Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Racer Basketball - Remembering Dynamic Duos
4/15/2020 11:15:00 AM | Men's Basketball
In season after season, Murray State men's basketball has proven to be the greatest tradition in the Ohio Valley Conference.
GoRacers.com took on the fun job of exploring some of the top tandems that have teamed up since the Racers first won a game in the NCAA Tournament in 1988. In nearly every season since 1988, the Racers are in the hunt for the OVC championship (They've won it 27 times) because they have the best player in the league and sometimes the second-best player. MSU's great duos, tells the story of great accomplishments, team and individually, since the 1987-88 squad featured Jeff Martin and Don Mann. This exercise came up with 10 pairs culled from a long list of deserving combos.
Check Murray State Athletics' social media channels for more fun of deciding what would happen if these terrific tandems played 2-on-2!
So let's get started in chronological order, some of the top tandems in Racer basketball since 1988.
1987-88 Jeff Martin & Don Mann
Coach Steve Newton - 22-9 (13-1 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 11 (Racer Arena 12-3)
OVC Tournament (Murray, Ky.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W vs NC State, L vs Kansas
Jeff Martin and Don Mann were known as the M&M Boys when they took the Racers to the OVC regular season title and the OVC Tournament championship in the 1987-88 season. Martin led the OVC with 806 points and Mann was the leader with 144 assists, both Murray State records at the time. A side note, Martin's 806 stood as MSU's single-season scoring mark for 31 years until Ja Morant topped it in 2019. Martin averaged 6.6 rebounds per game and Mann not only dished out 4.6 assists, he also scored 17.7 points per game. Together, they scored 1,231 points for an average of 39.7 per game. Martin was named OVC Player of the Year and Mann All-OVC First Team. Ultimately, the M&M Boys are both in the MSU Hall of Fame and well known for leading the Racers to their first NCAA Tournament win with over NC State in 1988.
1991-92 Popeye Jones & Frank Allen
Coach Scott Edgar – 17-13 (11-3 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 7 (Racer Arena 8-4)
OVC Tournament (Lexington, Ky.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs Arkansas
At the height of their Murray State careers, Popeye Jones and Frank Allen represented an outstanding front line and perimeter threat. Jones was denied a spot as three-time OVC Player of the Year, however he and Allen were named All-OVC First Team. Jones led the nation with a rebound average of 14.4 and scored at a 21.1 per game clip, while Allen had one of the top 3-point shooting seasons in MSU history at 45 percent as he scored 17.6 games. Together, Jones and Allen scored 1,073 points to get the Racers past a slow start, to winning the OVC regular season title and the OVC Tournament championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
1994-95 Marcus Brown & Vincent Rainey
Coach Scott Edgar – 21-9 (11-5 OVC Co-Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 8 (Racer Arena 11-2)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs North Carolina
Marcus Brown and Vincent Rainey each had outstanding individual seasons in 1994-95 and together, pushed the Racers to the OVC regular season championship in a period of tremendous balance in the conference. Brown scored at 22.4 points per game, while Rainey was at 18.8. They scored 1,215 Points (40.5ppg) and hit 54 percent of their two-point tries and 44 percent from the 3-point line. Brown won the OVC Payer of the year in a back-to-back seasons and Rainey was on his way to being a three-time All-OVC selection. One side note includes the game they produced the following season in when Brown and Rainey each scored 30 points against UT Martin. A feat not matched since for the Racers.
1996-97 Vincent Rainey & DT Mayes
Coach Mark Gottfried – 20-10 (12-6 OVC Co-Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 12 (Racer Arena 14-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs Duke
Vincent Rainey appears on our list twice because the season after Marcus Brown left for the NBA, Rainey was paired with newcomer DT Mayes to wreak havoc on the OVC. MSU slugged out a share of the OVC regular season title and defeated Austin Peay in overtime to reach the NCAA Tournament. Each earned All-OVC status and combined for 1,285 points (42.8ppg). Matched evenly in ability and feel for the game, Rainey scored 228 field goals in the season and Mayes hit 227 and together they averaged 14.9 rebounds per game. Mayes' two-year scoring total of 1,340 stood for 20 years until Jonathan Stark topped it in 2018.
