Racers Post Dominating Second Half - Roll Past SIUE - Murray State University Athletics

Saturday, February 9

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

SIUE

Murray St.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Racers Post Dominating Second Half - Roll Past SIUE

2/10/2019 12:06:00 AM | Men's Basketball

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The Murray State Racers kept a share of first place in the Ohio Valley Conference with an 86-55 win over the SIUE Cougars at home in the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky.

The Racers (19-4) improved to 10-2 in the OVC to keep a share of a three-way tie for first place with Austin Peay and Belmont. MSU plays Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tennessee Thursday on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. CT.

Trailing by six points at the half, the Racers unleashed a 19-0 run and a total run of 36-6 at the start of the half to quickly get control and cruise to their 12 win at home this season against only one loss.

Ja Morant posted his 17^th game of 20-point scoring with 20 points and six assists, while Darnell Cowart had his second consecutive double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. KJ Williams was 7-of-8 from the field for 16 points and the Racers got 12 points each from Tevin Brown and Devin Gilmore to make five in double-figure scoring.

The amazing second half featured the Racers forcing SIUE into 11 turnovers and having only three themselves. MSU shot 62 percent (21-of-34) while SIUE hit for 22 percent (5-of-23).

The Racers trailed 38-32 at the half.

Game Notes
Ja Morant has 17 games this season (and eight in a row after today) of 20-point scoring.

Morant is closing on joining the MSU 1000-Point Club. After his 20 tonight, he has 955 points. With his scoring average this season at 23.9, Morant is currently in sixth place for the top single-season scoring average in MSU history. Marcus Brown's 26.4 in the 1995-96 season is still the standard at MSU.

MSU Single-Season Scoring Average
Marcus Brown 1995-96 29gms 26.4
Jeff Martin 1987-88 31gms 26.0
Jeff Martin 1988-89 29gms 25.7
Les Taylor 1971-72 21gms 25.6
Mike Coleman 1973-74 25gms 24.1
Ja Morant 2018-19 23gms 23.9

With 235 assists, Morant is closing fast on the OVC record of 255 by Duane Washington of Middle Tennessee in the 1986-87 season.

Darnell Cowart has back-to-back double-doubles this week in Racer wins over EIU and SIUE. Combined, Cowart scored 33 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in the two games.

The Racers had 62 points in the paint tonight marking their third game this season of 60-plus against NCAA D-I competition. MSU had 64 against Morehead State (Jan. 3) and 60 against Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 5).

The Racers started the week No. 6 in the nation with 18.2 assists per game. They had 18 tonight against SIUE.

MSU holding SIUE to 17 points in the second half is their best defensive effort this season against a NCAA D-I team. MSU's previous best was holding Middle Tennessee to 23 points (Dec. 8) and Southeast Missouri to 29 points (Jan. 12).

MSU leads the all-time series with SIUE 19-3 and are 13-1 at home. MSU has won the last 10 games with the Cougars and have won the last 12 meetings in Murray.

The Racers kept a share of first place in the OVC tonight as did Austin Peay and Belmont. The Govs beat Eastern Illinois at home 94-86 and the Bruins handled Morehead State on the road 96-86.

Thursday's game for the Racers at the Dunn Center marks another bout in the Heritage Bank Battle of the Border which the Racers currently lead 12-6.