KJ Williams - Photo by Dave Winder
KJ
Williams - Photo by Dave Winder
From Racer Athletics...
The Murray State Racers scored a record-breaking season opening win 173-95 over the visiting Greenville Panthers at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.
The records that fell in the first game of the 96th season of Racer Basketball are many; including the MSU single-game scoring mark of 173, as it easily surpassed the 138 the Racers scored against Campbellsville at old Racer Arena in 1994. The combined score of 268 points is also a new MSU program record, besting the 233 the Racers and Southeast Missouri scored in 2014. MSU's first half scoring mark was 62, accomplished three times with the last coming in 2018. The Racers scored 87 in the opening half to smash that record. MSU's 86 points in the second half is also a school record, surpassing the old mark of 81 in the same 1994 game with Campbellsville.
The Racers also rewrote the record book in the Ohio Valley Conference with league records for points, points in one half, combined points and most field goals attempted.
Every one of MSU's 14 players scored, including 10 in double-figures. KJ Williams had 22 points and Devin Gilmore scored a career-high 20 as the two combined to make 20-of-23 shots. Justice Hill (three points shy with 10 rebounds and 11 assists) and Tevin Brown (two rebounds and one assist shy with 10 points) each flirted with a triple-double. Freshmen Dionte Bostick, Ja'Queze Kirby, Nicholas McMullen, Jackson Sivills and Matthew Smith all got into the act and scored their first points in their Murray State careers.
The style of play Greenville uses lends to high scoring games as they entered the contest averaging 99 points in losses to Samford and UMKC. The Racers held GU under their average and were able to handle the Panther's full-court press which led to scoring 62 fast break points and 142 points in the paint. The Racers also held a 79-31 advantage on the boards. The Racers ended the game making 77-of-105 from the field for 73 percent, while they held Greenfield to 28 percent on 30-of-107.
The win also pushed the Racers' home court winning streak to 22.
Next up for MSU is a Wednesday road contest against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro.
Here's a look at the Murray State single-game records that fell tonight and those from the OVC.
FIRST HALF POINTS BY MSU
Old record: 62 vs Illinois College (12/7/70), vs Berry College (11/25/95), vs Spalding (11/16/18)
MSU SCORED 87 POINTS
TIED OVC RECORD OF 87 BY EASTERN KENTUCKY VS BRESCIA IN 2018.
SECOND HALF POINTS BY MSU
Old record 81 - vs Campbellsville (11/30/94).
MSU SCORED 86 POINTS
SINGLE GAME POINTS BY MSU
Old record: 138 vs Campbellsville (11/30/94)
MSU SCORED 174 POINTS
BROKE OVC RECORD OF 148 BY TENNESSEE STATE OVER FISK IN 1993
BROKE CFSB CENTER RECORD OF 118 VS BRESCIA IN 2017
COMBINED SCORE IN A MSU GAME
Old record: 233 at SEMO (03-01-14) – (MSU 119, SEMO 114 2OT), 229 vs Tenn. Tech (1/30/93) - (MSU 117, Tech 112)
MSU AND GREENVILLE COMBINED FOR 268 POINTS
BROKE OVC RECORD OF 251 BY MOREHEAD STATE VS WEST VIRGINIA STATE IN 1992
BROKE CFSB CENTER RECORD OF 214 IN 2001 WHEN MSU BEAT TENNESSEE STATE 114-1000
HIGHEST SCORING MARGIN BY MSU
Old record: +68 vs Camp Campbell (11/26/46)
MSU BEAT GREENVILLE +78
BROKE CFSB CENTER RECORD OF 70 BY MSU OVER SPALDING IN 2018
MSU MADE FIELD GOALS IN A SINGLE GAME
Old record: 56 - vs Campbellsville (11/30/94)
MSU MADE 77
BROKE OVC RECORD OF 58 BY MIDDLE TENNESSEE VS TENNESSEE WESLEYAN IN 1988
MSU SINGLE GAME FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
Old record: (.725) by MSU vs Austin Peay (1/9/85)
MSU SHOT (.733) on 77-of-105 FROM THE FIELD
MSU SINGLE GAME ASSISTS
Old record: 34 vs Campbellsville (11/30/94)
MSU HAD 45