MURYST

SEMO

No. 19 Murray State rallies to preserve perfect OVC season

AP
Feb 26, 2022

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) Justice Hill scored nine straight points in the final three minutes, and No. 19 Murray State Racers beat Southeast Missouri 70-68 on Saturday to cap a perfect Ohio Valley Conference regular season.

Murray State is the sixth team in OVC history to go undefeated in conference play. It is the first to go 18-0, with the conference expanded its league schedule by two games this season. The Racers were also the last OVC team to go unbeaten in conference play during the 2014-15 season.

This season's 18-game winning streak came entirely in conference play after a 71-58 loss to then-No. 12 Auburn on Dec. 22. The Racers' other loss came against East Tennessee State, 66-58 on Nov. 22.

KJ Williams had 23 points and eight rebounds for Murray State (28-2, 18-0), and Trae Hannibal scored a career-high 20 points. Tevin Brown had 15, and Hill finished with 11.

Manny Patterson, a second-year transfer from Green Bay, scored each of his 12 points in the first half, helping Southeast Missouri (13-17, 8-9) to a 37-32 lead.

The Racers had to overcome a 12-point deficit in the final 6 1/2 minutes. They got a lift from a six-point possession triggered by a flagrant foul on Nana Akenten away from the ball as Williams was scoring with just over three minutes remaining.

DJ Burns made 1 of 2 free throws resulting from the foul and Hill hit a 3-pointer to get within a point. A turnover then turned into fast-break basket for Hill and Murray State had its first lead since midway through the first half.

Hill added a 3-pointer and free throw in the final minute and Hannibal made another free throw for a five-point edge with 15.3 seconds left. Eric Reed Jr. hit a 3 to cut the lead to two and, after a missed Hill free throw, Chris Harris missed a running shot from just inside midcourt as the game ended.

Murray has won 10 straight in the series, including a 106-81 win on Dec. 30.

As the top seed, Murray State receives a double-bye into Friday's semifinals of the OVC tournament, which runs Wednesday through Saturday in Evansville, Indiana.

More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
MURR
Racers
32
SEMO
Redhawks
37

