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MOREHEAD, