MMURRAYURRAY SSTATETATE MMEN’SEN’S BBASKETBALLASKETBALL 22018-19018-19 QQUICKUICK FFACTSACTS

GENERAL INFORMATION PROGRAM INFORMATION Location Murray, Ky. (42071) Seasons Played 93 (2018-19 will be MSU’s 94th season) Founded 1922 All-Time Record 1,611-890 (.644) (2,501 total games) Enrollment TBA All-Time OVC Record 672-337 (.666) (1,009 total games) Colors Navy & Gold (PMS 289 & 123) Nickname Racers OVC Regular Season Championships 25 Conference Ohio Valley 1951, 1964, 1968, 1969, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1990, Arena CFSB Center (8,600) 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1988, 1999, 2000, 2006, President Dr. Bob Davies 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2018 Director of Athletics Allen Ward Senior Associate AD Matt Kelly OVC Tournament Championships 16 Associate AD/External Affairs Steve Harrell 1951, 1964, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, Faculty Representative Dr. Dave Gesler 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018

COACHING INFORMATION NCAA Tournament Appearances 15 Head Coach: Matt McMahon 1964, 1969, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, Alma Mater: 4th Season (Appalachian State 2000) 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018 Career Record at MSU: 59-37 (.593) Three Seasons Career Record at MSU: Same (.515) Three Seasons National Invitation Tournament Appearances 8 OVC Career Record: 34-16 (.720) Two Seasons 1980, 1982, 1983, 1989, 1994, 1996, 2011, 2015 2018-19 is McMahon’s sixth season overall at Murray State. He was an assistant from 2011-2015 (four as seasons as assistant) CollegeInsider.com Tournament Appearances 1 2014 - Champion Assistant Coaches Shane Nichols - 4th Season (Wofford 2008) TEAM INFORMATION Tim Kaine - 4th Season (Winthrop 2002) 2017-18 Overall Record 26-6 Casey Long - 2nd Season (Chattanooga 2007) 2017-18 OVC Record/Finish 16-2 (Champion) Starters/Lettermen Returning 3/8 SUPPORT STAFF Newcomers (Active this season) 6 Athletic Trainer Lettermen Lost 5 Eric Frederick (TCU 1992) Strength Coach Zach Whitman (Appalachian State 2013) Administrative Assistant Crystal Morrow (Murray State 1994)

MEDIA RELATIONS INFORMATION Director/Basketball Contact Dave Winder (Murray State 1987) Offi ce Phone (270) 809-4271 Cell (270) 293-0566 Home (270) 759-8885 Fax (270) 809-6814 E-Mail [email protected] Press Row Phone (270) 809-5551 Website GoRacers.com Mailing Address MSU Athletic Media Relations 217 Stewart Stadium Murray, KY 42071

Racer Radio Network (Play by Play) Neal Bradley Offi ce Phone (270) 753-2400 Cell (270) 293-7254 Fax (270) 753-9434 E-Mail [email protected] Website 1340wnbs.com

Murray State Athletics Digital Media Jonathan Harkey Offi ce Phone (270) 809-6184 Cell (410) 703-1613 Fax (270) 809-6814 E-Mail [email protected] MMURRAYURRAY SSTATETATE MMEN’SEN’S BBASKETBALLASKETBALL 22018-19018-19 RROSTEROSTER

NUMERICAL ROSTER No Player Pos Ht Wt Class Hometown (Previous School History) 0 Mike Davis F 6-7 210 Jr. East Brewton, Ala. (Coastal Alabama North CC/W.S. Neal HS) 1 DaQuan Smith G 6-1 175 Fr. Holly Springs, Miss. (Holly Springs HS) 4 Brion Sanchious F 6-8 245 Sr. Pompano Beach, Fla. (Northeast HS) 10 Tevin Brown G 6-5 180 Fr. Fairhope, Ala. (Fairhope HS) 11 Leroy “Shaq” Buchanan G 6-3 190 Sr. Madison, Miss. (NE Mississippi CC/Madison HS) 12 Temetrius “Ja” Morant G 6-3 175 So. Dalzell, S.C. (Crestwood HS) 13 Devin Gilmore F 6-6 200 So. Picayune, Miss. (Madison Ridgeland Academy) 14 Jaiveon Eaves G 6-2 195 Jr. Madisonville, Ky. (John A. Logan JC/Madisonville-North Hopkins HS) 22 Brion Whitley G 6-4 200 So. Sarasota, Fla. (Riverview HS) 23 KJ Williams F 6-9 240 Fr. Cleveland, Miss. (Cleveland Central HS) 24 Anthony Smith F 6-7 225 Sr. Suitland, Md. (Barton County CC/Potomac HS) 25 Jalen Johnson G 6-1 175 Fr. Hopkinsville, Ky. (Hopkinsville HS) 32 Darnell Cowart F 6-8 295 Jr. Chicago, Ill. (Cowley County CC/Agua Fria HS/) 35 Zach Hopewell G 6-1 180 So. Owensboro, Ky. (Apollo HS)

