It’s the first time the Racers have met the Peacocks and a trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 is up for grabs when the two meet Saturday
The Murray State Racers (31-2) meet the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (20-11) with a trip to the NCAA Tournament Sweet-16 on the line Saturday in Indianapolis. Tip time at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse is set for 6:45 p.m. Central Time as the No. 7 seeded Racers take on the No. 15 Peacocks.
Amazing Collegiate Hoops
The evening session in Indy showed once again why it’s called March Madness as both games were decided in overtime. In the first game, Saint Peter’s won their first NCAA game in program history in overtime over the Kentucky Wildcats 85-79. It marked the 10th instance of a No. 15 seed defeating a No. 2 seed. That meant the Peacocks waited on the winner of the Murray State vs San Francisco match up. It also went to overtime where the Racers won their fifth NCAA game 92-87. It sets up an interesting match up of two talented teams with the winner going to their first NCAA Sweet 16 next week in Philadelphia.
MSU’s NCAA Tournament History
The meeting with Saint Peter’s marks Murray State’s 23rd all-time game in the NCAA Tournament in their 18th appearance and the third in the last five years under Coach Matt McMahon. Murray State has been in this spot four times previous, but have never advanced to the Sweet 16. Coach Matt McMahon had the Racers in the round of 32 in 2019, but lost to Florida State. Coach Steve Prohm lost to Marquette in 2012, as did Billy Kennedy to Butler in 2010 and Coach Steve Newton to Kansas in 1988.
Overall: 5-17 First Round: 5-13
Second Round: 0-4 (.000) Appearances: 18 in 2022
Appearances McMahon Era: 3 in 2022
Sweet 16 Appearances: 0
Highest Seed: No. 6 in 2012
Overtime: 1 (1991 vs Michigan State, Lost 75-71 in Knoxville) & (2022 vs San Francisco, Won 92-87 in Indianapolis)
Games Decided 5 Points or Less: 3-5
Team Records
First NCAA Tournament Game: 1964, Lost vs Loyola-Chicago 101-91, Evanston, Ill.
Largest MSU NCAA Win: (-19) 2019, Won vs Marquette 83-64, Hartford, Conn.
Largest MSU NCAA Loss: (-28) 2019, Lost vs Florida State 90-62, Hartford, Conn.
Single Game Player Records
MSU NCAA Team Points: (91) 1964, Loyola-Chicago, Evanston, Ill.
Opponent NCAA Team Points: (101) 1964, Loyola-Chicago, Evanston, Ill.
MSU NCAA Player Points: (28) 2019, Ja Morant vs Marquette
Opponent NCAA Player Points: (36) 2022, Jamaree Bouyea of San Francisco
MSU NCAA Player Rebounds: (19) 1964, Jim Jennings vs Loyola
Opponent NCAA Player Rebounds: (17) 2012, Pierce Hornung of Colorado State
MSU NCAA Player Assists: (16) 2019, Ja Morant vs Marquette vs Marquette
Opponent NCAA Player Assists: (10) 2002, Rashad Wright of Georgia
MSU NCAA Player Made 3-PT: (6) 1992, Frank Allen vs Arkansas
Opponent NCAA Player Made 3-PT: (6) 2022, Jamaree Bouyea of USF
It Takes A Team To Win
Two of MSU’s biggest contributors against San Francisco came off the bench Thursday. Trae Hannibal played 27 minutes and scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds. The Racers are 14-1 this season when Hannibal scores 10 or more points. Jordan Skipper-Brown only played 17 minutes and yet managed a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. It was his rebound and putback and 8-of-12 effort from the free throw line were the plays that sealed MSU’s win.
A Season To Remember
When the Racers were picked third in the OVC Preseason Poll, they proved everyone wrong by running the table to win their 28th conference title as the first team to do it undefeated in an 18-game schedule. MSU is just the third team in school history to win 30 games and the second team in 41 seasons to spend consecutive weeks ranked in the top-25. MSU’s 31 wins is tied with the 2011-12 team that finished 31-2 for most wins in a single season.