Racers Looking To Make OVC History Saturday At SEMO

Coming off an amazing night in the final home game Thursday, the Murray State Racers (27-2, 16-0) try to finish the Ohio Valley Conference undefeated. To do that, the Racers must win at Southeast Missouri (13-16, 8-8) in a 4 p.m. tip at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. At 17-0, the Racers have already won more conference games in a single season than any team previous because the OVC went to an 18-game OVC season in 2021-22.

Opponent: Southeast Missouri Redhawks
Site (Venue): Cape Girardeau, Mo. (Show Me Center)
Date/Game Time: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022/4 p.m.
Audio: WFGS Froggy 103.7FM (PxP: Neal Bradley Analyst: Kenny Roth)
TV(Live Streaming): None(ESPN+)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com/Coverage
Twitter In Game: @MSURacers
MUR Record (Streak): 27-2 (Won 17)
SEMO Record (Streak): 11-16 (Won 2)
MUR Last Game: Won home vs Belmont 76-43 (Feb. 24)
SEMO Last Game: Won 76-69 home vs UT Martin (Feb. 24)
All-Time Series vs. SEMO: Racers lead 65-21
First Meeting: 1931 A Murray State lost 37-29
Last Meeting: 2021 H Murray State won 106-81
Largest MSU Win: 2011, +38, Home 96-58
Largest MSU Loss: 1944 -16, 61-45 at SEMO & 84-58 home vs SEMO in 2013
Last Five vs SEMO: MSU leads 5-0
Next MSU Game: OVC Tournament, (March 4) Semifinals, Evansville, Indiana - Ford Center

If the Racers can win Saturday, they will become the sixth team in OVC history to run the table in the league season. The Racers are the last team to do it, as they went 16-0 in the 2014-15 season in which they also set the OVC record with a 25-game winning streak. Here are the previous undefeated teams.

ⵔ Western Ky.    1949-50    8-0
ⵔ Western Ky.    1965-66    14-0
ⵔ Western Ky.    1969-70    14-0
ⵔ Austin Peay    2003-04    16-0
ⵔ Murray State    2014-15    16-0

Racers Close Out Perfect Home Season
In the final home game of the season, everything was set up for the Racers to handle Belmont at the CFSB Center, which they did in a 76-43 win Thursday.
The biggest crowd since 2019 (8,041) watched on Senior Day and it was Coach Matt McMahon's 150th win as Racer head coach. KJ Williams produced his third game of 30-point scoring this season with 30 points on 12-of-19 from the field including 4-of-4 from the 3-point line. His game only increased his appeal as a candidate for OVC Player of the Year. The win pushed the Racers' win streak to 17 in a row, tied with South Dakota State for the nation's longest. The Racers and SDSU also stayed in a group of three (including Gonzaga) that are undefeated in conference play.

See you In Evansville
For the fifth-straight year, the OVC Tournament is showcased at the Ford Center in Evansville next week. By Saturday night, the field will be set. MSU has secured the No. 1 seed and will play in a semifinal game Friday (March 4) at 7 p.m. The Racers will face either the 8th, 5th or 4th seed.

Ford Center Clear Bag Policy
As part of an ongoing commitment to safety and security, aligning with the best practices at major entertainment and athletics venues, there is now a "Clear Bag Policy" in effect at the Ford Center.

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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

KJ Williams

Murray State University