ALPHABETICAL ROSTER No Player Pos Ht Wt Class Hometown (Previous School History) 10 Tevin Brown G 6-5 180 Fr. Fairhope, Ala. (Fairhope HS) 11 Leroy “Shaq” Buchanan G 6-3 190 Sr. Madison, Miss. (NE Mississippi CC/Madison HS) 32 Darnell Cowart F 6-8 295 Jr. Chicago, Ill. (Cowley County CC/Agua Fria HS/) 0 Mike Davis F 6-7 210 Jr. East Brewton, Ala. (Coastal Alabama North CC/W.S. Neal HS) 14 Jaiveon Eaves G 6-2 195 Jr. Madisonville, Ky. (John A. Logan JC/Madisonville-North Hopkins HS) 13 Devin Gilmore F 6-6 200 So. Picayune, Miss. (Madison Ridgeland Academy) 35 Zach Hopewell G 6-1 180 So. Owensboro, Ky. (Apollo HS) 25 Jalen Johnson G 6-1 175 Fr. Hopkinsville, Ky. (Hopkinsville HS) 12 Temetrius “Ja” Morant G 6-3 175 So. Dalzell, S.C. (Crestwood HS) 4 Brion Sanchious F 6-8 245 Sr. Pompano Beach, Fla. (Northeast HS) 24 Anthony Smith F 6-7 225 Sr. Suitland, Md. (Barton County CC/Potomac HS) 1 DaQuan Smith G 6-1 175 Fr. Holly Springs, Miss. (Holly Springs HS) 22 Brion Whitley G 6-4 200 So. Sarasota, Fla. (Riverview HS) 23 KJ Williams F 6-9 240 Fr. Cleveland, Miss. (Cleveland Central HS)

