NCAA Picks: Eastern Illinois Panthers vs Murray State Racers
Saturday, January 28, 2012
by Joe Rodriguez
The nation's only unbeaten team puts its school record 20-game winning streak on the line as No. 9 Murray State Racers hosts Eastern Illinois Panthers in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
The Racers have emerged not only as the top mid-major program in the country and carry their unblemished mark into the second sellout of the season at CFSB Center, where Murray State has a 16-game home winning streak, the sixth longest in the nation.
Eastern Illinois, which has dropped four straight, was the last team to win at Murray State, 61-60 last year. Murray State won at Eastern Illinois 73-40 on Dec. 30 in its most dominant road performance of the season.
- Eastern Illinois Panthers @ Murray State Racers
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 28, 2012
Where: CFSB Center, Murray, Kentucky
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN3.com
Check Live NCAA Basketball Odds on
Justbet Sportsbook
.
Justbet Sportsbook currently have the Racers listed as 17½-point favorites versus the Panthers.
Eastern Illinois Panthers (9-10): The Panthers have been streaky all season and fallen on hard times of late. After losing to Murray State last month, Eastern Illinois won three straight, but since have dropped four in a row, and in two of those losses, have not scored more than 46 points. Jeremy Granger leads the Panthers in scoring (16.0) and assists (3.8). Granger, a preseason All-OVC selection, is 24th on EIU's all-time scoring list. Forward Alfonzo McKinnie is second in scoring (11.1) and leads the team in rebounding (7.8). McKinnie has recorded double-doubles in consecutive games, including 14 and 11 in the loss to Jacksonville State. Freshman guard Joey Miller, son of EIU coach Mike Miller, averages 10.1 points and 2.8 assists.
Murray State Racers (20-0): What might be scary for the rest of the OVC - and maybe the nation - is the Racers are getting healthier. Senior forward Ivan Aska broke a bone in his hand in the win at Eastern Illinois last month and has missed the last six games. He is expected to play Saturday. Aska was Murray State's leading rebounder (6.0) and third leading scorer (12.6) when he went down. Junior guard Isaiah Canaan continues to lead the Racers, averaging 18.7 points and 4.0 assists while shooting better than 47 percent from 3-point range. He has topped the 20-point mark in three of his last four games. Donte Poole is second on the team in scoring (14.6) and leads the OVC in steals (2.3). Jewuan Long and Ed Daniel have stepped up in league play, averaging 9.9 and 9.4, respectively.
1. A Murray State win would tie the all-time OVC mark for the best start to a season. The mark is held by the 1953-54 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, who started 21-0.
2. Aska played in 113 consecutive games before missing six games with the broken hand. The Racers were outrebounded in four of the six games he missed.
3. Eastern Illinois is 0-16 all-time against ranked opponents and when EIU hosted Murray State on Dec. 30, the Racers were the first Division I ranked team to play at Lantz Arena.
BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Racers 76, Panthers 57.
Bet on NCAA College Basketball games with Justbet Sportsbook , Bet now!
Related Articles
- Ohio Valley Conference contest: No 21 Murray State at Eastern Illinois
- BracketBuster NCAA Prediction: Saint Mary's Gaels vs Murray State Racers
- Las Vegas Basketball Prediction: Murray State vs SIU Edwardsville
- NCAA Basketball Odds: Tennessee State Tigers vs Murray State Racers
- NCAA Pick: Unbeaten No 10 Murray St. Host SE Missouri St. Redhawks
Category
Tags
alfonzo mckinnie - cfsb center - donte poole - eastern illinois panthers - ed daniel - isaiah canaan - ivan aska - jeremy granger - jewuan long - joey miller
Proud member of the