Slow Second Half - Racers Fall To Drake - Murray State University Athletics

Wednesday, November 27

Estero, Fla.

12:30 p.m.

Murray State

4-3

Drake

6-2

Murray State

Drake

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Slow Second Half - Racers Fall To Drake

11/27/2019 2:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Murray State Racers played a great defensive second half, but lacked the offensive success they needed in a 63-53 loss to the Drake Bulldogs in their final of three games at the Gulf Coast Showcase at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida.

The Racers (4-3) won 1-of-3 games at the Gulf Coast event with a win against Weber State (69-68) that was sandwiched by losses to La Salle (75-64) and Drake. Returning home Thanksgiving Day, the Racers will get back on the court Tuesday (Dec. 3) at Missouri State.

Tied 36-36 at the halftime intermission, the Racers suffered their worst offensive half of the season in hitting 5-of-28 from the field for 18 percent including 1-of-12 from 3-point range for 8.3 percent. Even with that, the Racers played well enough on defense (holding the Bulldogs to 33 percent in the half) that they were only down by six points with 3:03 remaining. Devin Gilmore

However, the Racers never got any closer.

Shooting 48 percent in the first half, the Racers grabbed their first lead on a 3-pointer from DaQuan Smith to make it 19-18 with 8:05 left in the half. The Racers hit 48 percent in the first half on 12-of-15 attempts.

Tevin Brown led the Racers as the only player in double-figures with 18 points on 5-of-15 from the field including 3-of-8 from the 3-point line. Anthony Smith grabbed nine rebounds to go with nine points, while KJ Williams also scored nine points with eight rebounds.

Game Notes
The Racers tied their season-high with eight steals against Drake. They also had eight in a win over Southern Illinois.

In their three games at the Gulf Coast Showcase, The Racers and their opponents each made 71 field goals; however, the Racers lost the 3-point battle 31-15. The Racers hit 15-of-53 (.283) and opponents hit 31-of-68 (.456). The rebounding stat was nearly even. The Racers had one less rebound than their opponents did. The Racers gave it up 44 times on turnovers and forced 42.

Tevin Brown led MSU in scoring in the event at 17.7 points per game. He also hit 38 percent from the 3-point line on 8-of-21. KJ Williams and Anthony each pulled in 18 rebounds for a 6.0 average.

The Racers played the Drake Bulldogs for the third time in their history. The first was a neutral site game at the 1938 National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball Championship. The Racers won that 47-40 in Kansas City, Missouri. The second meeting was in 2014 at the Challenge in Music City in Nashville, Tennessee. The Racers won that game 68-59.

2019 Gulf Coast Showcase
Hertz Arena – Estero, Fla.

Monday, Nov. 25
Northeastern 62 South Alabama 74
Drake 59 Miami (OH) 67
Wright State 72 Weber State 57
Murray State 64 La Salle 75

Tuesday, Nov. 26
Northeastern 56 Drake 59
Murray State 69 Weber State 68
South Alabama 82 Miami (OH) 71
La Salle 72 Wright State 70

Wednesday, Nov. 27
11 a.m. ET – Northeastern 79 Weber State 69
1:30 p.m. ET – Murray State 53 Drake 63
5 p.m. ET – Miami (OH) vs Wright State
7:30 p.m. ET – South Alabama vs La Salle