COACHING STAFF Head Coach PRONUNCIATIONS Matt McMahon 4th Season Appalachian State (2000) Darnell Cowart Co-WART Assistant Coaches Jaiveon Eaves Jay-VEE-ON Shane Nichols 4th Season Wofford (2008) Tim Kaine Cane Tim Kaine 4th Season Winthrop (2002) Matt McMahon Mick-Man Casey Long 2nd Season Chattanooga (2007) J-ah More-RANT Brion Sanchious Bree-ON SANG-Chus SQUAD BREAKDOWN DaQuan Smith Day-quan By Class Brion Whitley Bree-ON Wit-LEE Freshmen 4 Brown, Johnson, Smith, Williams Sophomores 4 Gilmore, Hopewell, Morant, Whitley Juniors 3 Cowart, Davis, Eaves Seniors 3 Buchanan, Sanchious, Smith By Position Guards 8 Forward 6 By State Mississippi 4 Kentucky 3 Alabama 2 Florida 2 South Carolina 1 Illinois 1 Maryland 1 MMURRAYURRAY SSTATETATE 22017-18017-18 FFINALINAL OOVERALLVERALL SSTATISTICSTATISTICS |------TOTAL-----| |------3-PTS---| |-----REBOUNDS------| ## Player GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3FG FGA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO Blk Stl Pts Avg 02 STARK, Jonathan 16 16 546 34.1 111 233 .476 54 128 .422 75 83 .904 8 34 42 2.6 26 1 66 45 5 28 351 21.9 00 MILLER, Terrell 16 16 461 28.8 93 165 .564 32 77 .416 20 28 .714 16 108 124 7.8 37 1 24 25 9 11 238 14.9 12 MORANT, Ja 16 16 530 33.1 61 131 .466 13 40 .325 59 75 .787 23 65 88 5.5 24 0 113 32 6 16 194 12.1 11 BUCHANAN, Shaq 16 14 416 26.0 66 121 .545 10 31 .323 19 28 .679 21 48 69 4.3 34 0 17 20 10 22 161 10.1 25 HAWKINS, Byron 15 2 299 19.9 42 94 .447 21 50 .420 23 33 .697 8 14 22 1.5 20 0 17 14 0 12 128 8.5 40 DUPREE, Jalen 15 10 263 17.5 29 49 .592 0 0 .000 36 50 .720 29 37 66 4.4 28 1 2 13 11 4 94 6.3 24 SMITH, Anthony 16 0 239 14.9 20 34 .588 0 1 .000 39 53 .736 30 39 69 4.3 54 2 7 22 9 14 79 4.9 04 SANCHIOUS, B. 16 6 287 17.9 23 39 .590 0 0 .000 5 17 .294 19 33 52 3.3 35 0 5 9 4 8 51 3.2 22 WHITLEY, Brion 11 0 37 3.4 6 12 .500 2 8 .250 4 7 .571 1 3 4 0.4 2 0 1 2 0 1 18 1.6 23 TAYLOR, Jachai 11 0 70 6.4 6 16 .375 3 10 .300 0 2 .000 0 8 8 0.7 10 0 0 1 0 0 15 1.4 35 HOPEWELL, Zach 10 0 24 2.4 3 8 .375 2 4 .500 3 9 .333 1 1 2 0.2 3 0 4 2 0 0 11 1.1 13 GILMORE, Devin 10 0 28 2.8 4 7 .571 0 0 .000 0 2 .000 2 7 9 0.9 3 0 0 1 1 1 8 0.8 TM TEAM...... 20 24 44 2.8 0 0 0 Total...... 16 464 909 .510 137 349 .393 283 387 .731 178 421 599 37.4 276 5 256 186 55 117 1348 84.2 Opponents...... 16 381 921 .414 96 313 .307 205 275 .745 154 327 481 30.1 320 - 147 211 53 95 1063 66.4

MMURRAYURRAY SSTATETATE 22017-18017-18 FFINALINAL OOVCVC SSTATISTICSTATISTICS |------TOTAL-----| |------3-PTS---| |-----REBOUNDS------| ## Player GP-GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3FG FGA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO Blk St Pts Avg 02 STARK, Jonathan 18 18 677 37.6 139 289 .481 71 165 .430 102 112 .911 5 34 39 2.2 29 0 73 47 2 23 451 25.1 00 MILLER, Terrell 18 18 546 30.3 92 191 .482 35 101 .347 20 32 .625 20 126 146 8.1 46 0 28 33 3 17 239 13.3 12 MORANT, Ja 18 18 640 35.6 80 163 .491 13 47 .277 60 78 .769 35 90 125 6.9 40 0 112 49 7 20 233 12.9 25 HAWKINS, Byron 17 0 332 19.5 42 94 .447 25 55 .455 28 40 .700 8 13 21 1.2 30 0 14 15 0 11 137 8.1 11 BUCHANAN, Shaq 18 18 480 26.7 55 113 .487 8 34 .235 23 31 .742 14 58 72 4.0 34 0 13 22 7 24 141 7.8 40 DUPREE, Jalen 16 12 294 18.4 27 52 .519 0 0 .000 25 43 .581 30 42 72 4.5 39 1 3 14 12 5 79 4.9 24 SMITH, Anthony 18 0 274 15.2 17 32 .531 1 11.000 21 33 .636 24 37 61 3.4 50 0 7 17 9 11 56 3.1 04 SANCHIOUS, B. 18 6 312 17.3 26 44 .591 0 0 .000 4 16 .250 18 38 56 3.1 35 0 6 11 8 13 56 3.1 22 WHITLEY, Brion 8 0 14 1.8 2 2 1.000 2 21.000 1 4 .250 1 1 2 0.3 2 0 1 1 0 0 7 0.9 35 HOPEWELL, Zach 7 0 10 1.4 2 3 .667 1 2 .500 1 6 .167 0 1 1 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0.9 13 GILMORE, Devin 7 0 9 1.3 1 2 .500 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 1 7 8 1.1 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.3 23 TAYLOR, Jachai 7 0 11 1.6 0 1 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 1 1 0.1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 TM TEAM...... 22 30 52 2.9 0 5 0 Total...... 18 483 986 .490 156 407 .383 285 395 .722 178 478 656 36.4 310 1 257 215 48 124 1407 78.2 Opponents...... 18 428 1029 .416 106 355 .299 217 310 .700 177 384 561 31.2 322 - 169 217 57 97 1179 65.5

