois on February 22 in the second to last game of the regular season. The Racers are 4-2 against EIU in the Coach McMahon era.

The Racers have won their last 10 OVC openers and are 53-18 (.746) overall and 32-5 (.864) at home. MSU's last loss was in 2007 at home to Eastern Kentucky 59-58.

MSU is 6-2 at home this season, there are eight remaining in this regular season. The Racers are now 138-27 (.846) all-time in OVC games at the CFSB Center.

Ja Morant's completion of his first career triple-double at MSU drew quite a cheer from the home crowd when he was fouled with 2:34 remaining and made a pair of free throws to get his point total to 10. He had already grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 14 assists.

The name of three-time All-OVC selection Isacc Miles was again heard in the CFSB Center tonight. Miles had MSU's only other triple-double in records that date back to 1984. Miles did it on Feb. 23, 2009 at home vs UT Martin with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

Ja Morant's 14 assists are tied for third all-time at Murray State in records that date back to 1984. His game also sets the record for the 20 seasons at the CFSB Center surpassing the 12 assists Aubrey Reese had for the Racers against Alabama State in 1999.

Murray State Single Game Assists
Since 1985
02-20-1997 Chad Townsend vs Eastern Illinois 16
07-21-1996 Chad Townsend vs Campbellsville 15
12-28-2017 Ja Morant vs Eastern Illinois 14
12-22-1993 Marcus Brown vs Pikeville 14
01-09-1989 Don Mann vs Lamar 13

The Racers held EIU to .286 from the field on 18-of-63 shots. The last time MSU held an NCAA D-I opponent under 30 percent was at Georgia on Nov. 20, 2015 when the Bulldogs were 17-of-57 for a percentage of .298. Tonight was the lowest percentage since the Racers held SIUE to .268 on 15-of-56 shots on Feb. 12, 2015. The Racers started the day 48^th in NCAA D-I and second in the OVC in holding opponents to .401 from the field. After tonight against EIU, opponents are shooting .391 on 272-of-696.

With 80 points tonight, the Racers have scored 80-plus in eight games this season.

Jonathan Stark and Terrell Miller continue their stellar senior season with 21 and 11 points against EIU. Stark is fourth among MSU all-time two-year players with 923 points. Stark will soon join De'Teri Mayes (1996-98, 1,340 points) and Cameron Payne (2013-15, 1,279) as the only two-year players to get to 1,000 points at Murray State. Miller also has a chance to join the group as he now sits with 728 points after the EIU game. Stark and Miller are trying to become the 43^rd and 44^th members of the MSU-1000 Point Club.

MSU's four-game home stand continues Saturday when the Racers host SIUE. The day is a doubleheader with the Racers' and Cougars' women's teams tipping at 5 p.m. with the men's game to follow. SIUE opened OVC play at Austin Peay with a 78-58 loss.