The Murray State Racers won their fifth game in the NCAA Tournament as they advance to the round of 32
The Murray State Racers (31-2) pushed their nation’s best winning streak to 21 with a 92-87 overtime win over the San Francisco Dons Thursday at the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Racers’ fifth all-time win in the NCAA Tournament pushes them into a second-round game Saturday against Saint Peter’s who upset Kentucky in overtime 85-79. Tip time is 6:45 p.m. Central Time as the Racers, the No. 7 seed, take on Saint Peters, the No. 15 seed.
Trae Hannibal and KJ Williams each scored 18 points to lead five Racers in double-figures including Tevin Brown with 17 points, 15 points from Justice Hill and 12 from Jordan Skipper-Brown who made it a double-double with 10 rebounds in only 17 minutes on the floor.
Trailing by a point at halftime 37-36, the Racers went toe to toe with USF to produce an outstanding college game.
With 13:21 remaining, Brown missed a three, but got another chance when Williams grabbed the rebound and fed Brown again, who made his first 3-pointer of the night to tie the game 48-48. Hannibal dunked at the 12:48 mark to push the Racers in front 50-48 and DaQuan Smith and Williams followed with back-to-back threes for an 11-2 run and a 56-50 lead with 11:28 remaining. Brown scored five-straight points and MSU looked like they were going to cruise with their largest lead of the game 69-60 with 4:04 left.
But the Racers couldn’t run away from the Dons and the game was tied when USF’s Jamaree Bouyea hit a 3-pointer with 18 seconds remaining. MSU played for the last shot in regulation time, but when the ball got loose, they didn’t get a shot off and the game went to overtime.
With Bouyea scoring an incredible 36 points, the Racers trailed the Dons for the final time 1:13 left when Williams scored on a drive for an 87-85 lead. After getting a defensive stop, Skipper-Brown scored with 31 seconds remaining to give MSU an 89-85 lead. He sealed it with a pair of free throws with 13.7 seconds left.
Game Notes
o The Racers are 5-17 all time at the NCAA Tournament and 4-4 since 2010.
o Coach Matt McMahon is 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament and 3-3 counting his time as MSU assistant coach under Steve Prohm from 2011-15.
o Since 2010, the Racers are 4-4 in the NCAA Tournament under coaches Billy Kennedy (2010 win over Vanderbilt), Steve Prohm (2012 win over Colorado State) and McMahon (2018 win over Marquette and 2022 over San Francisco).
o When MSU takes on Saint Peter’s on Saturday, it will mark the first time in team history for MSU to be the higher seed in the round of 32.
o Murray State has been in this spot four times previous, but have never advanced to the Sweet 16.
o Prior to today, MSU’s only other overtime game at the NCAA Tournament was in 1990 in Knoxville, when the 16th seeded Racers lost to No. 1 seed Michigan State, Lost 75-71.
o MSU is now 3-5 in the NCAA Tournament in games with a winning margin of five or less points.
o Brown has made a 3-pointer in 29 consecutive games. The last time he failed to make at least one three was against ETSU (Nov. 22).
o Brown continues to extend his record for made 3-point baskets in the Ohio Valley Conference. After a 3-of-9 effort today, he has 351.
o McMahon’s outstanding success for the Racers now has him at 154-66 (.700) in seven seasons and 93-31 (.750) in OVC games. In his last five seasons, McMahon’s Racers are an incredible 121-35 (.775).
o Tonight’s game was MSU’s 48th all-time game as a ranked team. MSU is No. 20 this week in the Associated Press and USA Today Top-25.
o MSU’s win streak of 21 in a row is the best in NCAA D-I. MSU’s longest program winning streak is also the OVC record of 25-straight by the 2014-15 team.
o The Racers have the most wins of any team in the nation with 31, sharing that honor with Arizona.