Racers Front Court Pounds Morehead State

Thursday, January 3

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

Morehead State

Morehead St.

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

1/3/2019 4:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Murray State Racers rolled to their 17^th consecutive home win in their Ohio Valley Conference opener over the Morehead State Eagles 90-69 at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky.

The Racers (10-2, 1-0 OVC) have won their OVC opener now in 11 straight seasons and will host Eastern Kentucky Saturday at 7 p.m.

Darnell Cowart scored a career-high 20 points and nine rebounds as the Racers scored an amazing 64 of their 90 points in the paint. Ja Morant had a night of 16 points and 13 assists, while Shaq Buchanan scored all of his 15 points in the second half and KJ Williams scored 14 points.

Trailing by a point with 8:40 remaining in the first half, the Racers went on quite a run to change the game.

Tevin Brown drilled a 3-pointer, which gives him at least one in his first 12 games as a Racer, for a 30-22 MSU lead. Morant hit Williams twice for dunks in the final minute to give the Racers a 23-6 run to the end of the half and a 45-26 lead.

In the second half, the Racers' lead grew to 30 when the score was 69-39 with 10:58 left.

The Racers won the rebound stat 43-30 and managed the Eagles' offensive rebound game. The Eagles had seven offensive rebounds in the first seven minutes, but they had none over the next 14 minutes.

Game Notes
The Racers are now 54-18 (.750) all-time in OVC openers and have won the last 11 since their last loss in the 2007-08 season to Eastern Kentucky.

This game marked the 16^th time the Racers and Eagles have met in an OVC opener. The Racers have won the last eight since a loss in the 1978-79 season. MSU is 10-6.

The series with the Eagles played its 164^th meeting, it's the second-longest in MSU history behind the 177 meetings with Tennessee Tech. The Racers play at Morehead State on Feb. 28.

Tevin Brown was 1-of-4 tonight from 3-point line and has started his MSU career by hitting at least one three in his first 12 games. The MSU record of 40 was set by Isaiah Canaan from 2012-13.