1998-99 Isaac Spencer & Aubrey Reese
Coach Tevester Anderson - 27-6 (16-2 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 11 (CFSB Center 13-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs Ohio State
In the 1998-99 season, Isaac Spencer and Aubrey Reese were each named All-OVC First Team (Spencer was the OVC Preseason Player of the Year). Reese hit the buzzer shot against SEMO to send MSU to its third-straight NCAA Tournament. In the first season in the CFSB Center, Spencer scored 15.6 points per game with 7.1 rebounds, while Reese fished out 4.6 assists per game. Together, they made it impossible for opposing teams to stop their talent as they scored 950 points, dished out 229 assists and grabbed 386 rebounds. Spencer and Reese were part of a period of winning from 1997-00 in which they had a hand in three OVC regular season titles and two NCAA appearances.
2009-10 Danero Thomas & Tony Easley
Coach Billy Kennedy – 31-5 (17-1 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 17 (CFSB Center 15-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W vs Vanderbilt, L vs Butler
There are some tandems that accomplished more from a numbers standpoint than Danero Thomas and Tony Easley did. However, this duo is on the list partly because of what the 2009-10 team accomplished as the Racers won their first NCAA Tournament game in 22 years when Thomas hit "The Shot" to beat Vanderbilt. Another reason to have Thomas and Easley on the list is to highlight the depth of this team that was only a few ticks from having six players average 10 points per game. In fact, several tandems could've been chosen from this team. The 2009-10 Racers only had one OVC Player of the Week award, but still won a school-record 31 games. B.J. Jenkins and Isacc Miles earned All-OVC First Team honors and Isaiah Canaan was named OVC Freshman of the Year. Thomas was All-OVC Second Team and Tony Easley led the OVC with 95 blocked shots. This team also won the OVC Men's Basketball Sportsmanship Award.
2011-12 Isaiah Canaan & Donte Poole
Coach Steve Prohm – 31-2 (15-1 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 23 (CFSB Center 13-1)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W vs Colorado State, L vs Marquette
The 2011-12 team matched the MSU record 31 wins and was victorious at the NCAA Tournament with All-America selection Isaiah Canaan and partner Donte Poole leading the way. Canaan was the OVC Player of the Year and Poole was a sudden star as a senior and became the player that made opponents pay when they shadowed Canaan too much. This was evident when the Racers won at No. 21 Memphis, on their way to being the final undefeated team in the nation at 23-0. Against the Tigers, Poole scored 20 points on 6-of-8 from the 3-point line, while Canaan added 15 points. Together, Canaan and Poole combined for 1,087 points (32.9ppg) and they combined to hit 166 3-point baskets and 108 steals. Poole was the OVC Tournament MVP and was named All-OVC First Team.
2014-15 Cameron Payne & Jarvis Williams
Coach Steve Prohm – 29-6 (16-0 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 25 MSU record (CFSB Center 15-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Runner Up
National Invitation Tournament: W vs UTEP, W vs Tulsa, L vs Old Dominion
Sadly, one of the top tandems in Murray State history never played in the NCAA Tournament. In second season of two that Cameron Payne and Jarvis Williams played with the Racers, they helped the team to an OVC record 25-game winning streak and became the first MSU team to run the table in winning the OVC at 16-0. Payne and Williams combined to score 1,257 points (35.9ppg) and ranked first and fifth in OVC scoring at 20.2ppg and 15.7ppg. Payne (OVC Player of the Year) was first in the OVC with 206 assists and Williams (All-OVC First Team) was second in rebounds with 293. The Racers suffered heartbreak to Belmont at the OVC Tournament, but took out their frustration on UTEP and Tulsa in the NIT, before falling on another buzzer shot at Old Dominion. Cameron Payne became an NBA Draft pick.
2017-18 Jonathan Stark & Terrell Miller
Coach Matt McMahon – 26-6 (16-2 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 13 (CFSB Center 14-2)
OVC Tournament (Evansville, Ind.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs West Virginia
Looking to win the first OVC championship under Coach Matt McMahon, the duo of Jonathan Stark and Terrell Miller, Jr., gave the Racers the best duo in the OVC. The Racers won the regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after Stark won OVC Player of the Year honors and Miller was named All-OVC First Team. Stark led the OVC with 21.4 points per game and Miller scored 15.4 and together, they scored 1,168 points (36.5ppg). Stark made 110 3-point shots and Miller made 70, while grabbing 8.6 rebounds per game. This duo was also helped along by a talented freshman point guard, perhaps you've heard of him, Ja Morant!