MMURRAYURRAY SSTATETATE 22017-18017-18 FFINALINAL OOVCVC TTOURNAMENTOURNAMENT SSTATISTICSTATISTICS |------TOTAL-----| |------3-PTS---| |-----REBOUNDS------| ## Player GP-GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3FGFGA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO Blk St Pts Avg 02 STARK, Jonathan 2 2 79 39.5 17 42 .405 6 22 .273 6 7 .857 0 5 5 2.5 3 0 5 3 0 2 46 23.0 00 MILLER, Terrell 2 2 68 34.0 10 24 .417 6 12 .500 3 5 .600 0 26 26 13.0 6 0 3 5 1 2 29 14.5 12 MORANT, Ja 2 2 73 36.5 8 23 .348 4 9 .444 6 8 .750 4 4 8 4.0 2 0 13 4 0 1 26 13.0 11 BUCHANAN, Shaq 2 2 69 34.5 6 11 .545 2 3 .667 2 5 .400 2 7 9 4.5 3 0 2 4 0 8 16 8.0 04 SANCHIOUS, B. 2 2 43 21.5 4 4 1.000 0 0 .000 1 1 1.000 2 7 9 4.5 5 0 0 0 2 2 9 4.5 24 SMITH, Anthony 2 0 29 14.5 2 4 .500 0 0 .000 2 4 .500 3 3 6 3.0 2 0 0 2 0 0 6 3.0 40 DUPREE, Jalen 2 0 17 8.5 1 2 .500 0 0 .000 1 2 .500 2 4 6 3.0 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 1.5 25 HAWKINS, Byron 2 0 18 9.0 1 5 .200 0 3 .000 1 1 1.000 3 0 3 1.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1.5 35 HOPEWELL, Zach 1 0 1 1.0 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 13 GILMORE, Devin 1 0 1 1.0 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 1 1 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 22 WHITLEY, Brion 1 0 1 1.0 0 1 .000 0 1 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 23 TAYLOR, Jachai 1 0 1 1.0 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 TM TEAM...... 4 1 5 2.5 0 1 0 Total...... 2 49 116 .422 18 50 .360 22 33 .667 20 58 78 39.0 28 0 23 19 3 15 138 69.0 Opponents...... 2 47 117 .402 9 40 .225 11 16 .688 16 53 69 34.5 30 - 21 25 9 8 114 57.0 MMURRAYURRAY SSTATETATE 22017-18017-18 GGAMEAME LLOGOG

Record Overall Home Away Neutral All Games 26-6 14-2 10-3 2-1 Conference 16-2 9-0 7-2 0-0 Non-Conference 8-4 5-2 3-1 0-1

