Story by Keenan Hall
Staff writer
Murray State basketball seniors were honored in the Racers’ last home game on Saturday, March 2, as they reflected on their careers in the blue and gold.
Three players were honored for the Racers in this year’s senior night on Saturday, March 2. Murray State women’s basketball sent off its lone senior guard Michaela Manley, while Racer men’s basketball senior guard Shaq Buchanan and senior forward Brion Sanchious said their goodbyes to a record-breaking crowd at the CFSB Center.
Manley:
In her first start of the season, Manley kicked-off senior night with a bang, scoring the first three points of the game. Her teammates quickly followed her lead as the Racers took care of Austin Peay to clinch a sixth-seed in the OVC tournament.
The Benton, Kentucky, native hasn’t had a standout career full of accolades and accomplishments, but Manley has embodied the Racer tradition. She is highly respected among her peers and has been a valuable asset to the program. Women’s basketball Head Coach Rachelle Turner called on her to step up in her final game at home, and Manley responded.
“It made my heart happy when she hit that shot to start the game,” Turner said. “Just the look on her face after it went in, and knowing she will have that memory forever. Also, for us to be able to get that win for her on senior night meant the world to me.”
With foul trouble plaguing the Racers against the Governors, Manley finished the game with 11 meaningful minutes and secured four rebounds. Her efforts on and off the court helped motivate her younger teammates to go into tournament play on a good note.
“She played a big part in that win,” Turner said. “Although she didn’t score a whole lot, she kept a lot of possessions alive for us. You want kids like that to succeed.”
Manley’s approach to the game hasn’t changed in her four years, even though the atmosphere around the program did. She had a smile on her face for a majority of the night and she showed it in her play.
“It was an incredible experience. We have worked so hard this season with coach Turner and her staff,” Manley said. “I just want to thank my teammates and my coaches. They really are the best.”
Turner believes Manley is the kind of athlete she wants to be a part of the Murray State women’s basketball program.
“She’s an amazing ambassador for Murray State, and women’s basketball,” Turner said. “If we can continue to recruit and have those type of players in our program then we will be successful.”
Buchanan and Sanchious:
Buchanan has been a crucial piece of the puzzle since joining the team in 2017. Before he signed with the Racers last season, he played two seasons at Northeast Mississippi Junior College.
Buchanan’s high-flying and ball-hawking abilities are one of the main reasons Murray State won back-to-back OVC regular-season titles. He has raised his scoring average from his junior year from 9.9 ppg to 13.3 ppg this season.
Buchanan also grabs 4.1 rpg while shooting 33.6 percent from beyond the arc. He has put together an impressive resume in his two years as a Racer. As his time at Murray State winds down, he doesn’t want to miss his chance to stay in the present.
“It feels like yesterday the season was just starting,” Buchanan said. “Now, here we are in the conference tournament, so I’m just cherishing every moment.”
Murray State men’s basketball Head Coach Matt McMahon speaks highly of Buchanan after two seasons learning who he is as a person.
“We can describe all his athleticism, his defensive ability, and that’s great, but at the end of the day he’s a winner,” McMahon said. “The guy is a warrior. He has come in and worked extremely hard from day one.”
Sanchious came into the Racer family as a freshman from Northeast High School, in Pompano Beach, Florida. He had a promising start to his career in the 2015-16 season. However, in his first career start, he suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for the remainder of his freshman season.
He would eventually bounce back to the starting lineup. Sanchious also had two big games in his junior year at the OVC Tournament. He helped the Racers achieve their 16th NCAA tournament appearance.
This season, Sanchious has embraced coming off the bench behind junior forward Darnell Cowart and freshman forward KJ Williams. He understood his position on the team and found other ways to make an impact.
“My role is to come in with defensive energy and staying focused on guarding my matchup,” Sanchious said. “Bringing energy and a defensive mindset is my job.”
McMahon believes as a coach, there’s more to the job than winning games.
“It’s why you become a coach: to have an impact in your players’ lives,” McMahon said. “Brion has been a big part of our rebuild process and rebranding the culture of our program. He has been terrific to have in the program over these last four years.”
McMahon spoke about how his two seniors have left their mark on Murray State men’s basketball.
“They have impacted our team on and off the court,” McMahon said. “Their success reflects what they mean to Murray State basketball in the years they have been here.”
Sanchious has grown up throughout his career at Murray State. He relished in the good times and the bad and enjoyed trusting the process.
“I don’t regret anything that’s happened in my four years,” Sanchious said. “It’s been a long road, and you always think about that last buzzer. But like Shaq said, we just here to cherish every moment. It’s going to be fun.”
