Murray State Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for Racers

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HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – MARCH 21: Head coach Matt McMahon of the Murray State Racers celebrates with Ja Morant #12, Darnell Cowart #32 and Tevin Brown #10 during the second half of the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament against the Marquette Golden Eagles at XL Center on March 21, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

With Morant gone, what does the Racers’ roster look like?

The team’s top two guards are gone, Morant and Shaq Buchanan, but the three other starters and the top reserve in the season-ending loss to Florida State all return. The next in a long line of star Racer guards is sophomore Tevin Brown and him along with a pair of forwards, senior Darnell Cowart and sophomore KJ Williams return to give Murray State a solid foundation.

The other returning Racers include guards Jaiveon Eaves, DaQuan Smith, and Brion Whitley and the forwards are Devin Gilmore and Anthony Smith, but the fivesome didn’t see a ton of action last season, averaging just over 50 minutes per game and but the two Smiths had their seasons derailed by injury after just eight total games.

The Murray State’s newcomers include four freshmen and a Junior College transfer. Demond Robinson is a 6-8 255lb. big man from Alabama who averaged 15 points and eight rebounds as a senior, and Matt Smith who is a 6-6 small forward who will give McMahon some length on the wing. The backcourt gets some strong additions with Chico Carter, Jr. who at 6-2 led his South Carolina high school in points with 21.8 but also grabbed 5.2 rebounds and dished out 4.7 assists.

Jason Holliday played last season at Bossier Parish Community College in Louisiana where even at 6-4 he was a very good rebound with 7.6 per game. Some believe the best guard of the trio might be the least heralded, 6-2 Noah Kamba out of Massachusetts who averaged 16 points and 13 assists as a senior.