Gage Johnson
Editor-in-Chief
gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
With the season two weeks away, Murray State men’s and women’s basketball have finalized their schedules.
Men’s basketball
The Racers schedule doesn’t look exactly as expected as the season approaches the Nov. 25 start date, but that’s to be expected with the pandemic affecting traveling and scheduling as a whole.
Head Coach Matt McMahon admitted it wasn’t easy getting the schedule finalized in the season-opening press conference on Oct. 30, but knows that everyone in the NCAA is dealing with that issue at the moment.
“It’s a disastrous time here in college basketball,” McMahon said. “My good friend Coach Konkel down at Louisiana Tech and one of the top coaches in the game, they released their schedule yesterday. They were the 20th school out of 357 to complete their schedule and I believe we’re 26 days now from opening night.”
But a week later, the 2020-21 slate is set in stone, with a few changes to the expected schedule because of the season being pushed back and traveling restrictions.
That being said, non-conference games against Auburn University and the University of Memphis that were originally scheduled for this season will not be played.
Other non-conference games were lost, but Murray State was able to retain games against Middle Tennessee State University and Southern Illinois University. Those games will both be played on the road on Dec. 2 and Dec. 11 respectively.
Other non-conference games include the Racers’ season opener against Brescia University on Nov. 25, followed by a second straight home game against Kentucky Wesleyan College on Nov. 28. The final non-conference game has Murray State taking on Prairie A&M University on Dec. 15 at the CFSB Center.
The Racers will take a break from non-conference to take on Austin Peay in a flex-game on Dec. 8 at the CFSB Center, with the true OVC portion of the schedule beginning on Dec. 21 against the Governors.
After Murray State’s first bout with Austin Peay at home on Dec. 8, the next home conference game will be on Jan. 2 against Morehead State. The Racers will play a total of 20 OVC games as opposed to their typical 18-game slate, with the season coming to a close on the road against Tennessee Tech on Feb. 27.
Women’s basketball
While Murray State women’s basketball might not have the typical exhibition games to start the season, they will get right to work with five non-conference games starting in the final week of November.
The Racers will kick off the season with a bang, taking on the No. 10 ranked University of Kentucky on Nov. 25.
Murray State will follow that up with its first home game of the season, taking on the University of Evansville on Dec. 1 at the CFSB Center.
The Racers matchup with the Aces is followed by three non-conference games against Indiana State University, Mississippi Valley State University and the University of North Alabama.
Murray State will open up OVC play against Austin Peay on Dec. 19 at the CFSB Center, with its first conference road game on Dec. 30 at Belmont University.
In accordance with the men’s schedule, Murray State women’s basketball will also play a 20-game OVC schedule, with the season ending on the road against the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech on Feb. 27.
College basketball is nearing its return and Head Coach Rechelle Turner and company are ready to get to work.
“We’re really excited about the 2020-21 season,” Turner said. “We have a great mix of veteran players and newcomers that we feel like we’ve filled the voids we have had in the past. Our 2020 recruiting class was outstanding. We had high hopes for them and since they’ve arrived on campus they haven’t disappointed.”