The Murray State University men’s basketball team will head to San Diego, California, to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers on Friday in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
The Racers received the 12th seed in the east region for the tournament.
Being the first trip for all of the Racers on the squad, freshman guard Ja Morant said he felt honored to make the tournament in his first season.
“Not even freshman, most people don’t get to make it to the tournament,” said Morant. “I did my first year and I’m excited.”
Assistant Coach Casey Long has prior tournament experience as a former player and with his prior coaching stints. He says the bond that the team has created with their tournament berth will last forever.
“The thing about going to the tournament; every season you create a bond, but when you go to the NCAA tournament, that bond, you remember it for the rest of your life,” said Long. “I did it as a player and remembered it and as a coach you remember every team that's been a part of it. So for them, being that this is the first time that all of them have done it, they'll never forget this in their lives.”
The game begins at 3 p.m. Central Time in the Viejas Arena. The winner will move on to face the winner of the Friday game between Wichita State and Marshall on Sunday.
The Racers won the Ohio Valley Conference championship game last weekend, earning their spot in the NCAA Tournament. They also have the longest winning streak in the nation at 13.
