Racers Seek Sustained Momentum At OVC Tournament

Murray State Game Notes I OVC Weekly report I Froggy 103.7 I ESPN3.com
Live Stats I Racer Press Clippings I OVC Tournament Central

Date-Time: March 6, 6:30 p.m. CT
Site: Nashville, Tenn.
Arena: Municipal Auditorium (7,500)
TV: ESPNU - Rich Hollenberg & LaPhonso Ellis
Radio: Racer Radio - WFGE 103.7 FM
Neal Bradley & Kenny Roth. Westwood One - Kevin Kugler & Will Perdue (Championship game)
Web Streaming: Audio-GoRacers.com & Froggy103.com Video: ESPN3.com
Live Stats: OVCSports.com
Twitter In Game: @MSURacers @RacerDave23
MSU vs Morehead State-OVC Tournament: 9-0 MSU vs SE Missouri-OVC Tournament: 1-2 MSU vs UT Martin-OVC Tournament: 1-0
Steve Prohm in OVC Tournament: 3-2
Series History: MSU vs MOR: 107-47 vs SEMO: 54-19 vs UTM: 45-4
Last Meeting: MSU vs MOR: 1-3 A Won 66-57 MSU vs SEMO: 2-14 A Won OT 94-92 MSU vs UTM: 2-28 A Won 73-67

The Murray State Racers enter the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on a run of 24 straight wins as they own the nation's second-longest win streak. MSU set the record last Saturday (Feb. 28) with a 73-67 win at UT Martin to close out the OVC season 16-0. This Racer team is the first in the history of the program and just the fifth in 67 seasons of OVC basketball to go undefeated. MSU is the first since Austin Peay in the 2003-04 season.

The Racers are the No. 1 seed in the OVC Tournament and play the first semifinal of the night on Friday (March 6). The tip is aired on television by ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. The Racers meet one of three opponents. On Wednesday, No. 8 Southeast Missouri faces No. 5 Morehead State with the winner meeting No. 4 UT Martin on Thursday. The winner of that meets the Racers.

Murray State lost it's last OVC semifinal game to Eastern Kentucky last March and owns a 23-14 mark in all-time OVC semifinals. If the Racers can win and advance to the OVC Championship game, they'll be there for the second time in Coach Steve Prohm's fourth season and four times in the last six seasons. IF MSU plays in the title game, they'll be looking for their 16th title and matching trip to the NCAA Tournament.

After a 26-4 season and going 16-0 in the OVC, the Racers racked up plenty of league awards this week. Cameron Payne is the 13th MSU player to be named OVC Player of the Year and the first since Isaiah Canaan won his second in 2013. Payne is the second sophomore to win the award after Popeye Jones did it in 1990. He's the fifth MSU player to be named OVC Preseason MVP and follow it up as regular season player of the year. MSU star Jarvis Williams was named All-OVC First Team.

Head Coach Steve Prohm was named the OVC Coach of the Year for the second time and is the sixth at MSU Coach to win two awards. Prohm joins Racer Greats: Cal Luther, Ron Greene, Steve Newton, Scott Edgar and Billy Kennedy. Prohm's award is the 16th for MSU head coaches.

All Murray State games are heard over free radio on WFGE Froggy 103.7 FM and online at Froggy103.com and GoRacers.com. Neal Bradley is in his 24th season as the Voice of the Racers. Former MSU assistant coach Kenny Roth provides analysis.

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Players Mentioned

Cameron Payne

Jarvis Williams

Murray State University Athletics