Opp W-L Score Rec OVC OT High Scorer High High High High Brescia Won 118-61 1-0 --- Hawkins 28 Miller 10 Morant 11 Smith 2 Stark 4 MTSU Lost 67-72 1-1 --- Morant, 16 Miller 8 Morant 5 Morant 1 5 with 1 WSU Won 80-61 2-1 --- Miller 21 Miller 10 Morant 8 Stark, Morant 1 Buchanan 3 SIU Won 81-73 3-1 --- Stark 27 Miller 10 Stark 8 Miller 2 Buchanan 2 HSSU Won 85-56 4-1 --- Miller 18 Dupree 6 Buchanan, Hawkins 5 Buchanan 2 Hawkins 3 FAMU Won 80-59 5-1 --- Buchanan 21 Smith 7 Morant 9 Smith 2 4 with 2 ISU Won 78-72 6-1 --- Miller 25 Morant 9 Stark, Morant 6 Miller 2 Buchanan 2 SLU Lost 55-69 6-2 --- Stark 18 Morant 12 Morant 6 Dupree 3 Buchanan 2 Marist Won 100-63 7-2 --- Miller 21 Dupree, Smith 5 Morant 10 Dupree, Miller 2 Smith 3 AUB Lost 77-81 7-3 --- Miller 24 Miller 15 Morant, Stark 5 Dupree 2 Stark 5 UDM Won 81-72 8-3 --- Stark 21 Morant 11 Morant 9 Miller 2 Buchanan, Hawkins 2 EIU Won 80-52 9-3 1-0 Stark 21 Morant 10 Morant 14 Morant 1 Buchanan 2 SIUE Won 87-63 10-3 2-0 Stark 27 Miller, Smith, Dupree 7 Morant 7 Miller, Stark, Buchanan 1 Smith, Hawkins 2 SEMO Won 89-73 11-3 3-0 Stark 36 Miller 7 Morant 7 Dupree 2 Morant 5 UTM Won 82-68 12-3 4-0 Stark 22 Miller 8 Morant, Stark 4 Buchanan 2 Buchanan 4 JSU Lost 71-76 12-4 4-1 Stark 29 Miller 9 Morant 5 Dupree, Sanchious 1 4 with 1 TTU Won 71-45 13-4 5-1 Stark 18 Miller 10 Stark 5 Dupree 3 Stark 3 BEL Lost 72-79 13-5 5-2 Stark 19 Dupree 13 Stark 6 Dupree 2 Stark 3 TSU Won 76-57 14-5 6-2 Stark 25 Morant 9 Morant 7 Smith 2 Stark, Miller 2 MOR Won 87-81 15-5 7-2 Stark 21 Miller 11 Stark 6 Dupree 2 Stark 2 EKU Won 88-73 16-5 8-2 Stark 22 Miller 12 Morant 7 None Stark, Buchanan 2 SEMO Won 87-75 17-5 9-2 Stark 29 Morant 9 Morant, Stark 4 Smith 2 Morant 2 UTM Won 66-53 18-5 10-2 Morant 18 Morant 8 Morant 5 Sanchious 2 Miller, Buchanan 2 APSU Won 84-63 19-5 11-2 Stark 27 Miller, Morant 8 Morant 10 4 with 1 Stark 3 SIUE Won 75-66 20-5 12-2 Stark 28 Morant 12 Morant 8 None Sanchious 4 JSU Won 68-60 21-5 13-2 Stark 32 Morant, Buchanan 6 Morant 6 3 with 1 4 with 2 TTU Won 75-65 22-5 14-2 Stark 30 Morant 9 Morant 6 Morant 2 Buchanan3 EIU Won 76-66 23-5 15-2 Miller 20 Miller 12 Morant 9 Morant 2 Buchanan 2 APSU Won 73-64 24-5 16-2 Stark 31 Miller 12 Stark 5 Smith, Dupree 1 Buchanan, Miller 2 JSU Won 70-63 25-5 --- Stark 22 Miller 18 Morant 8 None Buchanan 4 BEL Won 68-51 26-5 --- Stark 24 Miller, Sanchious 8 Morant 5 Sanchious 2 Buchanan 4 WVU LOST 68-85 26-6 --- Miller 27 Miller 17 Stark 4 Morant 3 Miller 2 GGAMEAME SSTARTERSTARTERS RRECORDSECORDS FORFOR LINEUPSLINEUPS Date Opponent Guard Guard Guard Forward Forward 1-1 Stark, Morant, Miller, Hawkins, Dupree 11-10 Brescia Stark Morant Hawkins Dupree Miller 13-2 Stark, Morant, Miller, Buchanan, Sanchious 11-13 MTSU Stark Morant Hawkins Dupree Miller 12-3 Stark, Morant, Miller, Buchanan, Dupree 11-18 WSU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 11-25 SIU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 11-28 HSSU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 12-02 FAMU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 12-09 ISU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller SSTARTTART CHARTCHART 12-12 SLU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 17-18 Streak Career 12-16 Marist Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller Stark 32 65 65 Miller 32 55 63 12-19 AUB Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller Sanchious 15 9 50 12-22 UDM Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller Morant 32 32 32 12-28 EIU Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller Dupree 17 0 20 12-30 SIUE Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller Buchanan 30 30 30 01-04 SEMO Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller Hawkins 2 0 2 01-06 UTM Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller Taylor 0 0 1 01-11 JSU Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 01-13 TTU Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 01-18 BEL Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 01-20 TSU Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 01-25 MOR Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 01-27 EKU Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 02-01 SEMO Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 02-03 UTM Stark Morant Buchanan Dupree Miller 02-08 APSU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 02-10 SIUE Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 02-15 JSU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 02-17 TTU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 02-22 EIU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 02-24 APSU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 03-02 JSU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 03-03 BEL Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller 03-16 WVU Stark Morant Buchanan Sanchious Miller MMURRAYURRAY SSTATETATE 22018-19018-19 PPRESEASONRESEASON NNOTESOTES

