The Murray State men’s team won its exhibition game over Brescia, but the big star was Racer Arena
The Murray State Racers took an 90-69 victory over the Brescia Bearcats Wednesday in front of a sellout crowd of 5,557 in a long-anticipated return to Racer Arena for the first time in 25 years.
Playing in the old home of Racer Basketball for the first time since 1998, the build up to the contest was much discussed and many memories dusted off. Several former MSU coaches and players attended and honored at halftime. In 44 seasons from 1954-98, Racer Arena is the place that saw Murray State Basketball set the tradition of excellence in the 26 seasons after it in the CFSB Center.
As for the game, the Racers led the Bearcats 39-36 at halftime and made the game-deciding run in the mid-second half.
The Racers put the game away with a 13-0 run that included three-straight 3-point shots from JaCobi Wood, Quincy Anderson and Rob Perry, for a 74-57 advantage with 7:29 remaining.
Brian Moore, Jr., led the Racers with 18 points, while MSU got 17 points from Perry, 13 each from Quincy Anderson and Jacobi Wood and 10 from Justin Morgan.
The 99th season of MSU Basketball gets going Monday when the Racers open at home against Midway. The rest of November sees the Racers at home against Tennessee Tech and Western Kentucky (Nov. 10 & 14), at the Fort Myers Tipoff (Nov. 20 & 22) against UNCW and Appalachian State and home (Nov. 29) Bradley in their Missouri Valley Conference opener.
About Racer Arena
- The original name of the venue was the Murray State Sports Arena before becoming Racer Arena.
- Later, MSU coaching legend Carlisle Cutchin was honored with the facility being renamed Racer Arena/Carlisle Cutchin Fieldhouse.
- From the moment Racer Arena opened four games into the 1954-55 season, the Racers made it nearly impossible a visiting opponent to be victorious.
- In 44 seasons in the historic venue, the Racers amassed 503 wins and won 16 Ohio Valley Conference championships.
- Eight different coaches led the program in Racer Arena including Harlan Hodges, Rex Alexander, Cal Luther, Fred Overton, Ron Greene, Steve Newton, Scott Edgar and Mark Gottfried.
- Seven of MSU’s retired numbers played here: (21) Bennie Purcell, (16) Garrett Beshear, (19) Howie Crittenden, (15), Jeff Martin, (30) Paul King, (54) Popeye Jones, (5) Marcus Brown.
- 29 members of the Murray State Hall of Fame played here.
- 20 players that were drafted into the NBA played here.
- Nine Racers who played here were OVC Player of the Year winners and they combined for win 13 such honors.
- Six Racers were OVC scoring champions, with Vincent Rainey being the last in the 1997-98 season at 21.5ppg.
- Nine Racers were OVC rebounding champions, with Popeye Jones doing it in his last three seasons (1989-92) as he led the nation with an average of 14.4rpg in the 1991-92 season.
- The Racers had six home undefeated seasons: 1964-65, 1968-69, 1980-81, 1985-86, 1996-97, 1997-98.
- The first two home games of the 1954-55 season were played in Carr Health building because of final construction items that needed to be finished.
- MSU played its first game in Racer Arena (Dec. 11, 1954) and defeated Middle Tennessee 104-80 as Howie Crittenden tied Bennie Purcell’s MSU single-game record with 41 points.
- When the Racers played their final regular season game at Racer Arena against the Tennessee State Tigers (Feb. 21, 1998), the Racers scored the game’s final eight points to claim victory 81-76 in front of a standing room crowd of 6,154.
- The Racers completed a run of winning their final 30 games at Racer Arena.
- The Racers continued at the CFSB Center in winning their first 17 games to give the program the nation’s longest home win streak of 47 when it ended in 2000.
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