Jakob Milani
Sports Editor
jmilani@murraystate.edu
The success of Murray State men’s basketball over the last few years have been nothing short of impressive and the students of Murray State couldn’t agree more, voting men’s basketball as the best sport on campus.
The Racers finished their season with a 31-3 overall record and a trip to the NCAA tournament, their third trip to March Madness under head coach Matt McMahon.
Freshman Brady Roberson said he enjoyed how the campus community gathered together in the CFSB Center to watch the home games.
“I loved seeing all the Murray students come together to watch the games,” Roberson said. “The games were super fun and it was such a great season to watch.”
The season 2021-22 began with three straight wins, including a 109-77 win against Cumberland University in the Racers home opener.
After losing the first game of the 2021 Naples Invitational, the Racers won their next seven games, including a 74-72 win at the University of Memphis in which junior guard Tevin Brown and sophomore guard Justice Hill combined for 44 points.
After a loss to the University of Auburn to end their non-conference schedule, the Racers hosted SEMO to start the conference schedule, defeating the Redhawks 106-81. Junior forward KJ Williams nabbed a double-double in the game with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
As the season progressed, the Racers kept winning, with Williams, Brown and Hill leading the way. As the regular season began to draw to a close, the Racers remained undefeated in conference play.
The Racers ended conference play the way it began: with a win over SEMO. The 70-68 win, which featured a 23-point performance from Williams, capped off the Racers’ third-ever undefeated conference season, and their first-ever 18-0 conference season.
Murray State carried its nation best 28-2 record into the OVC tournament, where it defeated SEMO 88-74 in the semifinals led by a 29-point performance from Williams and another 26 points from Brown.
In the OVC Championship game, the Racers and the Morehead State Eagles battled it out for two full halves, but Hill’s 21-point performance led the Racers to the 71-67 victory and earned him tournament MVP.
Murray State traveled to Indianapolis for its March Madness appearance, taking on University of San Francisco in the first round. The Racers defeated the Dons 92-87 behind five Racers in double-digit points, and moved on to the next round.
In round two, the Racers took on March’s Cinderella, Saint Peter’s University. Despite a close game throughout, the Peacocks defeated the Racers 70–60 to end their season.
To cap off the historic season, the Racers had three players voted to All-OVC First Team: Williams, Brown and Hill.
Williams also took home the OVC Player of the Year Award, leaving his mark in OVC history.
“We saw players who are now at SEC schools play,” Roberson said. “It was cool to see guys play at such a high level and be around a team who had the best record in all of college basketball.”
The 2021-22 men’s basketball season will leave its mark in the Murray State history book as one of the best teams to come through Murray, in its last year in the Ohio Valley Conference.
While the team is now under new leadership with head coach, Steve Prohm, and only two players from the team sticking around for 2022-23, the future of Murray State men’s basketball seems to be as bright as ever.