MSU goes into the 2018-19 season trying to replace the big production they got from graduated seniors Jonathan Stark (OVC Player of the Year) 21.4ppg and Terrell Miller (All-OVC First Team) 15.1ppg. Their combined 1,168 points represented 46 percent of the team’s scoring. Replacing that won’t be easy, but the Racers believe they have the pieces necessary to once again battle for the top spot in the OVC.

The Racers return three starters including sophomore point guard Ja Morant (Dalzell, S.C.) who was named All-OVC First Team and All-OVC Newcomer Team as a freshman. Morant started every one of the Racers’ 32 games and was 15th nationally with 6.2 assists per game. Among NCAA D-I freshman, only Oklahoma’s Trea Young was better with 8.7. Morant enters his sophomore season as the fi fth returning scorer in the OVC at 12.7ppg, the eighth returning rebounder at 6.5rpg and the fi rst returning assister at 6.3apg.

Shaq Buchanan and Brion Sanchious are seniors and give the Racers a total of three returning starters along with Morant. Sanchious (Pompano Beach, Fla.), is the glue that holds the Racers together on both ends of the fl oor and doesn’t score a lot, but he did make 61 percent of his 70 shots from 2017-18. Buchanan (Madison, Miss.) became a starter in the third game of the season and became a player that can do just about everything a team needs to win. He led the team with 50 steals (4th in the OVC) and tossed in 9.1ppg and grabbed 3.9rpg. Senior Anthony Smith (Suitland, Md.) appeared in all 32 games off the bench for the Racers and his experience and high energy will be even more important to the team this season.

Racer Newcomers DaQuan Smith (Holly Springs, Miss.) and KJ Williams (Cleveland, Miss.) were both honored to represent their home state at the Alabama- Mississippi All-Star Series (March 16) in which the top high school players from the Yellowhammer State and the Magnolia State play an exhibition game. Representing Mississippi, Smith and Williams helped their team as Mississippi broke the 1994 record for most points with a 127-90 win. Smith and Williams were both named to the Clarion Ledger’s Dandy Dozen. Each year, Mississippi’s largest newspaper selects their top high school players in the preseason and the postseason and this Racer freshman duo was picked for both.

Guard Tevin Brown (Fairhope, Ala.) fi nally gets to get on the fl oor with the Racers after a foot injury caused him to miss the entire 2017-18 season. Brown, a 2017 Alabama 6A All-State selection, starts his freshman season a year later and is part of a rookie class that is highly touted including the aforementioned Mississippi duo of DaQuan Smith and KJ Williams. Guard Jalen Johnson (Hopkinsville, Ky.) fi nishes out this great class after a Kentucky All-State career at Hopkinsville.

Racer sophomores Devin Gilmore (Picayune, Miss.) and Brion Whitley (Sarasota, Fla.) are ready to gain more responsibility in the 2018-19 season.

The Racers have also signed up a versatile trio of players from the JUCO ranks. Darnell Cowart (Chicago, Ill.), Mike Davis (East Brewton, Ala.) and Jaiveon Eaves (Madisonville, Ky.) will have a chance to make a big impact on the season. Cowart appeared in 31 games at Cowley County CC in Kansas and averaged 15.9 points per game and hauled in 7.7 rebounds. He had nine games of 20-point scoring. Davis was an all-league player at Coastal Alabama North CC where he scored 16.2ppg and grabbed 8.1rpg and Eaves was named the NJCAA Region-24 Player of the Year at John A Logan JC by scoring 16.1ppg.

