All Around Efficient Play Propels Racers Past UTM

Saturday, January 16

Martin, Tenn.

4 p.m.

Murray State

UT Martin

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

1/16/2021 6:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Five MSU players scored in double-figures to stop a four-game losing skid

The Murray State Racers scored their first road win of the season Saturday with a 79-57 victory over the UT Martin Skyhawks at the Elam Center in Martin, Tenn.

The Racers (5-6) stopped a four-game losing skid to improve to 2-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference. In this pandemic-adjusted season, the Racers' game today was their first in nine days.

KJ Williams led five Racers in double-figure scoring with 17 points and he was one rebound shy of a double-double. Tevin Brown scored 13 points on four 3-point baskets. Dionte Bostick made his first career start at MSU and scored 11 points and was one assist shy of a double-double, while the Racers got a 10-point day from Demond Robinson and Chico Carter, Jr.

Leading 32-27 at halftime, the Racers outscored the Skyhawks 47-30 in the second twenty minutes. After shooting 52 percent in the first half, MSU picked it up a few notches in the second half to hit 63 percent on 19-of-31 from the field.

Racers took their largest lead of the game of 11 points at the 16:45 mark when Bostick and DaQuan Smith hit 3-pointers for a 44-33 advantage. The lead stretched to 52-39 with 12:15 to play on a steal by Brown that Carter finished with a slam-dunk. The lead grew to 17 points at 11:15 after Carter hit the Racers' eighth 3-pointer of the day and he got a solo steal and finish. MSU had hit 7-of-8 shots in the 16-6 run over a span of 4:35 and had a stretch of assisting on 10-of-11 field goals. When Smith hit from the left wing with 3:54 remaining, the Racers had their season-high against a NCAA D-I opponent with 10 3-pointers.

Game Notes
MSU had 22 assists on 30 made field goals for an assist rate of 73 percent. KJ Williams

The Racers hit 10 shots from the 3-point line for their season-high in 11 games. The last time MSU hit 10 threes was at home against Belmont (Jan. 23, 20) last season when they hit 12.

MSU won the rebound battle with UTM 35-31.

MSU was also efficient on offense with a scoring percentage of .530. MSU scored on 35 of their 66 total possessions on the day at the Elam Center.

Tevin Brown found the hot shooting touch he has been looking for. The junior from Fairhope, Ala., went 4-of-9 from the 3-point line and hit more than one in a game for the first time since he hit 5-of-10 against Austin Peay on Dec. 8.

Dionte Bostick, a freshman from Clearwater, Fla., made his first career start at Murray State in his fourth game. Bostick wears jersey No. 4. Other recent Racers to wear that number include Noah Kamba (2019-20), Brion Sanchious (2015-19), Jarvis Williams (2013-15), Latreze Mushatt (2010-13) and Tyler Holloway (2005-09).

KJ Williams scored 17 today and is getting closer to becoming the 48^th member of the MSU 1000-Point Club. Williams now has 797 career points. Tevin Brown joined the club on Dec. 5. He scored 13 points today and has 1,104 points. Brown is now one of 34 MSU players that have scored at least 1,100 points in their careers.

The Racers won their first road victory of the 2020-21 season today. Previous this season, MSU had lost road games at Middle Tennessee, Southern Illinois, Austin Peay, Belmont and Eastern Illinois. Today's win was MSU's first road win since a dramatic 59-58 win (Feb. 22, 2020) at SIUE. In that game, the Racers faced a five-point deficit with a minute left, but found a way to win. Tevin Brown hit a deep 3-point shot to give the Racers the winning margin with nine seconds left.

After playing four their last five games away from home, the Racers are looking forward now to having four in a row at home at the CFSB Center starting next week. Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech visit The Bank in Murray on Thursday/Saturday (Jan. 21 & 23). Tennessee State and Belmont visit MSU (Jan. 28 & 30). All four dates are scheduled doubleheaders with tip time for the women's game being 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. for the men's game. Check GoRacers.com the latest schedule.

Check GoRacers.com for the latest basketball schedule information.
Men's Schedule
Women's Schedule

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