Racers Clash With Belmont Thursday On ESPNU

Murray State Notes I Belmont Notes I Live Stats I ESPN3.com I Live Audio (Froggy 103.7)

MURRAY STATE RACERS (13-4, 5-1 OVC)
Head Coach: Matt McMahon (Appalachian State, 2000)
Career Record: 46-35 (3rd season) • At MUR: Same • OVC: 23-15

BELMONT BRUINS (13-6, 5-1 OVC)
Head Coach: Rick Byrd (Tennessee, 1976)
Career Record: 767-392 (37th season) • At BEL: 674-337 (32nd) • OVC: 71-15

Date-Time: Jan. 18, 6 p.m. CT Site: Nashville, Tenn. Arena: Curb Event Center TV: ESPNU PXP-Dave Lamont Analyst-Adrian Branch Radio: Racer Radio - WFGE 103.7 FM - Neal Bradley & Kenny Roth Web Streaming: Audio: GoRacers.com & Froggy103.com Video: OVCDN Live Stats: GoRacers.com & StatBroadcast.com Twitter: @MSURacers @RacersHoops @RacerDave23

Series History vs Belmont
Today's Meeting: 14th Total: Racers lead 7-6 Home: Racers lead 6-1 Away: Bruins lead 2-1 Neutral: Bruins lead 3-0 OVC Tournament: Bruins lead 2-0 Last Meeting: 2017 Home BEL won 81-69 Last MSU Win: 2015 Home 92-77 Last MSU Win at BEL: 1998 MSU 76-69

MSU Next: Saturday at Tennessee State
BEL Next: Saturday home vs Austin Peay

Looking to score their first win at Belmont since the Bruins became a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, the Murray State Racers take on the challenge Thursday in a 6 p.m. tip at the Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The game is the 13th in the series between the two and their eighth as OVC teams. The Racers have lost the last three to Belmont since their last win in 2015 at home.

Froggy 103 (WFGS 103.7 FM) airs every MSU game with "Voice of the Racers" Neal Bradley calling the action in his 26th season. Former MSU assistant coach Kenny Roth provides commentary. Froggy103.com and GoRacers.com has free online streaming audio. The game marks the first time the Racers will appear this season on ESPNU. Online stream video can be found at ESPN3.com.

The Racers and Bruins enter the contest with a share of a four-way tie for first place in the OVC at 5-1 with Austin Peay and Jacksonville State. The Racers split last week with a 76-71 loss at Jacksonville State (Jan. 11) and a 71-45 victory at Tennessee Tech (Jan. 13).

Murray State's Jonathan Stark, the OVC Preseason Player of the Year, will play his 51st game at MSU since his arrival from Tulane where he played two seasons. In a career that was outstanding with the Green Wave and even better with the Racers, Stark enters the week needing seven points to reach the 2,000-point mark for his collegiate career. Stark leads the OVC with a 19.5 points per game scoring average and is scoring 22.3 ppg in his last eight games. Stark was OVC Player of the week in three-straight weeks (Dec. 26, Jan. 2, Jan. 8). His best scoring game of the season was 36 points against Southeast Missouri (Jan. 4) on a night when he hit 14-of-14 from the line to set a new MSU record with 39 consecutive free throws.

Terrell Miller, Jr., has six double-doubles this season and is one of only four players that are currently ranked in the top-10 of the OVC in scoring and rebounding. OVC Freshman of the Year candidate Ja Morant made a splash with his amazing combination of scoring, assisting and rebounding this season. His current numbers bear it out (11.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 6.7 apg). On Dec. 28, Morant recorded just the second triple-double in MSU history in records dating back to 1984 when he had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists against Eastern Illinois. Shaq Buchanan has become one of the best defenders in the OVC and joins with rim protector Jalen Dupree. This starting five has been the group on the court in the last nine games since MSU hosted Marist (Dec. 16).

The Racers stay in Nashville after the Belmont game with a 7:30 p.m tip Saturday at Tennessee State.

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Players Mentioned

Jalen Dupree

Terrell Miller, Jr.

Jonathan Stark

Murray State University Athletics