NCAA Basketball top 25 power rankings: Texas Tech rises, Baylor and Providence fall
By Joey Loose
22. Murray State (26-2)
It hasn’t always been pretty in recent weeks, but Murray State just keeps winning and certainly remain in these rankings even after some recent close calls. The Racers have raced out to an incredible start in their final season in the OVC and their only loss in the last three months came on the road against Auburn. Murray State is in fantastic position to make some noise as a potential Cinderella in the NCAA Tournament.
Thursday night was largely drama-free, as a phenomenal offensive showing resulted in a 91-56 home win over Austin Peay. KJ Williams led all scorers with a 25-point performance in a game where the interior offense was extraordinary. Two days later, the Racers struggled but Williams came through with the bucket in the final seconds to secure a 62-60 road win at UT Martin. Tevin Brown led the Racers with 18 points, including five 3-pointers in the win.
It’s easy to say that nobody else in the rankings would struggle on the road against a meek UT Martin squad, but what’s important is that Murray State got the win and sit perfectly at 16-0 in conference play. The Racers are in great shape and continue to pile the wins, heading into a big matchup with Belmont next week. The OVC regular season ends next weekend, with the Racers looking to maintain that perfect conference ranking as the season nears its end.