Streaking, But No Respect

(St. Louis, MO) – Can anyone stop Murray State? Does the national media care? Not right now. Thursday, Eastern Kentucky gave it their best shot and led in the waning seconds of their Ohio Valley Conference game at CFSB Center, but there were plenty of heroics to go around as Racers won their 16^th straight game.

The overtime win (85-78) moved the Racers to 18-4 (8-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference) was sparked by double-doubles from Jarvis Williams (17 points & 11 rebounds) and Cameron Payne (21 & 10), but it was Justin Seymour’s 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime.

Steve Prohm’s team scored the first seven points of the overtime and cruised to a two game lead in the West Division. The Racers own three of the top seven longest winning streaks in OVC history. Prohm (93-27) is just seven wins from 100 in his four-year career at Murray State.

Payne is on a streak of his own. During the run, Payne has scored 20 or more points in 11 of the sixteen wins and has five or more assists 14 times.

The streak has pushed Murray State to 81 in the latest RPI, and this will be their third season in the last six with an RPI of better than 100, but they can’t get even one vote in the USA Today or AP rankings. Their game with EKU was broadcast on the four-letter network, but there were no high-lights the next day on Sports Center. The Racers keep winning but struggle to gain any national respect.

MSU has the most road wins of any Division 1 team (8-1), they swept four Missouri Valley Conference teams, they are the nation’s 18^th highest scoring team and are currently eighth in College Insider’s latest Mid-Major Top 25 poll.

Prohm’s team plays their next two games at home. If they win those contests, their streak will be the fourth best in OVC history. Will ESPN, USA Today or the Associated Press notice?

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