(St. Louis, MO) – There are still three undefeated teams in the Ohio Valley Conference. After the big showdown night came and went Austin Peay, Jacksonville State and Murray State are still tied for first place.
JSU and Murray State were both playing one-loss teams and the Racers and APSU were both on the road, but all three are still unblemished.
Overtime for the Gamecocks
It took 30 points from Jason Burnell and an overtime session, but Jacksonville State knocked off league favorite Belmont 91-80. The Gamecocks (13-5, 5-0) dominated the extra session to complete a season sweep of the Bruins. JSU has a five game winning streak agains Rick Byrd’s squad.
Burnell had help. Jamall Gregory contributed a season-high 25 points, grabbing ten rebounds and converting all four of his long distance shots.
Freshman Nick Muszynski (23) and senior Kevin McClain (20) led the Bruins who also saw Dylan Windler collect a double-double (17 points and 17 rebounds). Belmont fell to 12-4 and two full games out of first place with an OVC record of 3-2.
More Highlights in the Murray State Win
Ho-hum. Ja Morant scores 27 points, hands out nine assists and racks up another high-light reel dunk and Murray State wins easily. The Racers (14-2, 5-0) pulled away from Eastern Illinois to collect their fifth straight double digit OVC win 83-61.
K.J. Williams recorded a 14 point/16 rebound double-double as the Racers defeated EIU (10-8, 3-2). Mack Smith led the Panthers with 22 points. MSU’s average OVC margin of victory is just under 19 points per game.
JA MORANT CAN FLY ✈️ #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/4Fhg12PKfl
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 18, 2019
Taylor Carries The Governors
It took a monumental effort by Terry Taylor, but Austin Peay escaped Southern Illinois Edwardsville with a 79-71 win. Taylor scored a career high 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as APSU (13-5, 5-0) won their fifth straight game and for the eleventh time in their last 12 outings.
Cameron Williams led the Cougars (5-12, 1-4) with 16 points.
The three undefeated teams are back at it Saturday. Austin Peay and Murray State are OVC ‘travel partners’ so they trade sites with APSU visiting EIU and the Racers visiting Edwardsville, Illinois. JSU stays at home to host Tennessee Tech. By Sunday will their records be still unblemished?
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As we near the closing of the portal window, we've reached 1900. Some of them never to play college basketball again, earn a college degree and some to play at a much lower level than they did last season.
I guess we'll be seeing this in a @RacersHoops uniform this year. Glad AJ is staying in the @ValleyHoops.
