Murray State University Athletics
Saturday, February 8
Nashville, Tenn.
7:30 p.m.
Murray State
at
Tennessee State
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
OVC Drama Builds - Racers Visit Tennessee State Saturday
2/7/2020 10:43:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game 24 - Tennessee State - Gentry Center - Nashville, Tenn. - Feb. 8, 2020 - 7:30 p.m.
Murray State Racers (17-6) (10-1) Ohio Valley Last:  02/06 A Belmont Lost  71-64 Next: 02/13 A Austin Peay 02/15 H Morehead State
Tennessee State Tigers (15-9) (7-4) Ohio Valley Last:  02/06 H Austin Peay Won 70-68 Next: 02/13 A Belmont 02/15 H Tennessee Tech
Series - MSU leads TSU 55-17 H: 31-6Â A: 23-8 N: 1-3 OVC: 46-13Â OVC Tournament: 6-3Â 1st Game: 1983, H, MSU W 65-58 OTÂ 1st OVC: 1988, H MSU W 99-84
Coach Matt McMahon  5th Season Alma Mater: Appalachian State (2000) Career Record: 104-47 (5th) At Murray State: Same Ohio Valley:  60-18 Home: 61-11 Away: 31-28 Neutral: 12-8 vs Tennessee State: 4-1 Coach Brian "Penny" Collins 2nd Season Alma Mater: Belmont (2006) Career Record: 24-30 (2nd )at Tennessee State:  Same Ohio Valley: 13-16 vs Murray State: 0-2
Racers Face Tennessee State Saturday Night In Nashville
The Murray State Racers (17-6, 10-1 OVC) continue their quest for a third-straight Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship Saturday when they travel to the Gentry Center to take on the Tennessee State Tigers (15-9, 7-4 OVC) in Nashville.
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. The game at Tennessee State can also be seen on ESPN+
Racers Suffer First OVC Loss Thursday
After a 10-0 start to the OVC season, the Racers ran into the Belmont Bruins Thursday and suffered a 71-64 loss, their first this season in league play. With seven games left in the OVC season, the Racers are still in the hunt to win their third-straight OVC title. The Racers suffered 22 turnovers in the loss to the Bruins and finished with a shooting night of 39 percent (24-of-61), while the Bruins hit for 45 percent (29-of-64). Belmont was 0-of-14 from the 3-point line in the first half and finish 4-of-25 for 16 percent, while the Racers hit 8-of-22 for 36 percent.
Even after dropping the game at Belmont, the Races still have a share of the lead after Austin Peay lost 70-68 at Tennessee State. The Racers and APSU remain in a two-way tie for OVC first place at 10-1. APSU comes to Belmont Saturday. Eastern Kentucky won 91-84 at Eastern Illinois and improved to 9-2 as the third place team in the conference.
Racers See Impressive Streaks End At Belmont
With the loss at Belmont, the Racers saw some impressive winning streaks end. MSU had not lost a game since Dec. 21 in overtime at Evansville and had won 11 in a row since. MSU's last loss before tonight in OVC regular season games was in January of 2019, also to Belmont. The loss tonight ended MSU's run of 19-straight OVC regular season wins as they were trying to make a run at the program record of 22 from the Racer teams from 1997-99. The OVC record remains at 25 by Western Kentucky from 1965-67. And in all OVC games (regular season and tournament) the Racers had won 21 in a row.
With the 11-game win streak, the Racers have had a winning streak of 10 or more in three-straight seasons. It's only the second time this has happened in MSU history. The other occurrence was in the 1930's.
Racers-Tigers Series Trends
Murray State and Tennessee State first met in 1983 and their first game as OVC members was in 1988. The Racers hold a 46-13 advantage in OVC games and are 23-8 all-time in the Gentry Center. MSU has won the last four games in the series since a loss at TSU in 2016.
Gilmore Shines From Racer Bench
One of the solid performers this season is junior Devin Gilmore who is usually the first player off the Racer bench. In OVC games, Gilmore is averaging 12.7 minutes per game, but played a season high 25:16 Thursday in the game at Belmont. He finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 from the field with five rebounds. In the first meeting with Tennessee State (Jan. 25) Gilmore scored 13 points as the Racers won the first meeting this season with the Tigers 76-64.
