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Murray State basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Racers

By Harry Schroeder

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 23: Head coach Matt McMahon of the Murray State Racers reacts against the Florida State Seminoles in the first half during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 23: Head coach Matt McMahon of the Murray State Racers reacts against the Florida State Seminoles in the first half during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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When most people think of Murray State, they think of Ja Morant. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
When most people think of Murray State, they think of Ja Morant. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

When most college basketball fans think of Murray State basketball, they think of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant. Or maybe they remember that Phoenix Sun’s Cam Payne was a Racer. Former NBA guard Isaiah Canaan also comes to mind.

What you can see is that Murray State basketball finds and cultivates very talented players. Every MSU head coach since Ron Green (1975-1978) has achieved significant winning percentages and multiple Ohio Valley Conference championships.

Murray State basketball fans expect to have winning seasons and to hang championship banners at the CFSB Center in Murray Kentucky.

Current head coach Matt McMahon expects the same things and has built a team to compete with Belmont and Morehead State in this year’s OVC race.

Murray State returns two all-league players in guard Tevin Brown and K.J. Williams and has landed some highly regarded transfers. Coach McMahon (110-51) knows how to build a roster and has won or shared four division or conference championships during his five head coaching seasons.

McMahon dove strongly into the transfer portal for this year’s recruiting class. He believed his team needed to get older more quickly than simply allowing his existing roster to mature over time.

Last year’s team was a pedestrian 13-13 (10-10 in OVC play) and were dreadful in closely contested games. The Racers were 1-7 in league games decided by less than ten points, including the season finale to Jacksonville State during the league tournament.

MSU went 0-4 against the league’s two championship squads Belmont (regular season) and Morehead State (tournament). Two of McMahon’s transfers are veteran guards from Division 1 programs.