Story by Blake Sandlin
Sports Editor
Though classrooms were closed during winter break on Murray State’s campus, the hardwood stayed open for business, yielding plenty to be excited about as the Racer men’s basketball team prepares to embark on the latter half of their schedule.
Non-conference no more
The Racers handled business in their non-conference slate, accumulating a 9-2 record to enter the OVC portion of their schedule blistering hot. Two of the Racers’ losses came in tight contests against the SEC’s Auburn University (93-88) and the University of Alabama (78-72).
Highlighting the team’s triumphs in the non-conference were commanding wins against Wright State University – the defending Horizon League champions – Missouri State University – predicted to finish first in the Missouri Valley – and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale – another Missouri Valley foe that has compiled an impressive resume this season.
Conference has come
After testing their talents against unfamiliar opponents, the Racers rang in the new year on Jan. 3 with their OVC opener against Morehead State University. Murray State knocked off the Golden Eagles with relative ease, riding a double-double effort from junior forward Darnell Cowart to seal a 90-69 win.
On Jan. 5, the Racers faced an early scare from EKU and its star forward Nick Mayo. Though Murray State trailed by as much as 12 in the second half, the resilient Racers fought back for a 97-85 win on the back of sophomore guard Ja Morant’s 34 points.
A 2-0 start grew to three last Thursday, Jan. 10, when the Racers made the short trip to Martin, Tennessee. The deceptively talented Skyhawks soared for most of the first half and were nipping at Murray State’s heels at halftime, but two Racers derailed UT Martin’s plans in the second half.
Freshman guard Tevin Brown tied the all-time single game 3-point record with nine, finishing with 31 points. Morant dished out 18 assists to set the single game assist record and guide his team to victory.
Entering the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on Saturday, Jan. 12, Murray State hoped to remain unblemished in its conference schedule. It did just that, never trailing the Redhawks in order to cement a lopsided 85-67 result.
Morant keeps moving
If you haven’t made it out to the CFSB Center to marvel at Morant’s magic yet, well, why not? The sophomore point guard out of Dalzell, South Carolina, has shot up NBA Draft boards over the break and was, even being predicted to be selected as high as the No. 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. This puts him two spots behind his former AAU teammate, standout Duke University forward Zion Williamson.
The national media is even beginning to recognize the Racers’ next point guard heir, with ESPN analyst Jay Bilas singing Morant’s praises in a tweet last week, and ESPN featuring two of Morant’s dunks over the break in the No. 1 spot in SportsCenter’s Top-10 plays.
Morant’s speed, ball-handling ability and sheer freak athleticism has been a driving force behind the Racers’ 13-2 start. With unprecedented averages of 23.1 ppg, 10.7 apg (first in the country) and 6.3 rpg, it’s easy to see why he has the nation buzzing.
Preparing for the Panthers
With four games under its belt in the OVC, Murray State will now turn to Eastern Illinois University for its next stop on its four-game road trip.
The Racers will come in as the favorite against the Panthers, yet Eastern Illinois has quietly scraped by through four games of conference play. Sitting at 10-7 and 3-1 in the OVC, the Panthers have already played in two overtime games this year (both wins).
Their lone loss came against Jacksonville State University 69-62, in a narrow defeat to a Gamecock team tied for second in the OVC. Murray State Head Coach Matt McMahon said Eastern Illinois has been on a tear since Christmas, executing a massive turnaround from its 6-6 start to the season.
“They’re playing really well,” McMahon said. “Coming back from Christmas they’ve won four out of five, the one loss being a down-to-the-wire game at Jacksonville State. They’re really shooting the ball well from three; they do a good job with their motion offense; share the ball offensively; defensively, they’ve been solid coming back from Christmas.”
Led by guard Josiah Wallace at 14.9 ppg, the Panthers have a plethora of ways to score, though they frequently rely on the three ball. They are ranked second in the OVC in 3-point field goal percentage, averaging over 36 percent per game and 8.3 threes per game.
Murray State has showcased an ability to neutralize its opponents’ offensive prowess, however. The Racers rank No. 1 in the OVC in scoring defense and No. 46 nationally, allowing just 65.9 ppg. The team also has a knack for guarding the 3-pointer. The Racers have a conference-best 3-point defense that forces opponents to 27.1 from beyond the arc, ranking No. 5 in the country.
The Racers will make the trek to Eastern Illinois for their 7 p.m. tip-off on Thursday, Jan. 17, in Charleston, Illinois.
