Racers Beat EKU In OVC Clash With Postseason Feel

Saturday, January 5

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Ky.

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

1/5/2019 11:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Murray State Racers kept to their winning ways Saturday when they defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 97-85 at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky.

The Racers (11-2) improved to 2-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference and pushed their home winning streak to 18. The Colonels (7-8) fell to 0-2 in OVC play.

In a game that had a postseason feel, even though it's only the first week of the conference season, the Racers got 34 points and 10 assists from Ja Morant and 13 points and 13 rebounds from KJ Williams. Tevin Brown, Shaq Buchanan and Darnell Cowart all scored 16 each as the Racers put five in double-figure scoring.

Never having the lead in the first half (EKU led 48-41 at the intermission), the Racers trailed by as many as 12 points with 18:11 remaining before they caught the Colonels with at 15:33 on Buchanan's dunk to complete a run of 15-2. EKU regained the lead by five (63-58) at 13:44, but the Racers answered on the shooting of Brown. His fourth-straight 3-pointer at 12:41 made sure the Racers never trailed again. EKU tied it 60-60 with 9:53 left, but could never go back in front.

The Racers put the game away with four dunks in the final 2:09 by Morant, Cowart and a pair from Buchanan to thrill a crowd of 6,552 at The Bank.

A lot of shots fell in this one with the Racers shooting 54 percent on 37-of-69, while EKU shot 49 percent on 30-of-67. 41189

The game will be memorable for its intensity that reminded of what March tournament games are like and for the highlighting of two of the top players in the OVC. EKU's Nick Mayo scored 36 points and Ja Morant pumped in 34 for the Racers. Both have gained their schools much national attention with much more to come.

Game Notes
After asserting their newfound inside presence, the Racers had 60 points in the paint against EKU after scoring 64 points against Morehead State.

KJ Williams and Darnell Cowart had a great week for the Racers in the wins over Morehead State and EKU. Williams' 13 rebounds against EKU is his MSU career high. Together in the two games, they combined to hit 26-of-35 from the field for 74 percent and had a scoring average of 31.5 points per game. They also grabbed 35 rebounds for a 17.5 average.

Morant had his his seventh double-double this season tonight and his 13^th in 45 career games with the Racers.

The Racers' home winning streak moved to 18 in a row with the win over EKU. The streak is tied for the eighth-longest in Murray State history.

With 90 points against Morehead State and 97 against EKU, the Racers have scored back-to-back games of 90-plus points for the first time against NCAA D-I teams that didn't involve an overtime for the first time since 2015. On Jan. 15, 2015, MSU beat Belmont at home 92-77 and defeated Tennessee State 92-71 on Jan. 17, 2015.

The Racers now lead the all-time series with EKU 101-61 and are 56-21 at home. As two of the founding members of the OVC, the Racers and Colonels have played every season since 1945. The Racers have won the last five meetings since a loss in the 2014 OVC Tournament. The Racers visit EKU for a second meeting this season on Feb. 16.

With a 2-0 week, the Racers will have their seventh-consecutive week (next week) ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. The Racers were No. 9 last week, while OVC foe Belmont was No. 6. The Racers and Bruins meet in MSU's next home game Jan. 24.