RACER FOOTBALL OPENER POSTPONED
The wait for Murray State’s 2020 football season opener will wait another week with Sunday’s Racer game at Southeast Missouri among two OVC games postponed due to winter storms that impacted OVC communities. In addition, the Jacksonville State at Tennessee State game was also postponed. The games will be moved to March 7, which was previously an open date on the league schedule. The winter storms caused logistical challenges, limited practice times, and impacted the playing surface at each venue. The Racers will now open the season a week from Sunday when they host UT Martin.
RACERS GO FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN
After a 1-4 start, the Murray State men’s basketball team is 11-5 since, and enter the final home stand of the season on a four game winning streak. Tonight, the Racers host 7-16 Eastern Illinois. When the teams met January 7 in Charleston, MSU led by 13-points with 13:40 remaining, but watched the Panthers use a 16-0 run to pull off a 74-68 win. EIU scored 28 points off 23 Racer turnovers that night, but over the past 11 games, MSU is turning it over around 10 times per game, far better than the 17 per outing after the loss to the Panthers. Airtime for tonight’s 7:30 game is set for 7 on FROGGY 103.7.
RACER WOMEN HOST EIU
The Murray State women tip off tonight’s twinbill with a 4:30 game against Eastern Illinois. The 11-10 Racers had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 2-point loss to UT Martin on Saturday, dropping MSU to 8-8 in the OVC. Early last month, the Racers defeated the Panthers 76-68 for their first conference win. Eastern Illinois comes in at 9-12 overall and 7-9 in the OVC and have won just one of their last four games. Airtime for today’s game is set for 4 pm on WNBS AM and FM and the ZENO Radio App.
WEDNESDAY’S MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL RESULTS
Kentucky got 18 points from Davion Mintz to win 82-78 at Vanderbilt. The Wildcats have won back-to-back games for the first time since early January and are 7-and-13.
(19) Tennessee 93, South Carolina 73
Missouri State 68, SIU 53
Indiana State 87, Evansville 73
Chattanooga 89, West Carolina 81 (OT)
Indiana 82, Minnesota 72
(23) Kansas 59, Kansas State 41
(22) Loyola Chicago 54, Valparaiso 52
(17) USC 89, Arizona State 71
LOUISVILLE GAME POSTPONED
The Louisville Cardinals postponed their home game last night with Syracuse after a positive COVID-19 test just hours before tipoff. Louisville has not played since a February 1st win over Georgia Tech.
WEDNESDAY’S BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL RESULTS
Lyon County 91, Kentucky Country Day 58
FERNANDEZ HONORED
Murray State’s Becca Fernandez is the OVC Volleyball Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Fernandez notched a season-high in digs on Sunday against Morehead State with 26 in three sets. This is not the first-time Fernandez has taken home the honor, having done so six times in her career. Fernandez and the rest of the Racers will return to action this weekend as they travel to SIU-Edwardsville for Saturday and Sunday matches.
MORANT TRIPLE DOUBLE LEADS MEMPHIS OVER THUNDER
Jonas Valanciunas scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Grizzlies’ 122-113 win over the Thunder in Memphis. Grayson Allen also scored 22 points and Ja Morant had a triple-double of 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Grizz evened their record at 12-and-12. They host the Pistons tomorrow night.
SPRING TRAINING BEGINS FOR CARDINALS
Workouts are underway at Cardinals spring training in Jupiter, Florida. Pitchers and catchers reported yesterday to Roger Dean Stadium to begin training. Some position players also showed up, including new addition Nolan Arenado. The superstar third baseman was acquired from the Rockies this offseason. The full squad begins workouts next Monday.
WEDNESDAY’S WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL RESULTS
(1) UCONN 77, St. John’s 32
AREA HOCKEY ROUNDUP
The Predators face the Blue Jackets tonight in Columbus. Nashville had its two scheduled games earlier this week in Dallas postponed by an ice storm and a power outage. The Preds are second-to-last in the Central with 12 points at 6-9-and-0. The Blues host the Sharks tonight. St. Louis was blanked, 1-0, by the Coyotes on Monday. The Blues enter at 9-5-and-2.
NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
The Padres are locking up their young star shortstop. Multiple reports say they’ve agreed to a 14-year, 340-million dollar contract with Fernando Tatis Jr. It is the third-richest contract in MLB history, trailing only the Angels’ Mike Trout and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts.
The Nets will again be without Kevin Durant tonight as they take on LeBron James and the Lakers in Los Angeles. “KD” will miss his third straight game with a hamstring strain. Kyrie Irving is probable for Brooklyn after missing Tuesday’s game with back tightness.
Former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is giving up on his dream of Major League Baseball. The 33-year-old Mets minor league outfielder retired on Wednesday. Tebow joined the Mets farm system in 2016 and advanced as high as Triple-A in 2019.
Serena Williams is out of the Australian Open. The 39-year-old American lost her semifinal match 6-3, 6-4 to third-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan. Williams was chasing her 24th Grand Slam singles title, which would have tied Margaret Court for the most in any era.
Former NFL receiver Vincent Jackson may have suffered from chronic alcoholism. According to TMZ, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister says a toxicology report isn’t finished. A housekeeper found the 38-year-old Jackson dead in a Florida hotel room Monday.
WEDNESDAY’S SCOREBOARD
NBA
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Orlando Magic 107, New York Knicks 89
Atlanta Hawks 122, Boston Celtics 114
Philadelphia 76ers 118, Houston Rockets 113
Washington Wizards 130, Denver Nuggets 128
Indiana Pacers 134, Minnesota Timberwolves 128 (OT)
Chicago Bulls 105, Detroit Pistons 102
Portland Trail Blazers 126, New Orleans Pelicans 124
Memphis Grizzlies 122, Oklahoma City Thunder 113
Golden State Warriors 120, Miami Heat 112 (OT)
Utah Jazz 114, LA Clippers 96
NHL
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Florida Panthers 4, Carolina Hurricanes 3 (OT)
Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Ottawa Senators 1
Chicago Blackhawks 2, Detroit Red Wings 0
Vancouver Canucks 5, Calgary Flames 1
Edmonton Oilers 3, Winnipeg Jets 2
Top-25 College Basketball (Coaches’ Poll)
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#18 USC Trojans 89, Arizona State Sun Devils 71
#20 Tennessee Volunteers 93, South Carolina Gamecocks 73
#23 Loyola Chicago Ramblers 54, Valparaiso 52
#24 Kansas Jayhawks 59, Kansas State Wildcats 41
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern)
NBA
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7:30 p.m. – Toronto Raptors at Milwaukee Bucks
10:00 p.m. – Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Lakers
10:00 p.m. – Miami Heat at Sacramento Kings
NHL
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7:00 p.m. – New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins
7:00 p.m. – New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers
7:00 p.m. – New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins
7:00 p.m. – Nashville Predators at Columbus Blue Jackets
7:00 p.m. – Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs
7:00 p.m. – Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals
8:00 p.m. – San Jose Sharks at St. Louis Blues
9:00 p.m. – Los Angeles Kings at Arizona Coyotes
10:00 p.m. – Minnesota Wild at Anaheim Ducks
Top-25 College Basketball (Coaches’ Poll)
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9:00 p.m. – #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs host Saint Mary’s Gaels
9:00 p.m. – #3 Michigan Wolverines host Rutgers Scarlet Knights
8:00 p.m. – #4 Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions
7:00 p.m. – #5 Houston Cougars at Wichita State Shockers
7:00 p.m. – #14 Iowa Hawkeyes at #21 Wisconsin Badgers
11:00 p.m. – #25 Oregon Ducks host Colorado Buffaloes
PGA
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The Genesis Invitational (at Pacific Palisades, CA)
