Murray State Basketball Remembers Glen Green

Murray State men's basketball great, Glen Green, passed away Sunday, May, 14, 2023 surrounded by his family. 1981-82 mbb

From 1979 to 1983, covering four seasons, Glen Green was an important part of the rebuilding plan of the Murray State program when Coach Ron Greene came back to his alma mater.

Green was a star player in Henderson, Kentucky and came to Murray State to help the Racers win three Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships. With Green on the team, the Racers went a combined 81-34 (.704) and 44-12 (.785) in league play over four seasons.

A durable and consistent performer, Green started every one of his 115 career games for the Racers. When he finished playing in 1983, he had scored 1,557 points, just one of four Racers at the time to accomplish the feat. In 2023, Green's career scoring total is still 13th all-time in 99 seasons of collegiate basketball at Murray State.

Teaming with Lamont Sleets, who scored 1,902 points, Green and Sleets gave the Racers two All-OVC performers that gave opponents lots of trouble. Green was named All-OVC after his junior and senior seasons in 1982 and 1983 and was honored with the ultimate prize of being named OVC Player of the Year for 1982-83, just the sixth Racer to earn the award in MSU history at that time.

Improving in every season he played, Green (his teammates gave him the nickname of 'Ice') had his best years as a junior and senior when he scored 998 points in his final 57 games for a per game average of 17.5.

Green's MVP season of 1982-83 has also stood the test of time. In 29 games, he averaged 20.1ppg, shot 53 percent from the field (226-427). Shot 81 percent from the free throw line (113-140), dished out 102 assists (3.5apg) and combined for 65 steals/blocked shots.

With his playing time finished in 1983, Green ranked second at MSU in assists (423), fourth in scoring (1,557) and 10th in rebounding (629). Those numbers have stood the test of time as he still is ranked fourth in assists, 13th in scoring and 24th in rebounding as of 2023.

In the spring of 1980, Green was in the middle of the Racers' greatest post-season run in history when they defeated Jacksonville and Alabama on the road in the National Invitation Tournament. The Racers made it to the quarterfinals and one game from a trip to Madison Square Garden in NYC when they lost to Illinois.

When the Banner Years book was published in 2013, writer Kim Trevathan wrote the chapter that covered Glen Green's career with the Racers. Coach Ron Greene was abundant in his praise for the tall guard from Henderson saying. "Glen Green was as smooth as Southern Comfort. Glen was refined, a smooth player, a fine player from the start, but he also got better with age. Glen turned out to be quite a perimeter player. He could play point guard, or the two guard or small forward. That made him a very valuable player. Our players called him 'Ice" because he was as smooth and cool if we were up by 10 points, or down by 10. He was the glue-ish type player that everyone looks for. It's difficult to find a player who could do all the things well that Glen Green did well."

Born Dec. 17, 1961, Green graduated from Henderson County High School in 1979. He was inducted into the HCHS Hall of Fame in 2009.

He will always be remembered as a Murray State Basketball great.

Visitation for Glen Green will be held Sunday, May 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Mason Brothers Audubon Chapel at 1322 Helm St. in Henderson, Ky. 42420. Visitation and funeral service for Green is Monday, May 22 beginning at noon at Memorial Baptist Church at 645 Canal St. in Evansville, Indiana 47713.

Murray State University

Related Videos