The Murray State Men’s basketball team takes on No. 2 seed Tulsa (23-10, 14-4 American) tonight at 8, with a trip to the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals on the line.
The third-seeded Racers (28-5, 16-0 OVC) arrived in Oklahoma last night for the second round game.
Murray State began their eighth NIT appearance last week with a 81-66 victory over UTEP, their first win in the tournament since 1980.
With several other OVC teams finding success in postseason play, Coach Steve Prohm said in a press conference this week that tonight's game gives his team a chance to show how far mid-major basketball has come.
“We’re very confident going up there. We know it’s going to be a tough challenge but it’s great for our program and great for our league," Prohm said. "Monday night ESPN, showcase game. And so we’ve got to go try to get it done.”
Senior Forward Jonathan Fairell says while he’s excited to play in a major tournament, he’s more focused about keeping the team together for one last run. The Racers have two other seniors, Jarvis Williams and T.J. Sapp.
“That kind of drives us more. To think about - this could be the last time playing with each other and we don’t want it to end any time soon," Fairell said. "We’re trying to ride it out 'til the wheels fall off.”
You can catch the game on ESPN starting at 8.
With a victory, the Racers will face the winner of another NIT game tonight; No. 1 seed Old Dominion or No 4. Illinois State. That game kicks off tonight at 7.
You can find the full National Invitation Tournament bracket and schedule here. Follow this link to view Prohm and Fairell's full Q&A, courtesy of Racer Athletics.
