Unbeaten Murray State visits Eblen Center for OVC clash
The temperature outside will be cold, but things will be heating up in the Eblen Center Thursday night when the two highest scoring teams in the Ohio Valley Conference square off when the Murray State Racers travel to take on the Tennessee Tech men’s basketball team.
Game Notes (PDF)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The temperature outside will be cold, but
things will be heating up in the Eblen Center Thursday night when
the two highest scoring teams in the Ohio Valley Conference square
off when the Murray State Racers travel to take on the Tennessee
Tech men's basketball team. The game is the second half of a
double-header with the Tech women's team, and tipoff is scheduled
for 7:30 p.m.
The Racers and Golden Eagles are No. 1 and No. 2 in the OVC in
scoring offense, with MSU averaging 78.3 points per game, and TTU
scoring 75.6. The two teams are also the best shooting teams in the
league, as Murray State hits 50.8 percent of its shots, and Tech is
good on 48.2 percent of its attempts. The Golden Eagles lead the
league and are ranked fifth in the nation in 3-point shooting,
hitting 41.6 percent from downtown.
Murray State enters the contest atop the OVC standings at 13-0 in
league play and 22-3 overall. The Golden Eagles are in a three-way
tie for fifth place in the league at 6-7 along with Eastern
Illinois and Jacksonville State. Tech is 12-12 overall.
Murray State spreads its offensive load, with six different
players averaging 10.0 points per game or more, but nobody
averaging over 10.6 points per game. Ivan Aska, B.J. Jenkins,
Danero Thomas, Tony Easley, Isaiah Canaan and Isacc Miles are all
averaging double-figures in scoring for the Racers.
Tech's Frank Davis is ranked No. 3 in the country in 3-point
shooting percentage, hitting 47.9 percent of his outside shots, and
averaging 14.6 points per game. Kevin Murphy leads the Golden
Eagles with 15.3 points per game.
The game will also feature arguably the two best freshmen in the
OVC. Tech's Jud Dillard and Murray State's Isaiah Canaan have each
won the OVC Freshman of the Week honor three times this season,
more than any other player in the league. Dillard is averaging 9.3
points and 4.3 rebounds per game, and captured his third Freshman
of the Week honor on Feb. 7. Canaan is averaging 10.0 points 2.0
rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest.
Murray State owns a 118-record against Tech in the all-time series
between the two schools. The Racers topped Tech in Murray, Ky.,
earlier this season. The home team has won the last six games in
the series.
Thursday will be Pack the House Night in Eblen Center, and fans
are encouraged to wear pink to the game to support breast cancer
awareness. The game can be seen on TV locally on WCTE-TV channel
22.
The Golden Eagles will stay at home through the weekend when UT
Martin visits Cookeville on Feb. 13. For ticket information please
contact the Golden Eagle athletics ticket office at (931) 372-3940
or visit TTUsports.com.
