Racers Shocked At EIU - Fall To Second In OVC - Murray State University Athletics

Thursday, February 20

Charleston, Ill.

7:30 p.m.

Murray State

Eastern Illinois

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Racers Shocked At EIU - Fall To Second In OVC

2/20/2020 8:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Murray State Racers built 27-point lead and then saw it disappear in a shocking 63-60 loss Thursday to the Eastern Illinois Panthers at Lantz Arena in Charleston.

The Racers (19-8) fell out of a share of OVC first place at 12-3. MSU's next challenge is a Saturday game in
Edwardsville, Illinois, in a 2 p.m. start with the SIUE Cougars at the Vadalabene Center.

Everything looked like it was in good shape for the Racers after they produced one of their best defensive first halves of the season in holding EIU to 30 percent shooting (8-of-27) which included only one 3-point basket in 14 tries. The Racers only gave up a pair of offensive rebounds and held EIU scorers JaQualis Matlock and Josiah Wallace scoreless on 0-of-6 from the field. The Racers had a 32-17 lead.

The second half was going the Racers' when they built their largest of the lead of the game of 27 points with 11:45 remaining with the score 50-23. EIU began chipping away, but with 4:39 left, it still looked like a manageable 15-point lead at 40-55. After the Panthers cut it to six points, MSU's DaQuan Smith hit a 3-pointer at 1:56 from the corner to push it back to a nine-point lead at 58-49. EIU got a three-point play by Josiah Wallace with 55 seconds left to make it 60-57, but the Racers made a turnover and EIU's Kashawn Charles tied it at 60-60 with a 3-pointer with 40 seconds left. The Racers had to make a quick shot attempt after the ball went out of bounds with two seconds on the shot clock, but Tevin Brown's 3-point attempt was no good with eight seconds left. EIU's Wallace hit a 3-pointer with .4 left on the clock for EIU's first lead of the game and a 63-60 upset of the Racers.

Brown and Jaiveon Eaves led the Racers with 13 points, while Anthony Smith was one rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points scored.

Game Notes
The 17 points the Racers held the Panthers to in the first half tied their best defensive scoring half of the season against an NCAA D-I team. MSU also held Southern to 17 points in the season opener (Nov. 9).

The Racers still need one more win to get the coveted 20-win season. If MSU can score one more win, Coach Matt McMahon will have his third-straight 20-win season. If the Racers can get it, McMahon will be the third MSU coach to do it. The first was Coach Carlisle Cutchin (1935-38) and the second was Coach Steve Prohm (2011-15) who is the only MSU coach to do it in four-straight seasons.

MSU had won their last three games at Lantz Arena since their last loss there in 2016.

It was a surreal scene at Lantz Arena after EIU's win. Both teams and the fans that watched it were in somewhat of a shock as to what unfolded. After leading 50-23 with 11:45 remaining, the Racers were outscored 40-10 the rest of the way.

The Racers and Belmont (each 12-3) enter the final three games of the regular season now one game behind OVC leader Austin Peay (13-2). Eastern Kentucky is in fourth place at 11-4. After MSU's game at SIUE Saturday, they come home next week to host EKU on Thursday (Feb. 27) and APSU (Feb. 29) at the CFSB Center.

As the OVC Tournament (March 4-7) is right around the corner at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, the staff there want to remind fans of their Clear Bag Policy. Click here for information on the policy from the Ford Center.