Gage Johnson
Sports Editor
gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
Five double-figure scorers and second-half outbursts from senior guard Tevin Brown and freshman guard Chico Carter Jr. allowed Murray State men’s basketball to come away with a 79-66 victory over Southern Illinois University.
The Racers got off to a rough start, going 0-6 in the first five minutes of the ballgame, allowing SIU to get things rolling with a 6-0 run.
However, Murray State worked its way back and gained its first lead at 16-15 with 9:37 left to play in the first half thanks to an 8-0 run capped off by a layup from junior forward Devin Gilmore.
It became a back-and-forth affair until the Racers held the Salukis scoreless for the last three minutes of the first half, sparking a quick 7-0 run that Murray State a 32-28 lead going into the locker room.
It was a dog fight between the two for much of the second half before a defensive scheme change gave the Racers a big push.
Head Coach Matt McMahon switched to a zone for the final 7:50 of play, extending the defense and forcing the Salukis to shoot almost exclusively from three. SIU went 1-6 from beyond the arc to end the game and Murray State against the zone.
Along with a late 9-0 run capped off by a bucket from Brown, Murray State was able to grab a 79-66 win.
Brown and Carter Jr. fueled Murray State’s offense in the second half, combining for 24 of its 45 second-half points.
Carter Jr. led the way with 20 points, nine assists and five rebounds against Brescia University off the bench and gave that same spark for the Racers with his 13 points, three assists and three rebounds against the Salukis.
Senior forward Darnell Cowart praised the young guard for his work ethic and knows that he’ll continue to gain more poise as the season progresses.
“We think that [Carter Jr.] gained a lot of confidence against Brescia,” Cowart said. “I think he learned from it, watched the film, went to practice and did a good job tonight.”
Brown led the Racers with 18 points on the night and found himself in multiple isolation situations—something he wasn’t accustomed to last season.
McMahon talked about his progress in one-on-one situations before the season and knows that Brown is a crucial part of the Racers on the floor with his skillset and his leadership.
“I’ve said it for a long time: Tevin’s a really good player,” McMahon said. “He impacts winning in a lot of ways. I think he’s really growing as a leader. I think when things got tough tonight he had the right words in the huddle. That’s what we’re really looking for. We’re looking for him to step forward and take over the leadership role with this team.”
Three other Racers joined Brown and Carter Jr. in double figures, as senior forward Anthony Smith finished with 14 points, sophomore forward KJ Williams finished with 13 points and Cowart finished with 12 points.
Brown said it’s huge to know that any time someone’s number is called that they can step in and contribute immediately.
“I feel like it’s really helpful for us knowing that we don’t slack down in any position whenever one person comes out and another person comes in,” Brown said. “We’re very deep in our depth chart, so I think that’s going to be good for us in the long run.”
Murray State will now head down to the Sunshine State for the Gulf Coast Showcase, taking on La Salle University on Monday, Nov. 25, at Hertz Arena.
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(Photos by Gage Johnson/TheNews)