Racers Become 5th Undefeated In OVC History

Saturday, February 28

Martin, TN

6 p.m.

Murray State

26-4 (16-0OVC)

UT Martin

18-11 (10-6OVC)

Murray State

UT Martin

Photo by: Tab Brockman

2/28/2015 10:43:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score

The Murray State Racers became the fifth team in 67 seasons of Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball to go undefeated in league play when they came away with a 73-67 win Saturday over the UT Martin Skyhawks.

The win at Skyhawk Arena in Martin, Tennessee, was played in front of a packed house as the Racers (26-4) kept the nation's second-longest winning streak alive at 24.

MSU went 16-0 in the OVC, the first undefeated squad since Austin Peay in the 2003-04 season.

Cameron Payne scored 31 points to go with eight rebounds and six assists, while Jarvis Williams had his 24^th career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Trailing 34-31 at half, the Racers started the second half on a 22-8 run for a 53-42 lead. Wayne Langston made a steal and Williams finished a fast break at the 12:35 mark. A thundering dunk from Jonathan Fairell and a 3-pointer from Payne preceded the big play. UTM dug in on their home floor and cut MSU's lead to 64-62 with 3:16 remaining, but the Racers hit 6-of-8 from the free throw line to seal the win.

The first half saw the Racers take a 17-9 lead at the 13:57 mark when Payne scored two of his 15 points in the half. UTM hit the Racers with an 11-0 run and led 20-17 at 9:26. MSU came back with a 7-0 run where Payne scored five points as the Racers led the Skyhawks 24-20 with 7:21 left. UTM led 34-31 at the half.

The Racers go into next week's OVC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and will play in the first semifinal at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville on March 6. The tournament begins Wednesday March 4 and the Racers will play one of three teams in the upper part of the bracket. No. 5 seed Morehead State plays No. 8 Southeast Missouri with the winner taking on No. 4 UTM on March 5.