2018-19 Ja Morant & Shaq Buchanan
Coach Matt McMahon – 28-5 (16-2 OVC Co-Champions)
Longest Winning Streak: 12 (CFSB Center 15-1)
OVC Tournament (Evansville, Ind.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W, Marquette, L vs Florida State
Known as the Bounce Brothers, Ja Morant and Shaq Buchanan thrilled Racer fans with a season that included a win in the NCAA Tournament over Marquette. Morant was a Consensus All-America and OVC Player of the Year and Buchanan was All-OVC First Team and OVC Defensive Player of the Year. The pair combined for 1,238 points (37.5ppg). While Morant was setting the MSU record for single-season points (808) and assist (331), Buchanan was scoring 13.0 points per game. Morant scored 24.5 points per game and dished out 10.0 assists per game making him the only player in NCAA history to average 20/10. Morant eventually left MSU after 65 games and was the second choice in the NBA Draft.
Honorable Mention
Not only have there been other big time tandems since 1988, there are many more worth noting since Murray State helped start the OVC in 1948.
1951-52 Bennie Purcell & Garrett Beshear
1955-56 Howie Crittenden & Dick Kinder
1964-65 John Namciu & Stewart Johnson
1966-67 Herb McPherson & Dick Cunningham
1968-69 Claude Virden & Hector Bondett
1972-73 Les Taylor & Mike Coleman
1977-78 Mike Muff & Jimmy Warren
1979-80 Lamont Sleets & Gary Hooker
1982-83 Glen Green & Ricky Hood
1985-86 Chuck Glass & Zedric Macklin
2000-01 Isaac Spencer & Justin Burdine
2001-02 Justin Burdine & Antoine Whelchel
2002-03 Cuthbert Victor & James Singleton
2009-10 Danero Thomas & Tony Easley
2010-11 B.J. Jenkins & Isacc Miles
2012-13 Isaiah Canaan & Stacy Wilson
2015-16 Jeffery Moss & Wayne Langston
GoRacers.com took on the fun job of exploring some of the top tandems that have teamed up since the Racers first won a game in the NCAA Tournament in 1988. In nearly every season since 1988, the Racers are in the hunt for the OVC championship (They've won it 27 times) because they have the best player in the league and sometimes the second-best player. MSU's great duos, tells the story of great accomplishments, team and individually, since the 1987-88 squad featured Jeff Martin and Don Mann. This exercise came up with 10 pairs culled from a long list of deserving combos.
Check Murray State Athletics' social media channels for more fun of deciding what would happen if these terrific tandems played 2-on-2!
We've had some pretty great duos in Racer History 🏆🏆
— Murray State Sports (@MSURacers) April 15, 2020
But if there was a 2 on 2 Tournament of the greats, what duo would you take?? 🤔
By the numbers 🔢 https://t.co/dlZ0FRbZcV#WeAreRacers #RacerTradition 🏇🏀 pic.twitter.com/TpOh8UJFsv
So let's get started in chronological order, some of the top tandems in Racer basketball since 1988.
1987-88 Jeff Martin & Don Mann
Coach Steve Newton - 22-9 (13-1 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 11 (Racer Arena 12-3)
OVC Tournament (Murray, Ky.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W vs NC State, L vs Kansas
Jeff Martin and Don Mann were known as the M&M Boys when they took the Racers to the OVC regular season title and the OVC Tournament championship in the 1987-88 season. Martin led the OVC with 806 points and Mann was the leader with 144 assists, both Murray State records at the time. A side note, Martin's 806 stood as MSU's single-season scoring mark for 31 years until Ja Morant topped it in 2019. Martin averaged 6.6 rebounds per game and Mann not only dished out 4.6 assists, he also scored 17.7 points per game. Together, they scored 1,231 points for an average of 39.7 per game. Martin was named OVC Player of the Year and Mann All-OVC First Team. Ultimately, the M&M Boys are both in the MSU Hall of Fame and well known for leading the Racers to their first NCAA Tournament win with over NC State in 1988.
