Heading toward the end of this college basketball season, the Murray State Racers hold a 12-11 record (6-4 OVC). “The Voice of the Racers” Neal Bradley speaks with Tracy Ross on the team's last few games and offers some insight on what to expect going forward.
Bradley says in his time covering Murray State Basketball, he’s never seen an injurious season quite like this. Two starters, guard KedrickFlomo and forward BrionSanchious, are out for the season. Flomo has been dealing with a heart issue and hasn’t played at all this year, while Sanchious suffered a torn ACL at Belmont last month.
He says this season’s injuries are especially tough, as the Racers aren’t especially deep after losing four starters from last year.
Jan 21st vs Eastern Illinois – 68-58 (W)
Bradley says this game was a significant win for the Racers. At the moment, EIU is the first place team in the OVC West. Strong shooting from the team, including 24 points from senior Wayne Langston, proved just too much for the Panthers. Bradley says this game could hold weight once again when the teams meet for EIU’s final regular season game.
Jan 23rd vs Southern Illinois University Edwardsville – 70-54 (W)
Here, the Racers scored a decisive victory against a team Bradley describes as developing, but not quite there yet. SIUE has a young squad that includes a new starting five and coaching staff.
Jan 27th at Eastern Kentucky – 75-71 (W)
Going into this game, Bradley says the Racers hadn’t won a true road matchup yet. They were 0-6 in that category, but came up strong in the tough EKU environment. Late points from junior guard Justin Seymour plus some clutch free-throws iced the morale-raising victory.
Jan 30th at UT Martin – 59-63 (L)
Bradley says this game’s tone was set in the first half when Langston picked up two fouls in the opening minutes, followed by a third at the start of the second half. Bradley says he played just 15 minutes and scored three points, limiting the Racers’ offensive output. That coupled with some key turnovers sealed their fate, despite 22 points from senior forward Jeffrey Moss.
Looking ahead – Austin Peay, SIUE and SEMO
Bradley says Austin Peay has struggled lately despite some recent improvements. He says they’re one of those dangerous teams that could easily find themselves on either side of the NCAA Tournament in March. If Langston’s minutes are limited, the Governors could capitalize with senior center/forward Chris Horton.
Continuing onto the rematch with SIUE, Bradley says his prediction is similar to the upcoming Austin Peay game. It’s all about Langston’s minutes and avoiding foul trouble. If he gets good playing time, the Racers should come home with a win.
Finally, on Feb. 13, the Racers take on SEMO at the CFSB Center. Bradley says this is a very talented starting lineup that could give the Racers some trouble. However, they’re the worst free-throw shooting team in the nation at 62 percent from the stripe. He says just like Austin Peay, SIEU is a potentially dangerous team.
