Murray State Basketball: 3 keys for Round of 32 matchup with Saint Peter’s

Win the frontcourt battle

Neither of these teams is huge, but Murray State has a slight size advantage and their biggest player is their best player. K.J. Williams, the Ohio Valley Conference ‘Player of the Year’ came into the tournament averaging 19 points and eight rebounds per game and can dominate inside and can step outside and make threes.

Williams scored 18 points on Thursday, including a hook shot with 1:15 left in overtime to give the Racers a lead they would never relinquish. The muscular Williams will be the biggest and strongest player on the floor and the Racers need to exploit that advantage.

Saint Peter’s plays several players that are 6’7 or better, but none are as physical as Williams and other frontcourt players, D.J. Burns, Skipper-Brown, and Nicholas McMullen. Even when the Racers ‘go small’, guard Trae Hannibal is a tremendously physical player.

The Peacocks frontcourt players, KC Ndefo, Clarence Rupert, Oumar Diahame, and twins Fousseyni and Hassan Drame are effective but slighter in stature. They will hope to use their quickness to offset the Murray State’s physical prowess.

Saint Peter’s coach Shaheen Holloway says he’s impressed with Murray’s athletes.

"“They are a very good team, very well coached,” said Holloway. “Great tradition, great history. When you watch them, the thing I’m impressed the most about is their physicality, they get after you. They pressure you man to man, they get down low, they’re athletic, they have multiple people that can score so you can’t lock in on one person.”"