Game Notes (PDF)

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The temperature outside will be cold, but things will be heating up in the Eblen Center Thursday night when the two highest scoring teams in the Ohio Valley Conference square off when the Murray State Racers travel to take on the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team. The game is the second half of a double-header with the Tech women's team, and tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Racers and Golden Eagles are No. 1 and No. 2 in the OVC in scoring offense, with MSU averaging 78.3 points per game, and TTU scoring 75.6. The two teams are also the best shooting teams in the league, as Murray State hits 50.8 percent of its shots, and Tech is good on 48.2 percent of its attempts. The Golden Eagles lead the league and are ranked fifth in the nation in 3-point shooting, hitting 41.6 percent from downtown.

Murray State enters the contest atop the OVC standings at 13-0 in league play and 22-3 overall. The Golden Eagles are in a three-way tie for fifth place in the league at 6-7 along with Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State. Tech is 12-12 overall.

Murray State spreads its offensive load, with six different players averaging 10.0 points per game or more, but nobody averaging over 10.6 points per game. Ivan Aska, B.J. Jenkins, Danero Thomas, Tony Easley, Isaiah Canaan and Isacc Miles are all averaging double-figures in scoring for the Racers.

Tech's Frank Davis is ranked No. 3 in the country in 3-point shooting percentage, hitting 47.9 percent of his outside shots, and averaging 14.6 points per game. Kevin Murphy leads the Golden Eagles with 15.3 points per game.

The game will also feature arguably the two best freshmen in the OVC. Tech's Jud Dillard and Murray State's Isaiah Canaan have each won the OVC Freshman of the Week honor three times this season, more than any other player in the league. Dillard is averaging 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, and captured his third Freshman of the Week honor on Feb. 7. Canaan is averaging 10.0 points 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest.

Murray State owns a 118-record against Tech in the all-time series between the two schools. The Racers topped Tech in Murray, Ky., earlier this season. The home team has won the last six games in the series.

Thursday will be Pack the House Night in Eblen Center, and fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game to support breast cancer awareness. The game can be seen on TV locally on WCTE-TV channel 22.

The Golden Eagles will stay at home through the weekend when UT Martin visits Cookeville on Feb. 13. For ticket information please contact the Golden Eagle athletics ticket office at (931) 372-3940 or visit TTUsports.com.