(Image source: Paducah Sun)

 
BY JOSH LANDER

The Murray State Racers were college basketball’s last undefeated squad. That is, until they lost to Tennessee State Thursday night.

After blowing a 7-point halftime lead the Racers still had a shot to win it at the end, but threw the ball away with 3 and a half seconds left.  As ESPN’s Steve Levy put it...

“The whole country got involved.  The last unbeaten team in Division 1 men’s college basketball.  I watched those last two minutes of that game.  That was not a great display of basketball, really by either team.”

All season long, as the mid-major school cruised through its schedule, the question was repeatedly asked – are the Racers deserving?  The Spread says no.

“Beating up on the 309th toughest schedule doesn't impress me as much as it does the pollsters. I have a problem ranking teams in the Top 10 when they play creampuff after creampuff.”

Others, such as Twine Tickle, agree, saying MSU’s season would look a lot different playing better teams.

“...this team would get run out of the gym by the elite teams in the nation, and they would probably have a hard time hanging around with many teams in the top 20. If the Racers play anybody that takes care of the basketball and has any height, they are in trouble.”

But not all are hating on Murray State after its first loss.  Tourney Bubble says give the Racers a break.

“The fact is, Murray State gets every single team in the Valley’s best shot every single time they take the floor. Someone was bound to get them and it just happened to be the second best team in the conference. It’s not a ‘bad loss’ by a long shot...”

But after that loss, the new debate will be MSU’s chances of making the NCAA tournament.  As NBCSports explains, they’re still in good shape.  But with what seed?

“Murray State’s destiny is in their hands. While I believe that the Racers are overrated when they are ranked as a top 10 team, I firmly believe that this is a group that deserves to be considered among the top 25 in the country.”

Murray State faces another tough game February 18 when it hosts fellow mid-major and number 13-ranked Saint Mary’s College.

 

 

Sports News: First Loss Refuels Murray State Debate

First Loss Refuels Murray State Debate

February 10, 2012
(1:53)
Critics say Racers don't deserve their lofty ranking.
   
TRANSCRIPT

To leave a comment, please log in with Facebook Connect or your Newsy account. Register here to create one.
MOST RECENT|MOST POPULAR|MOST COMMENTED|HIGHEST RATED

Video from Google's Project Glass Released
Google released the first video from its Project Glass reality headset.
(1:15)
May 26, 2012
Top News Headlines: At Least 90 Dead in Syrian Attacks
More headlines: Drone strike kills suspected militants; Shooting spree in Finland; Pope's butler arrested.
(1:21)
May 26, 2012
Facebook Looking to Build Own Browser?
The social media giant may be interested in acquiring Opera Software, and grabbing their own browser in the process.
(1:29)
May 26, 2012
Nearly One Third Of Olympic Tickets Remain Unsold
Nearly a third of the London 2012 Olympic event tickets remain unsold.
(1:29)
May 26, 2012
Skydiver Survives Jump Without Parachute
A video of Gary Connery skydiving from 2,400 feet in the air without a parachute has gone viral.
(2:40)
May 26, 2012
15-Year-Old Boy Invents New Way to Detect Cancer
A 15-year-old Maryland boy won a $75,000 prize for inventing a dipstick sensor that can detect pancreatic cancer.
(1:53)
May 26, 2012
Prehistoric Flutes Date Back 40,000 Years
When scientists reanalyzed prehistoric artifacts from Germany, they discovered modern humans may have been in Europe earlier than previously thought.
(1:43)
May 26, 2012
Private Spacecraft Docks with International Space Station
SpaceX successfully docked its Dragon capsule into the International Space Station.
(2:40)
May 25, 2012
Bankia Suspends Shares; Multibillion Euro Bailout in Future?
The Spanish bank halts trading of its shares in advance of a board meeting. Bankia is expected to request a major bailout from the government.
(2:10)
May 25, 2012
Top News Headlines: Police Find Mother of Kids Left in Shed
More headlines: FBI identifies man in Miami plane incident; Hurricane Bud headed toward Mexico; Wall Street analysts look at Facebook's flop.
(1:24)
May 25, 2012
Exonerated Former Football Star Asks for Second Chance
After Brian Banks' rape conviction from 2002 was dismissed, he's asking NFL coaches for a chance to prove himself on the field.
(1:20)
May 25, 2012
Ukrainian Lawmakers Brawl Over Language Bill
A Ukrainian Parliament session erupted into a boxing match over the proposal to make Russian the official language of the eastern region.
(1:13)
May 25, 2012
Average Salary for CEO: $9.6 Million
According to an analysis from The Associated Press, the average salary for the head of a public company was $9.6 million in 2011.
(2:28)
May 25, 2012
Egyptian Election Pacing Toward Secular-Religious Showdown
Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi and former air force chief Ahmed Shafiq poised to face off in second round.
(2:02)
May 25, 2012

Newsy

www3
...