Time		Play	Score
20:00		KJ Williams vs. Nygal Russell (Justice Hill gains possession)
19:47		Carter Collins turnover (bad pass)
19:26		Carter Collins shooting foul (Manny Patterson draws the foul)
19:26		Manny Patterson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
19:26	+1	Manny Patterson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	0-1
19:13		KJ Williams misses three point jump shot
19:11		Dylan Branson defensive rebound
18:56		Nygal Russell misses three point jump shot
18:54		KJ Williams defensive rebound
18:39		Phillip Russell personal foul (DJ Burns draws the foul)
18:31		Justice Hill turnover (lost ball) (Manny Patterson steals)
18:12		Nygal Russell turnover (bad pass)
17:46		Justice Hill misses two point layup
17:44		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
17:38	+3	Phillip Russell makes three point jump shot	0-4
17:13		Justice Hill turnover (bad pass) (Manny Patterson steals)
16:58		Eric Reed Jr. turnover (lost ball) (DJ Burns steals)
16:52		Tevin Brown misses three point jump shot
16:50		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
16:31		Dylan Branson misses three point jump shot
16:29		Tevin Brown defensive rebound
16:18	+3	KJ Williams makes three point jump shot (Justice Hill assists)	3-4
15:57		Manny Patterson turnover (bad pass)
15:57		TV timeout
15:43		Justice Hill turnover (bad pass)
15:31		Nygal Russell turnover (bad pass) (KJ Williams steals)
15:22	+2	Tevin Brown makes two point jump shot	5-4
15:03		Eric Reed Jr. turnover (lost ball)
14:48	+3	Tevin Brown makes three point jump shot (Justice Hill assists)	8-4
14:28	+2	Manny Patterson makes two point layup	8-6
13:59	+3	Tevin Brown makes three point jump shot (KJ Williams assists)	11-6
13:48	+3	DQ Nicholas makes three point jump shot	11-9
13:23		DQ Nicholas shooting foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
13:23	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-9
13:23	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 2 of 2	13-9
13:14	+3	Nana Akenten makes three point jump shot (Manny Patterson assists)	13-12
12:54		Trae Hannibal turnover (lost ball) (Eric Reed Jr. steals)
12:40		Phillip Russell misses two point layup
12:38		Nicholas McMullen defensive rebound
12:20		Justice Hill misses two point jump shot
12:18		Phillip Russell defensive rebound
12:14		Justice Hill personal foul (Phillip Russell draws the foul)
12:08		DaQuan Smith blocks Phillip Russell's two point jump shot
12:06		Phillip Russell offensive rebound
12:01		Phillip Russell turnover (traveling)
11:52		DaQuan Smith misses two point layup
11:50		KJ Williams offensive rebound
11:45		Nana Akenten blocks KJ Williams's two point layup
11:43		KJ Williams offensive rebound
11:41	+2	KJ Williams makes two point layup	15-12
11:28		DQ Nicholas turnover (out of bounds)
11:28		TV timeout
11:18	+2	KJ Williams makes two point layup	17-12
11:02	+2	Manny Patterson makes two point layup (Chris Harris assists)	17-14
10:42		KJ Williams misses three point jump shot
10:40		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
10:30	+2	Manny Patterson makes two point layup (Chris Harris assists)	17-16
10:20		DaQuan Smith misses three point jump shot
10:18		DQ Nicholas defensive rebound
10:09		Phillip Russell misses two point jump shot
10:07		KJ Williams defensive rebound
10:00		Tevin Brown misses three point jump shot
9:58		Carter Collins offensive rebound
9:44		Nana Akenten blocks Trae Hannibal's two point layup
9:42		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
9:38	+3	Chris Harris makes three point jump shot (Phillip Russell assists)	17-19
9:21	+2	Trae Hannibal makes two point layup	19-19
9:04	+3	Manny Patterson makes three point jump shot (Chris Harris assists)	19-22
8:43		Tevin Brown misses three point jump shot
8:41		Nana Akenten defensive rebound
8:17		Phillip Russell misses three point jump shot
8:15		Tevin Brown defensive rebound
7:54		KJ Williams misses two point jump shot
7:52		Chris Harris defensive rebound
7:33	+2	Manny Patterson makes two point layup (Chris Harris assists)	19-24
7:09		Trae Hannibal misses two point jump shot
7:07		Redhawks defensive rebound
7:00		TV timeout
6:41	+2	Sam Thompson makes two point layup (Chris Harris assists)	19-26
6:20		Tevin Brown turnover (lost ball) (Sam Thompson steals)
6:11	+2	Phillip Russell makes two point jump shot	19-28
5:53		Carter Collins misses three point jump shot
5:51		Eric Reed Jr. defensive rebound
5:42		Chris Harris misses three point jump shot
5:40		Sam Thompson offensive rebound
5:36	+2	Sam Thompson makes two point layup	19-30
5:35		Racers 30 second timeout
5:23	+2	Justice Hill makes two point jump shot	21-30
5:09		KJ Williams shooting foul (Chris Harris draws the foul)
5:09	+1	Chris Harris makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-31
5:09	+1	Chris Harris makes regular free throw 2 of 2	21-32
4:56	+2	Trae Hannibal makes two point layup (KJ Williams assists)	23-32
4:24		Chris Harris misses two point jump shot
4:22		Sam Thompson offensive rebound
4:13		Eric Reed Jr. misses three point jump shot
4:11		Trae Hannibal defensive rebound
4:03		KJ Williams misses three point jump shot
4:01		Racers offensive rebound
4:01		Nygal Russell personal foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
3:52		DJ Burns turnover (lost ball)
3:52		TV timeout
3:25		KJ Williams blocks Manny Patterson's two point jump shot
3:23		Justice Hill defensive rebound
3:11		Tevin Brown misses two point layup
3:09		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
3:08		DJ Burns personal foul (Manny Patterson draws the foul)
2:55		Phillip Russell misses two point dunk
2:53		Manny Patterson offensive rebound
2:51		Trae Hannibal personal foul (Manny Patterson draws the foul)
2:51		Eric Reed Jr. technical foul
2:51		Eric Reed Jr. turnover
2:51		Tevin Brown misses technical free throw 1 of 2
2:51	+1	Tevin Brown makes technical free throw 2 of 2	24-32
2:51	+1	Tevin Brown makes technical free throw 2 of 2	24-32
2:48		Dylan Branson turnover (lost ball) (Trae Hannibal steals)
2:25		KJ Williams misses two point jump shot
2:23		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
2:13		Manny Patterson offensive foul (Justice Hill draws the foul)
2:13		Manny Patterson turnover
1:58		Manny Patterson shooting foul (KJ Williams draws the foul)
1:58	+1	KJ Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-32
1:58	+1	KJ Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	26-32
1:43	+3	Nana Akenten makes three point jump shot (Chris Harris assists)	26-35
1:17	+2	Trae Hannibal makes two point reverse layup	28-35
1:01	+2	Phillip Russell makes two point jump shot	28-37
0:39		Chris Harris shooting foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
0:39	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-37
0:39	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-37
0:26		Nana Akenten misses three point jump shot
0:24		Tevin Brown defensive rebound
0:05	+2	Trae Hannibal makes two point layup	32-37