The Racers are coming off an impressive 2017-18 season that saw them win the Ohio Valley Conference regular season title and OVC Tournament title and appear in the NCAA Tournament for the fi rst time since 2012. Head Coach Matt McMahon leads the Racers into his fi fth season after he became the eighth-straight Racer coach to reach the NCAA Tournament.

MSU (26-6, 16-2 OVC) won their fi nal 12 games to win the OVC regular season championship. After losing at Belmont (Jan. 18) 79-72, the Racers ran the table. As the No. 1 seed at the OVC Tournament in Evansville, the Racers defeated Jacksonville State and Belmont to reach their 16th NCAA Tournament. MSU was a No. 12 seed and lost to No. 5 seed West Virginia in San Diego by an 85-68 score.

The 2018-19 season is the 21st for the Racers in the CFSB Center. Formerly known as the Regional Special Events Center, the arena opened in the fall of 1998. Just like they did for 48 years at Racer Arena, MSU has enjoyed a home winning percentage at “The Bank”. Last season they were 14-2 at home and carry a winning streak of nine in a row into the 2018-19 season. MSU didn’t lose an OVC game at home last season and their last loss was to Auburn (Dec. 19). Coming into the 2018-19 season, MSU is 245-44 (.847) overall and 146-27 (. 843) in OVC games. Their non-conference mark is 99-17 (.853).

Racer Basketball By The Numbers 2 NBA Draft selections since 2013. Isaiah Canaan to Rockets in 2013, Cameron Payne to OKC in 2015. 3 NCAA Tournament wins - Beat NC State (1988), Vanderbilt (2010), Colorado State (2012) 8 National Invitational Tournament Appearances - 2015 Quarterfinalists 8 Consecutive coaches that have led MSU to the NCAA Tournament (Newton, Edgar, Gottfried, Anderson, Cronin, Kennedy, Prohm and McMahon) 16 OVC Tournament Championships 16 NCAA Tournament Appearances 16 Head Coaches - Matt McMahon was hired on June 9, 2015 19 OVC Player of the Year Awards - last was Jonathan Stark in 2018 25 OVC Regular Season Championships - 16-2 in 2017-18 77 Winning Seasons - - Since 1987 MSU Has 30 winning seasons in last 31 94 Total Seasons in 2018-19 - All-Time 1,611-890 (.644), OVC 672-337 (.666) 133 All-OVC Selections 2501 - All-time total games played 1009 - All-time total OVC games played

2018-19 OVC Returning Scorers 2018-19 OVC Returning Rebounders 2018-19 OVC Returning Assisters Nick Mayo EKU Sr. 18.0 Dylan Windler BEL Sr. 9.3 Ja Morant MUR So. 6.3 Dylan Windler BEL Sr. 17.3 Courtney Alexander TTU Sr. 7.9 Jonathan Dalton SEMO Sr. 5.4 Ledarrius Brewer SEMO So. 14.5 Christian Mekowulu TSU Jr. 7.9 A.J. Hicks MOR Sr. 4.2 Dedric Boyd EKU So. 13.2 Fatodd Lewis UTM Sr. 7.3 Armani Chaney MOR Sr. 4.2 Ja Morant MUR So. 12.7 Christian Cunningham JSU Sr. 7.1 Christian Ellis SIUE Jr. 3.4 Christian Mekowulu TSU Jr. 12.7 Nick Mayo EKU Sr. 6.7 Delfi ncko Bogan UTM Jr. 3.0 Kevin McClain BEL Sr. 12.6 Londell King MOR Jr. 6.7 Jamall Gregort JSU Jr. 2.9 Mack Smith EIU So. 12.4 Ja Morant MUR So. 6.5 Dylan Windler BEL Sr. 2.7 Fatodd Lewis UTM St. 12.4 Lamontray Harris MOR Sr. 6.3 Jordan Walker MOR Jr. 12.2 DeAndre Dishman EKU Jr. 6.2