The Racer men’s quest for a fourth consecutive OVC championship began Friday night as the 2012-13 season tipped off at the CFSB Center against the Brescia Bearcats from Owensboro, Ky.
With a starting lineup of guards Isaiah Canaan, Dexter Fields and Stacy Wilson alongside forwards Brandon Garrett and Ed Daniel, the Racers got out to a swift start. Garrett kicked off the night for the Racers after grabbing a missed shot by Daniel and slamming it home.
The Racer offense sped up and down the floor, outpacing the Bearcats 12-2 in the first four and a half minutes.
Led by senior guard Stacy Wilson, the Racers continued the offensive onslaught through the first half and took a 40-24 lead into the locker room at the break. Wilson would go on to finish with a career high 21 points, shooting 8-16 from the floor and chipping in four rebounds.
Murray State continued to dominate in the second half. Senior guard Isaiah Canaan, who had been kept in check with only two points in the first half, came to life, scoring eight points in the first two and a half minutes. He would finish with 11 points, three assists and five rebounds. The Racers began the second half with a 10-2 scoring run, extending their lead to 26 by the 16:30 mark.
Led by freshman Jeffery Moss, the Racers relied heavily on their youth as the lead widened. Moss played consistently on the defensive end while scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds on the night.
The defense continued to shine as the Racers held Brescia to 19 points in the second half. The game would end with Murray State doubling the Bearcats score and coming away with the 88-43 victory.
“Our biggest focus this week was mainly defense,” Daniel said. “We have to get better on our defense more than anything because anyone on our team can score. So, from now on our main focus will be defense.”
The win marks the first of the season for the Racers, giving them a 1-0 start. They will have their hands full next week however, as they travel to Charleston, S.C. for the Charleston Classic. They will face Auburn on Thursday, followed by a matchup with either St. Johns or College of Charleston on Friday.
The Racers return home Sat. Nov. 24, to face Old Dominion at 7 p.m.
Story by Jonathan Ferris, Sports Editor.