Published: February 12, 2008 02:55 pm         

Win streak is best in 50 years

Eagles fall at home, but not after best-ever 10-0 start in Johnson Arena

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Jamyron Steward scored a career-high 24 points and Morehead State ended the game on a 14-to-two run as the Eagles defeated Southeast Missouri, 75-63, in an Ohio Valley Conference match-up Thursday evening in Johnson Arena.

  MSU has won eight of its last nine games and is 12-10 overall, 9-5 in the OVC.  The Eagles also got 14 points each from Leon Buchanan and Maze Stallworth.  Kenneth Faried added 13 points.  Morehead State’s 10-0 start at home in 2007-08 is the school’s best home court start in 50 years.

Southeast Missouri, now 12-13 overall and 7-8 in the league, was led by reserves Kenard Moore and Roderick Pearson who scored 17 and 15 points, respectively.

“We didn’t play well tonight,” said MSU Coach Donnie Tyndall, “and you’ve got to give SEMO credit for that.  I thought we started out flat, and they kept us out of rhythm for much of the first half.  But, we showed a little maturity in a “grind-it-out” kind of game where every possession was important.

“Our two seniors, Nikola Stojakovic and Jamyron Steward, made their free throws late, and we got a couple of huge defensive stops.”

MSU scored the last nine points of the first half to turn a five-point deficit into a four-point lead, 34-30, at halftime. 

The Eagles shot 50 percent (23-of-46) from the field to 41.8 percent (23-of-55) for the Redhawks.  MSU was eight-of-18 from three-point range.  Stallworth hit four-of-eight.  SEMO was seven-of-19 from behind the arc with Moore hitting four-of-nine.

At the free throw line, MSU made 21-of-27, while Southeast Missouri connected on 10-of-16.  The Redhawks won the rebound battle, 32-to-29.  SEMO had 21 turnovers, the Eagles had 19 turnovers.

Stojakovic handed out a game-high nine assists, and Faried had a game-high four steals.



Murray State Ends Eagle Home Court Win Streak

 MOREHEAD, Ky. – Bruce Carter scored 23 points to lead Murray State to a 64-52 Ohio Valley Conference win over Morehead State Saturday afternoon in Johnson Arena ending the Eagles’ 10-game home court winning streak.

  Murray State, now 15-9 overall and 11-5 in the conference, also got 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds from Danero Thomas and 10 points from Tyler Holloway.

  Morehead State, now 12-11 overall and 9-6 in the league, got 14 points each from Maze Stallworth and Jamyron Steward.  Leon Buchanan had nine points and 10 rebounds, and Kenneth Faried had six points and 10 rebounds.  Nikola Stojakovic handed out a game-high seven assists.

  “You’ve got to credit Murray State,” said MSU Coach Donnie Tyndall.  “I believe they are the best defensive team in our league.  They had a good game plan that made things very difficult for us.

  “Our shots just didn’t go in this afternoon.  Murray is a team that if you make those jumps shots, you can beat them.  If you don’t, it’s going to be very tough.  Our kids played hard.  We were competitive, and we never quit scrapping.”

  The Racers hit 48.7 percent (19-of-39) from the field to  only 32.1 percent (18-of-56) for Morehead State.  Murray hit five-of-11 from three-point range, the Eagles six-of-26 from behind the arc.

  Murray State made 21 of their 25 free throw attempts, the Eagles connected on 10-of-13 from the charity stripe.  Morehead State won the rebound battle, 35-to-29, and had 11 turnovers to 12 for the Racers.

 

Morehead State now faces four consecutive games on the road, beginning with an OVC swing to Samford (8:30 p.m. EST, Feb. 14) and Jacksonville State (5 p.m. EST, Feb. 16).