Murray State Racers (17-6) (10-1) Ohio Valley Last:  02/06 A Belmont Lost  71-64 Next: 02/13 A Austin Peay 02/15 H Morehead State
Tennessee State Tigers (15-9) (7-4) Ohio Valley Last:  02/06 H Austin Peay Won 70-68 Next: 02/13 A Belmont 02/15 H Tennessee Tech
Series - MSU leads TSU 55-17 H: 31-6Â A: 23-8 N: 1-3 OVC: 46-13Â OVC Tournament: 6-3Â 1st Game: 1983, H, MSU W 65-58 OTÂ 1st OVC: 1988, H MSU W 99-84
Coach Matt McMahon  5th Season Alma Mater: Appalachian State (2000) Career Record: 104-47 (5th) At Murray State: Same Ohio Valley:  60-18 Home: 61-11 Away: 31-28 Neutral: 12-8 vs Tennessee State: 4-1 Coach Brian "Penny" Collins 2nd Season Alma Mater: Belmont (2006) Career Record: 24-30 (2nd )at Tennessee State:  Same Ohio Valley: 13-16 vs Murray State: 0-2
Racers Face Tennessee State Saturday Night In Nashville
The Murray State Racers (17-6, 10-1 OVC) continue their quest for a third-straight Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship Saturday when they travel to the Gentry Center to take on the Tennessee State Tigers (15-9, 7-4 OVC) in Nashville.
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. The game at Tennessee State can also be seen on ESPN+
Racers Suffer First OVC Loss Thursday
After a 10-0 start to the OVC season, the Racers ran into the Belmont Bruins Thursday and suffered a 71-64 loss, their first this season in league play. With seven games left in the OVC season, the Racers are still in the hunt to win their third-straight OVC title. The Racers suffered 22 turnovers in the loss to the Bruins and finished with a shooting night of 39 percent (24-of-61), while the Bruins hit for 45 percent (29-of-64). Belmont was 0-of-14 from the 3-point line in the first half and finish 4-of-25 for 16 percent, while the Racers hit 8-of-22 for 36 percent.
Even after dropping the game at Belmont, the Races still have a share of the lead after Austin Peay lost 70-68 at Tennessee State. The Racers and APSU remain in a two-way tie for OVC first place at 10-1. APSU comes to Belmont Saturday. Eastern Kentucky won 91-84 at Eastern Illinois and improved to 9-2 as the third place team in the conference.
Racers See Impressive Streaks End At Belmont
With the loss at Belmont, the Racers saw some impressive winning streaks end. MSU had not lost a game since Dec. 21 in overtime at Evansville and had won 11 in a row since. MSU's last loss before tonight in OVC regular season games was in January of 2019, also to Belmont. The loss tonight ended MSU's run of 19-straight OVC regular season wins as they were trying to make a run at the program record of 22 from the Racer teams from 1997-99. The OVC record remains at 25 by Western Kentucky from 1965-67. And in all OVC games (regular season and tournament) the Racers had won 21 in a row.
With the 11-game win streak, the Racers have had a winning streak of 10 or more in three-straight seasons. It's only the second time this has happened in MSU history. The other occurrence was in the 1930's.
Racers-Tigers Series Trends
Murray State and Tennessee State first met in 1983 and their first game as OVC members was in 1988. The Racers hold a 46-13 advantage in OVC games and are 23-8 all-time in the Gentry Center. MSU has won the last four games in the series since a loss at TSU in 2016.
Gilmore Shines From Racer Bench
One of the solid performers this season is junior Devin Gilmore who is usually the first player off the Racer bench. In OVC games, Gilmore is averaging 12.7 minutes per game, but played a season high 25:16 Thursday in the game at Belmont. He finished with 13 points on 5-of-6 from the field with five rebounds. In the first meeting with Tennessee State (Jan. 25) Gilmore scored 13 points as the Racers won the first meeting this season with the Tigers 76-64.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballCoach Jody Wright | Racer Football Press Conference | 10/06/2025
Tuesday, October 07
Coach Rechelle Turner | Women's Basketball Press Conference | 9/29/2025
Monday, September 29
Players Briley Pena & Haven Ford | Women's Basketball Press Conference | 9/29/2025
Monday, September 29
Coach Jody Wright | Racer Football Press Conference | 9/29/2025
Monday, September 29
