GAME NOTES: The Murray State Racers have been red-hot and will look to continue their strong play this evening when they host the Samford Bulldogs in an Ohio Valley Conference tussle at the Regional Special Events Center. Although the Bulldogs are just 9-11 on the season, the team has played well of late, winning two of its last three contests. The last time Samford was on the court the team posted a convincing 63-49 victory over Austin Peay. With the victory, the Bulldogs are now and even 6-6 in league play. As for the Racers, they are riding an impressive seven-game winning streak. The most recent win was a thrilling 86-85 decision over Southeast Missouri State this past Saturday. The current streak has extended Murray State's league mark to an impressive 8-3, which is second best in the OVC behind only Austin Peay (9-2). The Racers have played extremely well at home this year, winning nine of their 10 contests at the Regional Special Events Center. The Bulldogs have won three of the last four meetings against Murray State and now hold a slim 6-3 edge over the Racers.

The Bulldogs are without question one of the more inconsistent offensive teams in the OVC, as the team is netting a meager 57.5 ppg. Joe Ross Merritt is currently leading the team with 12.5 ppg, while Travis Peterson has been the top option in the paint, netting 11.9 ppg to go along with a team-high 4.7 rpg. Trey Montgomery has also contributed this year, as the guard is chipping in 10.4 ppg. The last time Samford was on the court, the team only scored 63 points, but it was enough for the Bulldogs to grab a 14-point win over Austin Peay. Merritt led the way with 19 points in the win, while Montgomery and Josh Bedwell contributed 17 and 16 points, respectively.

The Racers exploded for 86 points this past Saturday, as they narrowly defeated Southeast Missouri State by a one-point margin. In the win, the Racers only shot 41.8 percent from the field, but did connect on 23-of-30 attempts from the foul line. Tyler Holloway and Danero Thomas both scored 17 points apiece, while Bruce Carter tallied a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Tony Easley and Kevin Thomas both contributed 11 points for Murray State. Danero Thomas has been the best all-around player for the Racers, as the guard is netting 13.1 ppg on the season, while also grabbing 4.5 rpg to go along with 26 steals. As for Carter, he has been the main source of production in the paint, as the forward is posting 12.6 ppg to go along with a team-high 5.3 rpg. Holloway has been outstanding from behind the arc, netting 48.1 percent of his three-point attempts, and heads into this game with 11.8 ppg. As a whole, Murray State is averaging 73.3 ppg, while shooting a strong 48.1 percent from the floor.

The Bulldogs play well defensively, so they should be able to keep the game close for a while. However, expect the Racers to run away with this contest down the stretch.