Murray State Racers Basketball Tickets

A year ago, the OVC coaches and media picked Murray to win the league, and the choice was based largely on reputation. This year, call coach Mick Cronin's team the favorite again, and he believes it'll be "a little more deserving." The Racers return all five starters and four other lettermen. Their roster runs so deep, in fact, second-leading scorer Darnell Hopkins started only half of their games. Of course, it's hard to break into the starting lineup when the two regulars are a couple big-school transfers — Trey Pear-son (Ole Miss) and Keith Jenifer (Virginia). Pear-son, a Player of the Year candidate, averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and nearly four assists in his first OVC season last year. Jenifer, a senior, averaged 7.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Add the odier returning starters — Shawn With-erspoon, Justin Orr and Pearson Griffith — along with Hopkins, and the Racers return 49.6 points and 19.8 rebounds per game from their top six players.