This game will hurt Murray's ranking on Ken Pom, as he had them winning by 82-62. But it is a huge win for the Racers, who trailed 35-46 with 17 minutes to go in the game, but who outscored the Indians (or whatever SEMO is called these days) 46-27 the rest of the way. Isaiah Canaan was the hero once again; he went 8-17 from the field, including 6-11 from three-point range, and went 10-12 from the line for a total of 32 points. Ivan Aska had a double-double, with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
I'm not sure that any OVC team has ever opened the season 22-0. Western started off the 1953-54 season with a record of 21-0; that team went to the semi-finals of the NIT.
Up next, the Racers travel to Martin, Tennessee to take on the UT-Martin Pacers. I hope that Eric will tell us the best way to go from Murray to Martin.
Google has Bradley going across Ky. 94 and then Ky. 129 across southwestern Kentucky and then, when he gets to Fulton, cutting due south into Tennessee into Martin. I've driven at least some of this, but I don't remember much--other than, in the summer, it felt, looked and sounded much more Mississippi Delta-ish than anything I had experienced in Kentucky. (You see cotton growing, for example, and folks are advertising pecans for sale with hand-painted signs.) It's a little over an hour regardless of what kinds of zigs and zags you want to tinkertoy together. Trip sounds fantastic.
Love the part about the fan being ejected before the game, as well as the part about McDaniels's two technical fouls and what appears to have been some sort of 360-degree dunk by a Western player.
You know, I was heartbroken when Western left the OVC, and I really miss the old rivalry games between Western and Murray. But Western's departure was the greatest thing that ever happened to Murray. Once the Hilltoppers left the OVC, the Racers were finally able to take over as the top program in the conference, and that has made a huge difference to them.
It almost makes me think that now Morehead should consider joining the Big South or the Atlantic Sun, so that they could get away from Murray.
I've now decided that my working definition of "old school," at least in relation to life in Western Kentucky, involves people who were ejected for fighting before a game between two OVC teams. That's old school.
This game will hurt Murray's ranking on Ken Pom, as he had them winning by 82-62. But it is a huge win for the Racers, who trailed 35-46 with 17 minutes to go in the game, but who outscored the Indians (or whatever SEMO is called these days) 46-27 the rest of the way. Isaiah Canaan was the hero once again; he went 8-17 from the field, including 6-11 from three-point range, and went 10-12 from the line for a total of 32 points. Ivan Aska had a double-double, with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that any OVC team has ever opened the season 22-0. Western started off the 1953-54 season with a record of 21-0; that team went to the semi-finals of the NIT.
Up next, the Racers travel to Martin, Tennessee to take on the UT-Martin Pacers. I hope that Eric will tell us the best way to go from Murray to Martin.
Ricky Martin in this morning's Murray Ledger & Times: "Of all of Isaiah Canaan’s unbelievable performances this season, the one I witnessed last night stands alone. ... Canaan got his first bucket of the night with 3:51 left to play in the first half. He finished with 32."
ReplyDelete@MSUNewsSports: "... Murray State sets the OVC record for best start to a season. A record previously held by the 1953-54 WKU team."
ReplyDeleteNeal Bradley, a Murray native and the Racers' play-by-play man on WFGS Froggy 103.7 FM, Tweeted at about 1 Central this morning, "I know I have to be at work at 6am, but I continue to fear I'll wake up and discover it was all a dream. ... To bed and then to UTM for #23 Leggo!"
ReplyDeleteGoogle has Bradley going across Ky. 94 and then Ky. 129 across southwestern Kentucky and then, when he gets to Fulton, cutting due south into Tennessee into Martin. I've driven at least some of this, but I don't remember much--other than, in the summer, it felt, looked and sounded much more Mississippi Delta-ish than anything I had experienced in Kentucky. (You see cotton growing, for example, and folks are advertising pecans for sale with hand-painted signs.) It's a little over an hour regardless of what kinds of zigs and zags you want to tinkertoy together. Trip sounds fantastic.
Before going to bed last night, too, Neal Bradley took time to join the #RacerAddictSince hashtag storm that swelled up late last night. Bradley Tweeted that he had been on board "since cramming into Racer Arena with 8000 (yes 8000) fans to watch Les Taylor and the Racers beat Jim McDaniels and WKU."
ReplyDeleteThose, indeed, must've been fun times around the OVC.
ReplyDeleteLove the part about the fan being ejected before the game, as well as the part about McDaniels's two technical fouls and what appears to have been some sort of 360-degree dunk by a Western player.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I was heartbroken when Western left the OVC, and I really miss the old rivalry games between Western and Murray. But Western's departure was the greatest thing that ever happened to Murray. Once the Hilltoppers left the OVC, the Racers were finally able to take over as the top program in the conference, and that has made a huge difference to them.
It almost makes me think that now Morehead should consider joining the Big South or the Atlantic Sun, so that they could get away from Murray.
I've now decided that my working definition of "old school," at least in relation to life in Western Kentucky, involves people who were ejected for fighting before a game between two OVC teams. That's old school.
ReplyDeletethat is excellent. excellent.
ReplyDelete