Racers Come Home With Eyes On The OVC Prize

Game 29 - Eastern Kentucky -  CFSB Center - Murray, Ky. - Feb. 27, 2020 - 7 p.m.

Eastern Kentucky Colonels   (14-15) (11-5) Ohio Valley Last: 02/22 H Belmont Lost H 83-70 Next: 02/29 H Morehead State 03/4-7 OVC Tournament

Murray State Racers (20-8) (13-3) Ohio Valley Last: 02/22 A SIUE Won A 59-58 Next: 02/29 H Austin Peay 03/4-7 OVC Tournament

Coach Matt McMahon 5th Season Alma Mater: Appalachian State (2000) Career Record: 106-50 (5th) At Murray State: Same  Ohio Valley:   63-21 Home: 62-11 Away: 33-31 Neutral: 12-8 vs Eastern Kentucky: 5-0 Coach A.W. Hamilton 2nd Season Alma Mater: Marshall (2005)
Career Record: 27-33 (2nd) at EKU: Same Ohio Valley: 17-17 vs Murray State: 0-2

Series: Racers lead EKU (102-61) Home: 56-21 Away: 38-34 Neutral: 8-5 OVC: 86-48  OVC Tournament: 8-5 1st Game: 1934 A W 37-27
1st OVC Game: 1948 A L 51-42

Racers Host EKU In Final Home Games Of Regular Season
The Murray State Racers (20-8, 13-3 OVC) come home to the friendly confines of the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky for what is the final games and final home games of the 2019-20 regular season. The Racers host the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (14-15, 11-5) in their only meeting as two of the founding members of the Ohio Valley Conference meet for the 164th time. The Racers are trying to win their third consecutive regular season title under Coach Matt McMahon.

OVC Title & Tournament Seeding on Line
The Racers enter the final week of the OVC season in a three-way tie at the top with Austin Peay and Belmont at 13-3. There will surely be a lot of scoreboard watching Thursday as the Racers and Colonels keep one eye on APSU at home against Morehead State and Belmont at home against Tennessee Tech. One the dust settles on the games Thursday night, the Govs come to MSU Saturday, EKU plays at home against Morehead State and Belmont makes a trip across town to play at Tennessee State in Nashville. And not to be forgotten, TSU is 8-8 and there is a three way tie at 7-9 with Eastern Illinois, Morehead State and Jacksonville State. In the 72nd season of OVC basketball, the conference members have again produced high drama up and down the schedule, which makes it one great league to follow.

Froggy 103.7 FM - Flagship Station For Racer Basketball
In his 29th season, the "Voice of the Racers" and Murray State Hall of Famer, Neal Bradley is on the call again for the 2019-20 season. Former MSU assistant coach Kenny Roth provides expert analysis and commentary. All MSU games can be heard over the air on 103.7FM and online at Froggy103.com and GoRacers.com. ESPN+ has online television coverage.

Colonels and Racers Match Up
Each team has played 16 OVC games to this point, which is a large sample size that produces some trends in what each team is doing well and some items that each team wants to improve on.

EKU and MSU are the 3rd and 4th scoring teams in the OVC at 78.8ppg and 76.2. Defensively, the Racers have the top scoring defense in the OVC in giving 67.1ppg, while the Colonels are 11th as they give an average of 76.9ppg. The Racers have the top average (.490) in team field goal percentage and also in defensive field goal percentage (.405), while EKU ranks seventh in hitting for an average of .449 and are eighth in the OVC in giving up a percentage of .457. MSU has the second rebound margin in the OVC at +4.1, EKU is last at 12 place at -7.9.

Lots Planned For Saturday's Season Final
In the 95th season of Racer Basketball, Saturday marks the final regular season game for the 2019-20 season. Saturday is Senior Day for the MSU seniors (Cowart, Eaves & Anthony Smith) and the game will also mark another big day in the First Financial Bank Battle of the Border. Soldiers from Ft. Campbell will be on hand to enjoy the day as well.

OVC Tournament Ford Center Clear Bag Policy
With the OVC Tournament (March 4-7) just around the corner at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, the staff there wants to remind fans of their Clear Bag Policy.

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Players Mentioned

Anthony Smith

Murray State University Athletics