1991-92 Popeye Jones & Frank Allen
Coach Scott Edgar – 17-13 (11-3 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 7 (Racer Arena 8-4)
OVC Tournament (Lexington, Ky.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs Arkansas
At the height of their Murray State careers, Popeye Jones and Frank Allen represented an outstanding front line and perimeter threat. Jones was denied a spot as three-time OVC Player of the Year, however he and Allen were named All-OVC First Team. Jones led the nation with a rebound average of 14.4 and scored at a 21.1 per game clip, while Allen had one of the top 3-point shooting seasons in MSU history at 45 percent as he scored 17.6 games. Together, Jones and Allen scored 1,073 points to get the Racers past a slow start, to winning the OVC regular season title and the OVC Tournament championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
1994-95 Marcus Brown & Vincent Rainey
Coach Scott Edgar – 21-9 (11-5 OVC Co-Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 8 (Racer Arena 11-2)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs North Carolina
Marcus Brown and Vincent Rainey each had outstanding individual seasons in 1994-95 and together, pushed the Racers to the OVC regular season championship in a period of tremendous balance in the conference. Brown scored at 22.4 points per game, while Rainey was at 18.8. They scored 1,215 Points (40.5ppg) and hit 54 percent of their two-point tries and 44 percent from the 3-point line. Brown won the OVC Payer of the year in a back-to-back seasons and Rainey was on his way to being a three-time All-OVC selection. One side note includes the game they produced the following season in when Brown and Rainey each scored 30 points against UT Martin. A feat not matched since for the Racers.
1996-97 Vincent Rainey & DT Mayes
Coach Mark Gottfried – 20-10 (12-6 OVC Co-Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 12 (Racer Arena 14-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs Duke
Vincent Rainey appears on our list twice because the season after Marcus Brown left for the NBA, Rainey was paired with newcomer DT Mayes to wreak havoc on the OVC. MSU slugged out a share of the OVC regular season title and defeated Austin Peay in overtime to reach the NCAA Tournament. Each earned All-OVC status and combined for 1,285 points (42.8ppg). Matched evenly in ability and feel for the game, Rainey scored 228 field goals in the season and Mayes hit 227 and together they averaged 14.9 rebounds per game. Mayes' two-year scoring total of 1,340 stood for 20 years until Jonathan Stark topped it in 2018.
1998-99 Isaac Spencer & Aubrey Reese
Coach Tevester Anderson - 27-6 (16-2 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 11 (CFSB Center 13-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs Ohio State
In the 1998-99 season, Isaac Spencer and Aubrey Reese were each named All-OVC First Team (Spencer was the OVC Preseason Player of the Year). Reese hit the buzzer shot against SEMO to send MSU to its third-straight NCAA Tournament. In the first season in the CFSB Center, Spencer scored 15.6 points per game with 7.1 rebounds, while Reese fished out 4.6 assists per game. Together, they made it impossible for opposing teams to stop their talent as they scored 950 points, dished out 229 assists and grabbed 386 rebounds. Spencer and Reese were part of a period of winning from 1997-00 in which they had a hand in three OVC regular season titles and two NCAA appearances.
2009-10 Danero Thomas & Tony Easley
Coach Billy Kennedy – 31-5 (17-1 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 17 (CFSB Center 15-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W vs Vanderbilt, L vs Butler
There are some tandems that accomplished more from a numbers standpoint than Danero Thomas and Tony Easley did. However, this duo is on the list partly because of what the 2009-10 team accomplished as the Racers won their first NCAA Tournament game in 22 years when Thomas hit "The Shot" to beat Vanderbilt. Another reason to have Thomas and Easley on the list is to highlight the depth of this team that was only a few ticks from having six players average 10 points per game. In fact, several tandems could've been chosen from this team. The 2009-10 Racers only had one OVC Player of the Week award, but still won a school-record 31 games. B.J. Jenkins and Isacc Miles earned All-OVC First Team honors and Isaiah Canaan was named OVC Freshman of the Year. Thomas was All-OVC Second Team and Tony Easley led the OVC with 95 blocked shots. This team also won the OVC Men's Basketball Sportsmanship Award.
2011-12 Isaiah Canaan & Donte Poole
Coach Steve Prohm – 31-2 (15-1 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 23 (CFSB Center 13-1)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W vs Colorado State, L vs Marquette
The 2011-12 team matched the MSU record 31 wins and was victorious at the NCAA Tournament with All-America selection Isaiah Canaan and partner Donte Poole leading the way. Canaan was the OVC Player of the Year and Poole was a sudden star as a senior and became the player that made opponents pay when they shadowed Canaan too much. This was evident when the Racers won at No. 21 Memphis, on their way to being the final undefeated team in the nation at 23-0. Against the Tigers, Poole scored 20 points on 6-of-8 from the 3-point line, while Canaan added 15 points. Together, Canaan and Poole combined for 1,087 points (32.9ppg) and they combined to hit 166 3-point baskets and 108 steals. Poole was the OVC Tournament MVP and was named All-OVC First Team.