2nd Half
MURR
Racers
38
SEMO
Redhawks
31

Time		Play	Score
19:42		Phillip Russell misses three point jump shot
19:40		Justice Hill defensive rebound
19:31		Carter Collins misses three point jump shot
19:29		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
19:29		Dylan Branson personal foul (Tevin Brown draws the foul)
19:25	+2	KJ Williams makes two point hook shot (Carter Collins assists)	34-37
19:05		Nygal Russell misses three point jump shot
19:03		Tevin Brown defensive rebound
18:40		KJ Williams misses two point hook shot
18:38		Nygal Russell defensive rebound
18:19		Manny Patterson turnover (traveling)
18:01		Nygal Russell personal foul (Carter Collins draws the foul)
17:45		KJ Williams turnover (lost ball) (Dylan Branson steals)
17:45		DJ Burns personal foul (Dylan Branson draws the foul)
17:29	+2	Nygal Russell makes two point layup	34-39
17:07	+2	KJ Williams makes two point jump shot	36-39
16:51	+3	Nygal Russell makes three point jump shot (Phillip Russell assists)	36-42
16:23		Justice Hill misses three point jump shot
16:21		Nygal Russell defensive rebound
16:14		Phillip Russell turnover (bad pass) (Tevin Brown steals)
15:44	+2	Tevin Brown makes two point layup	38-42
15:15	+2	Dylan Branson makes two point hook shot	38-44
14:56		Nygal Russell personal foul (Carter Collins draws the foul)
14:56		TV timeout
14:44		Tevin Brown misses three point jump shot
14:42		DJ Burns offensive rebound
14:35		Nicholas McMullen misses two point hook shot
14:33		Nana Akenten defensive rebound
14:23		Justice Hill shooting foul (Phillip Russell draws the foul)
14:23		Phillip Russell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:23	+1	Phillip Russell makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-45
14:08		Tevin Brown turnover (bad pass) (Phillip Russell steals)
14:05		DJ Burns shooting foul (Eric Reed Jr. draws the foul)
14:05	+1	Eric Reed Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	38-46
14:05		Eric Reed Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:05		Racers defensive rebound
13:52	+2	Trae Hannibal makes two point layup	40-46
13:39	+2	Nana Akenten makes two point layup (Chris Harris assists)	40-48
13:13		Justice Hill turnover (bad pass) (Eric Reed Jr. steals)
13:07	+2	Eric Reed Jr. makes two point layup	40-50
13:05		Racers 30 second timeout
13:05		TV timeout
12:47		Trae Hannibal misses two point layup
12:45		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
12:21		Nana Akenten misses three point jump shot
12:19		KJ Williams defensive rebound
12:12	+2	Tevin Brown makes two point layup	42-50
11:54		Phillip Russell misses three point jump shot
11:52		KJ Williams defensive rebound
11:44		Nana Akenten shooting foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
11:44		TV timeout
11:44	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-50
11:44	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-50
11:32		DQ Nicholas turnover (bad pass) (Trae Hannibal steals)
11:25	+2	Trae Hannibal makes two point layup	46-50
11:15		Nygal Russell misses three point jump shot
11:13		Tevin Brown defensive rebound
10:51		KJ Williams misses two point layup
10:49		Trae Hannibal offensive rebound
10:41		Manny Patterson blocks Trae Hannibal's two point layup
10:39		Nygal Russell defensive rebound
10:24		Nygal Russell misses two point layup
10:22		Nygal Russell offensive rebound
10:18	+3	DQ Nicholas makes three point jump shot (Eric Reed Jr. assists)	46-53
10:02	+2	KJ Williams makes two point hook shot	48-53
9:49	+2	Chris Harris makes two point layup	48-55
9:33		KJ Williams misses three point jump shot
9:31		DQ Nicholas defensive rebound
9:07		Tevin Brown blocks Eric Reed Jr.'s two point layup
9:05		Justice Hill defensive rebound
8:59		Trae Hannibal turnover (lost ball)
8:48		Manny Patterson misses two point layup
8:46		DaQuan Smith defensive rebound
