Clash Of OVC Titans - Racers Host Belmont Thursday - Murray State University Athletics

Opponent: Belmont Bruins
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (CFSB Center)
Date/Game Time: Thursday, Feb. 19, 2022/8 p.m.
Audio: WFGS Froggy 103.7FM (PxP: Neal Bradley Analyst: Kenny Roth)
TV(Live Streaming): ESPNU (Pxp: Robert Ford Analyst: Richie Schueler)(ESPN+)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com/Coverage
Twitter In Game: @MSURacers
MUR Record (Streak): 26-2 (16-0 OVC) (Won 16)
BEL Record (Streak): 24-5 (14-2 OVC) (Won 10)
MUR Last Game: Won at UTM 62-60 (Feb. 19)
BEL Last Game: Won at home SIUE 73-62 (Feb. 19)
All-Time Series vs. BEL: Racers trail 10-12
First Meeting: 1986 Home Won 94-92
Last Meeting: Jan. 15, 2022 At Belmont, Racers won 82-60
Largest MSU Win: +39 1996 Home Won 84-45
Largest MSU Loss: -17 2007 in Chattanooga Lost 84-67
Last Five vs BEL: MSU 1-5
Next MSU Game: Feb. 26 at SEMO

In the first game this season in NCAA D-I there is a game with a combined 50 or more wins when the Murray State Racers (26-2, 16-0) host the Belmont Bruins (24-5, 14-2) Thursday at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky. Tip time is set for 8 p.m. in a game nationally televised by ESPNU. The Racers have won 16 in a row and Belmont 10 as Ohio Valley Conference titans clash in one of the biggest games of the week in collegiate basketball.

The game also marks the final regular season home game as the Racers honor their academic seniors before the game. Tevin Brown, Carter Collins, Jordan Skipper-Brown and KJ Williams will be on the floor pregame with their families as well as GA manager Jack Seltsam.

Rankings in Mind
The Racers are in their third week of being in the national top-25 as they moved from 21 to 19 in the Associated Press poll and remained 21 in the USA Today Coaches poll. Three consecutive weeks of being ranked marks just the second time since 1971 that the Racers have stayed in the national spotlight for more than one week. The 2011-12 MSU team that was the final undefeated team at 23-0 and played their final 23 games that season as a ranked team. In the NCAA Net Rankings, the Racers are 26th this week and Belmont is 55th. The Racers remained second in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25, while Belmont is eighth this week. Belmont received five votes this week in the AP poll.

Streaks On The Line - In The Making
The Racers have won their last 16 games since a loss to Auburn (Dec. 22).
The current run marks the longest win streak in Coach Matt McMahon's seven seasons at MSU. His previous best was 13 in a row in 2017-18. MSU is trying to become just the sixth team to run the table in the OVC and the first to do it with an 18-game schedule. With their 25th win, McMahon and his staff are the first in the history of the MSU program to have three seasons of 25 or more wins. The Racers were 26-6 in 2017-18 and 28-5 in 2018-19. At home, the Racers are 14-0 at the CFSB Center this season and have won their last 15 games at The Bank.

Big Time Players Meet At The Bank
It's amazing to think that four of the top five active scorers in the OVC will be going head to head when Belmont plays at Murray State. Here are the current OVC active career scorers
1841 Nick Muszynski, Belmont
1805 Tevin Brown, Murray State
1612 Jr. Clay, Tennessee Tech
1547 KJ Williams, Murray State
1181 Grayson Murphy, Belmont

OVC Tournament Next Week
In a clash of OVC titans, the Racers vs Bruins rivalry has been going strong since Belmont joined the OVC in the 2012-13 season. Since then, the Racers and Bruins have met for the OVC Tournament title five times in nine years. In seven of nine years, either the Racers or Bruins have been in the championship game.

Undefeated Season Maybe
With the against Belmont and Saturday at Southeast Missouri, the Racers have a chance to do something only five teams have ever done in OVC history and that is go undefeated. No team has ever done it in an 18-game OVC season. Here are the other instances including the last time it happened when Cameron Payne led the Racers to a 16-0 mark in the 2014-15 season. OVC undefeated league seasons: Western Kentucky (1949-50) 8-0, Western Kentucky (1965-66) 14-0, Western Kentucky (1969-70) 14-0, Austin Peay (2003-04) 16-0, Murray State (2014-15) 16-0

Racer Basketball Legacy Fund
The new fundraising initiative invites Racer supporters to have a lasting impact on the Murray State men's and women's basketball programs. Those interested in learning more about how you can support the Racer Basketball Legacy Fund initiative may contact Director of Development-Athletics, Taylor Mudd at (270) 809-3517 or tmudd3@murraystate.edu for more information.

About Murray State Athletics
Located in Murray, Kentucky, the athletics department of Murray State University is a NCAA Division I member and plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Racers have 15 programs including men's teams for baseball, basketball, cross country, football and golf and women's teams for basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball, as well as a mixed gender rifle team. Currently a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, the Racers will join the Missouri Valley Conference on July 1, 2022.

Clash Of OVC Titans - Racers Host Belmont Thursday

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Players Mentioned

Tevin Brown

Carter Collins

Jordan Skipper-Brown

KJ Williams

Murray State University