Murray State University Athletics
Friday, March 16
San Diego, Calif.
3 p.m.
Murray State
vs
West Virginia
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Heading West - Racers Clash With West Virginia At NCAA
3/13/2018 8:21:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Murray State Notes I WVU Notes I NCAA Bracket I NCAA Tournament Home I OVC Weekly Report I Live Video I Live Stats I Live Audio
(No. 12) MURRAY STATE RACERS (26-5, 16-2 OVC - 1st Place)
Head Coach: Matt McMahon (Appalachian State, 2000)
Career Record: 59-36 (3rd season) • At MUR: Same
(No. 5) #18 WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (24-10, 11-7 Big 12 - 2nd Place)
Head Coach: Bob Huggins (West Virginia, 1977)
Career Record: 843-340 (36th season) • At WVU: 253-129 (11th)
Date-Time: March 16, 3 p.m. CT Site: San Diego, Calif. Arena: Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl TV: TNT PXP-Carter Blackburn, Analyst-Debbie Antonelli, Sideline-John Schriffen Radio: Racer Radio - WFGE 103.7 FM - PXP-Neal Bradley, Analyst Kenny Roth Web Streaming: Audio: Westwood One PXP-John Sadak, Analyst-Mike Montgomery Video: NCAA March Madness Live Live Stats: NCAA.com  Twitter: @MSURacers @RacersHoops @RacerDave23
MSU & The NCAA Tournament
First MSU Appearance: 1964, Lost Loyola (IL) 101-91 in Evanston, Ill. Last MSU Appearance: 2012, MSU No. 6 seed, defeated Colorado State before losing to Marquette in Louisville, Ky. Last MSU Win: 2012, No. 6 MSU defeated No. 11 Colorado State 58-41 in Louisville. Total Appearances: 2018 marks MSU's 16th NCAA trip and they'll be playing in their 19th game. Total Wins: MSU has won three NCAA games. 1988 against NC State, 2010 against Vanderbilt & 2012 against Colorado State Record: MSU is 3-15 all-time in the NCAAs. Overtime: MSU has played one. 1990 when they were & still are the only No. 16 seed to take a No. 1
The Murray State Racers (26-5) are making their 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament after a fantastic regular season that saw them win the Ohio Valley Conference regular season at 16-2 and then the OVC Tournament to gain the conference's automatic bid.
The Racers' 16th foray into one of the biggest shows in all of sport takes them to San Diego, California for a Friday game with the West Virginia Mountaineers. Murray State was given a No. 12 seed and meet WVU (24-10) for the first time. The winner meets the winner of No. 4 Wichita State and No. 13 Marshall on Sunday in San Diego. The Racers play the second game of the session on Friday at Viejas Arena, after Wichita State takes on Marshall at At 12:30 p.m. Central Time. The Racers and Mountaineers tip at approximately 3 p.m. Central Time.
The Racers have the second-longest win streak in the nation at 13, behind only Gonzaga at 14. MSU reached 13 by defeating Jacksonville State (70-63 on March 2) in the OVC Tournament semifinals and Belmont (68-51 on March 3) in the championship at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. MSU hasn't dropped a game since losing at Belmont (79-72, Jan. 18)
If the Racers could manage to win against the West Virginia, it will mark their third-straight NCAA appearance with a victory. In 2010, Danero Thomas' buzzer beater edged Vanderbilt and in 2012, Isaiah Canaan led the No. 6 seeded Racers past Colorado State. This tournament appearance marks MSU's third-best seed in their 16 appearances. It is the second time they've been a No. 12 seed, after they were a 12 in 2004 vs Georgia. MSU had their best seed in program history in 2012 when they were No. 6 and their second-best seed was in 1998 when they were No. 9.
The Racers are led by an All-OVC trio of seniors Jonathan Stark and Terrell Miller and freshman Ja Morant.Â
Stark is the OVC Player of the Year (and OVC Tournament MVP) after he led the league in scoring (16th NCAA) for a second-straight season at 21.8 points per game. Miller is close to reaching career 1,000 points and becomes the 21st MSU player with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds if he can score 15 against WVU. Morant has flirted with a triple-double on many occasions this season and recorded just MSU's second one since 1984 when he had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists at home against Eastern Illinois (Dec. 28).
