Story by Blake Sandlin
Editor-In-Chief
bsandlin1@murraystate.edu
If Saturday’s showdown with Southeast Missouri State taught us anything, it’s that Tevin Brown is still a flamethrower.
The freshman guard knocked down five 3-pointers for the Racer basketball team en route to a 103-67 thrashing of the Redhawks. Brown’s dominance didn’t come unaccompanied, however.
Four other Racers pitched in double-digit point totals to contribute to the rout, including 23 points from sophomore guard Ja Morant, 16 points from senior guard Shaq Buchanan and 12 apiece from junior forwards Darnell Cowart and KJ Williams.
A foregone conclusion
The Redhawks never led in Saturday’s contest, though they did show some resistance early. After the Racers jumped out to a 25-11 lead, SEMO used a 7-0 run to get within seven.
“I thought we were locked in from the start, but when we got up 25-11 we kind of lost our identity there for a few possessions, and that enabled them to get back into the game,” Head Coach Matt McMahon said. “And then we came out of the timeout and got back to doing what we need to be doing, and good things happened for us.”
Just when SEMO saw a tiny glimmer of hope, Murray State pulled the plug, stringing together an impressive 26-8 run to end the half. Brown added insult to injury by knocking in a corner triple that ended the half 51-26, and capped off a 3-point clinic that totalled five.
Despite the large deficit at halftime, the Racers showed no signs of relenting in the second. Forcing 10 second-half turnovers and executing on the other end with 17 fast-break points, Murray State glided to a seemingly effortless 103-67 victory to move to 23-4 (14-2).
Morant, along with his 23 points, added another 12 assists, while his partner in crime Cowart tallied 12 points and 12 rebounds for his second-straight double-double.
Brown is back
Despite showing glimpses in several games since his nine 3-pointer explosion against UT Martin, Brown hadn’t fully reemerged as the reliable marksman he was earlier in the season.
Brown has shot 27 percent from three since UT Martin, and before that game he was shooting 42 percent. He did get four threes to fall against Austin Peay last week, but he has yet to nail five since the meeting with UT Martin on Jan. 10.
“It felt like it took 10 years for me to be back,” Brown said. “It felt good to be able to help my team by knocking down shots.”
Sharing and protecting
Players not named Ja Morant want you to know they can pass, too. Murray State recorded 28 total turnovers – four from Buchanan, three from Brown and three from Williams. That sharing translated to 60 points in the paint on the night.
“You praise the unselfishness of the team. Our offensive efficiency, we only turned the ball over eight times and 28 assists. It was a really good weekend for us. In two games, 45 assists and only 13 turnovers, which is a really impressive stat. You see what that does for you as an offense.
Possibly even more impressive, the Racers committed just eight turnovers in the game. Morant had just three turnovers in the game for the second-straight game. Saturday’s assist-to-turnover ratio was the second-most effective of the year. The best came in a 10-turnover, 32-assist game against Spalding.
On the road again
The final leg of Murray State’s regular season will take place on the road, as the Racers head to Morehead, Kentucky, to face a team vying for a postseason spot. They’ll face Morehead State at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Johnson Arena.