2014-15 Cameron Payne & Jarvis Williams
Coach Steve Prohm – 29-6 (16-0 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 25 MSU record (CFSB Center 15-0)
OVC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) Runner Up
National Invitation Tournament: W vs UTEP, W vs Tulsa, L vs Old Dominion
Sadly, one of the top tandems in Murray State history never played in the NCAA Tournament. In second season of two that Cameron Payne and Jarvis Williams played with the Racers, they helped the team to an OVC record 25-game winning streak and became the first MSU team to run the table in winning the OVC at 16-0. Payne and Williams combined to score 1,257 points (35.9ppg) and ranked first and fifth in OVC scoring at 20.2ppg and 15.7ppg. Payne (OVC Player of the Year) was first in the OVC with 206 assists and Williams (All-OVC First Team) was second in rebounds with 293. The Racers suffered heartbreak to Belmont at the OVC Tournament, but took out their frustration on UTEP and Tulsa in the NIT, before falling on another buzzer shot at Old Dominion. Cameron Payne became an NBA Draft pick.
2017-18 Jonathan Stark & Terrell Miller
Coach Matt McMahon – 26-6 (16-2 OVC Champion)
Longest Winning Streak: 13 (CFSB Center 14-2)
OVC Tournament (Evansville, Ind.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: L vs West Virginia
Looking to win the first OVC championship under Coach Matt McMahon, the duo of Jonathan Stark and Terrell Miller, Jr., gave the Racers the best duo in the OVC. The Racers won the regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after Stark won OVC Player of the Year honors and Miller was named All-OVC First Team. Stark led the OVC with 21.4 points per game and Miller scored 15.4 and together, they scored 1,168 points (36.5ppg). Stark made 110 3-point shots and Miller made 70, while grabbing 8.6 rebounds per game. This duo was also helped along by a talented freshman point guard, perhaps you've heard of him, Ja Morant!
2018-19 Ja Morant & Shaq Buchanan
Coach Matt McMahon – 28-5 (16-2 OVC Co-Champions)
Longest Winning Streak: 12 (CFSB Center 15-1)
OVC Tournament (Evansville, Ind.) Champion
NCAA Tournament: W, Marquette, L vs Florida State
Known as the Bounce Brothers, Ja Morant and Shaq Buchanan thrilled Racer fans with a season that included a win in the NCAA Tournament over Marquette. Morant was a Consensus All-America and OVC Player of the Year and Buchanan was All-OVC First Team and OVC Defensive Player of the Year. The pair combined for 1,238 points (37.5ppg). While Morant was setting the MSU record for single-season points (808) and assist (331), Buchanan was scoring 13.0 points per game. Morant scored 24.5 points per game and dished out 10.0 assists per game making him the only player in NCAA history to average 20/10. Morant eventually left MSU after 65 games and was the second choice in the NBA Draft.
Honorable Mention
Not only have there been other big time tandems since 1988, there are many more worth noting since Murray State helped start the OVC in 1948.
1951-52 Bennie Purcell & Garrett Beshear
1955-56 Howie Crittenden & Dick Kinder
1964-65 John Namciu & Stewart Johnson
1966-67 Herb McPherson & Dick Cunningham
1968-69 Claude Virden & Hector Bondett
1972-73 Les Taylor & Mike Coleman
1977-78 Mike Muff & Jimmy Warren
1979-80 Lamont Sleets & Gary Hooker
1982-83 Glen Green & Ricky Hood
1985-86 Chuck Glass & Zedric Macklin
2000-01 Isaac Spencer & Justin Burdine
2001-02 Justin Burdine & Antoine Whelchel
2002-03 Cuthbert Victor & James Singleton
2009-10 Danero Thomas & Tony Easley
2010-11 B.J. Jenkins & Isacc Miles
2012-13 Isaiah Canaan & Stacy Wilson
2015-16 Jeffery Moss & Wayne Langston
Players Mentioned
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