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(No. 12) MURRAY STATE RACERS (26-5, 16-2 OVC - 1st Place)
Head Coach: Matt McMahon (Appalachian State, 2000)
Career Record: 59-36 (3rd season) • At MUR: Same
(No. 5) #18 WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (24-10, 11-7 Big 12 - 2nd Place)
Head Coach: Bob Huggins (West Virginia, 1977)
Career Record: 843-340 (36th season) • At WVU: 253-129 (11th)
Date-Time: March 16, 3 p.m. CT Site: San Diego, Calif. Arena: Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl TV: TNT PXP-Carter Blackburn, Analyst-Debbie Antonelli, Sideline-John Schriffen Radio: Racer Radio - WFGE 103.7 FM - PXP-Neal Bradley, Analyst Kenny Roth Web Streaming: Audio: Westwood One PXP-John Sadak, Analyst-Mike Montgomery Video: NCAA March Madness Live Live Stats: NCAA.com  Twitter: @MSURacers @RacersHoops @RacerDave23
MSU & The NCAA Tournament
First MSU Appearance: 1964, Lost Loyola (IL) 101-91 in Evanston, Ill. Last MSU Appearance: 2012, MSU No. 6 seed, defeated Colorado State before losing to Marquette in Louisville, Ky. Last MSU Win: 2012, No. 6 MSU defeated No. 11 Colorado State 58-41 in Louisville. Total Appearances: 2018 marks MSU's 16th NCAA trip and they'll be playing in their 19th game. Total Wins: MSU has won three NCAA games. 1988 against NC State, 2010 against Vanderbilt & 2012 against Colorado State Record: MSU is 3-15 all-time in the NCAAs. Overtime: MSU has played one. 1990 when they were & still are the only No. 16 seed to take a No. 1
The Murray State Racers (26-5) are making their 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament after a fantastic regular season that saw them win the Ohio Valley Conference regular season at 16-2 and then the OVC Tournament to gain the conference's automatic bid.
The Racers' 16th foray into one of the biggest shows in all of sport takes them to San Diego, California for a Friday game with the West Virginia Mountaineers. Murray State was given a No. 12 seed and meet WVU (24-10) for the first time. The winner meets the winner of No. 4 Wichita State and No. 13 Marshall on Sunday in San Diego. The Racers play the second game of the session on Friday at Viejas Arena, after Wichita State takes on Marshall at At 12:30 p.m. Central Time. The Racers and Mountaineers tip at approximately 3 p.m. Central Time.
The Racers have the second-longest win streak in the nation at 13, behind only Gonzaga at 14. MSU reached 13 by defeating Jacksonville State (70-63 on March 2) in the OVC Tournament semifinals and Belmont (68-51 on March 3) in the championship at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. MSU hasn't dropped a game since losing at Belmont (79-72, Jan. 18)
If the Racers could manage to win against the West Virginia, it will mark their third-straight NCAA appearance with a victory. In 2010, Danero Thomas' buzzer beater edged Vanderbilt and in 2012, Isaiah Canaan led the No. 6 seeded Racers past Colorado State. This tournament appearance marks MSU's third-best seed in their 16 appearances. It is the second time they've been a No. 12 seed, after they were a 12 in 2004 vs Georgia. MSU had their best seed in program history in 2012 when they were No. 6 and their second-best seed was in 1998 when they were No. 9.
The Racers are led by an All-OVC trio of seniors Jonathan Stark and Terrell Miller and freshman Ja Morant.Â
Stark is the OVC Player of the Year (and OVC Tournament MVP) after he led the league in scoring (16th NCAA) for a second-straight season at 21.8 points per game. Miller is close to reaching career 1,000 points and becomes the 21st MSU player with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds if he can score 15 against WVU. Morant has flirted with a triple-double on many occasions this season and recorded just MSU's second one since 1984 when he had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists at home against Eastern Illinois (Dec. 28).
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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