murray state colorado state

murray state colorado state

murray state colorado state - Murray State’s best offense is defense in win over Colorado State, Murray State found its shot in the second half, opening the half on an 18-2 run, and the Racers beat No. 11 Colorado State 58-41 in an NCAA Tournament West Region second-round game Thursday.


The Racers (31-1), the only team in Division I to finish the season with one loss, shot just 9-of-26 from the floor in the first half and couldn't rebound effectively because of Colorado State's size advantage.

Colorado State (20-12) finished with 22 turnovers, including eight in the critical stretch that spanned the first 8:36 of the second half.

"That's what our team is based around," Murray State's Isaiah Canaan said. "We try to turn our defense into offense. Shots weren't falling. We weren't getting the looks that we usually get, so we had to rely on what we're built around."

Canaan scored 15 points but made only 4 of 13 shots.

The Rams started the game hot, hitting four of their first six shots to take a 10-3 lead, but that was as big a lead as they ever held. Murray State's Donte Poole scored five straight points to put the Racers within one possession, and the margin hovered within one possession lead for either team for the rest of the half.

Murray State coach Steve Prohm said part of the reason the Racers started off slowly was because of the layoff between the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and Thursday. The Racers' last game was March 3.

 

But Prohm also said Colorado State's unique defense, which crammed its players mostly inside the 3-point line, dared the Racers to hit jump shots. When they didn't, Colorado State stayed in the game. When the Racers got steals and uncontested points in transition, they controlled the game.

"They're more of a containment-type defensive team; we're more get out and attack you," Prohm said. "So with teams like that, we really have to get a feel. We were able to do that in the second half."

While Murray State shot poorly in the first half, the Rams weren't much better; they shot 9-of-23 but were able to get shots closer to the rim because of Pierce Hornung's five first-half offensive rebounds. The 6-foot-5 junior had 11 total rebounds before halftime and finished with 12 points and 17 boards.

The advantage Hornung had on the glass over Murray State's under-sized forwards was neutralized because of the Rams' turnover woes.

"Their physicality, I think, got us off the attack," Colorado State coach Tim Miles said. "Obviously, we turned the ball over 14 times in 35 possessions. Just didn't give ourselves a chance."

Poole left the game early in the second half when an elbow from Wes Eikmeier inadvertently popped him in the nose. Blood puddled around Poole, who left the game briefly before checking back in. He finished with 13 points and was taken for X-rays immediately after the game, Prohm said, adding, "I'm sure it's probably broken."

The win was the third NCAA Tournament win in Murray State's history and second since 2010, when the Racers beat No. 3 seed Vanderbilt on a buzzer-beating jumper from 15 feet. It's the first time in 15 appearances the Racers have ever played a game as the higher seed.

Murray State's advancement looked certain when, with 12:40 to play, Zay Jackson hit a 3-pointer to give his team a 39-26 lead. The Rams closed the margin from there but never came closer than nine points.

"We just started getting turnovers, started getting deflections and turning it into steals, and that was the outcome of the game," Canaan said. "We turned our defense into our offense, and that's what we usually do."

NOTES: Murray State's 58 points was its second-lowest output of the season. Its previous low was 54 points in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship. … The win was the first time Murray State or any team from the Ohio Valley Conference had ever won a game as a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. … Colorado State finished the season 8-2 in games in which Pierce Hornung had 10 or more rebounds. He missed six games this season after suffering a concussion on Nov. 15. … The tournament appearance was the first in Tim Miles' five seasons as the Colorado State head coach.