8:30		Manny Patterson blocks DaQuan Smith's two point layup
8:28		Manny Patterson defensive rebound
8:18	+2	Nygal Russell makes two point layup	48-57
7:56		Justice Hill misses two point jump shot
7:54		Tevin Brown offensive rebound
7:45		Tevin Brown misses three point jump shot
7:43		Chris Harris defensive rebound
7:43		TV timeout
7:24	+3	Eric Reed Jr. makes three point jump shot (Nygal Russell assists)	48-60
7:02	+2	KJ Williams makes two point hook shot	50-60
6:39	+2	DQ Nicholas makes two point jump shot	50-62
6:16		Manny Patterson blocks Tevin Brown's two point layup
6:14		DQ Nicholas defensive rebound
5:54		Phillip Russell misses three point jump shot
5:52		Justice Hill defensive rebound
5:42	+2	KJ Williams makes two point layup (Justice Hill assists)	52-62
5:22		Nygal Russell turnover (bad pass)
5:03	+2	KJ Williams makes two point hook shot	54-62
4:52		Manny Patterson misses two point jump shot
4:50		Trae Hannibal defensive rebound
4:41		KJ Williams misses three point jump shot
4:39		Trae Hannibal offensive rebound
4:35		Nygal Russell shooting foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
4:35	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	55-62
4:35		Trae Hannibal misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:35		Chris Harris defensive rebound
4:11		DQ Nicholas misses two point jump shot
4:09		KJ Williams defensive rebound
3:52	+2	Tevin Brown makes two point layup	57-62
3:41		TV timeout
3:35	+2	Phillip Russell makes two point layup (Chris Harris assists)	57-64
3:13		Justice Hill misses three point jump shot
3:11		KJ Williams offensive rebound
3:09	+2	KJ Williams makes two point layup	59-64
3:09		Official timeout
3:09		Nana Akenten flagrant 1 (DJ Burns draws the foul)
3:09		Nana Akenten turnover
3:09	+1	DJ Burns makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2	60-64
3:09		DJ Burns misses flagrant free throw 2 of 2
3:00		KJ Williams misses two point hook shot
2:58		DJ Burns offensive rebound
2:46	+3	Justice Hill makes three point jump shot	63-64
2:39		Chris Harris turnover (lost ball) (DJ Burns steals)
2:33	+2	Justice Hill makes two point layup	65-64
2:23		Redhawks 30 second timeout
2:15		Justice Hill personal foul (Phillip Russell draws the foul)
1:58		DJ Burns shooting foul (Nygal Russell draws the foul)
1:58	+1	Nygal Russell makes regular free throw 1 of 2	65-65
1:58		Nygal Russell misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:58		DJ Burns defensive rebound
1:33		Tevin Brown misses two point hook shot
1:31		Nygal Russell defensive rebound
1:10		Eric Reed Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:08		Justice Hill defensive rebound
0:57		Racers 30 second timeout
0:40	+3	Justice Hill makes three point jump shot	68-65
0:35		Redhawks 30 second timeout
0:26		Phillip Russell turnover (bad pass)
0:25		Manny Patterson personal foul (Justice Hill draws the foul)
0:25	+1	Justice Hill makes regular free throw 1 of 2	69-65
0:25		Justice Hill misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:25		Chris Harris defensive rebound
0:16		Eric Reed Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:14		Trae Hannibal defensive rebound
0:14		DQ Nicholas personal foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
0:14	+1	Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	70-65
0:14		Trae Hannibal misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:14		Nygal Russell defensive rebound
0:09	+3	Eric Reed Jr. makes three point jump shot (Phillip Russell assists)	70-68
0:06		Phillip Russell personal foul (Justice Hill draws the foul)
0:06		Justice Hill misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:06		Eric Reed Jr. defensive rebound
0:04		Justice Hill personal foul (Eric Reed Jr. draws the foul)
0:01		Chris Harris misses three point jump shot
0:00		Racers defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Racers defensive rebound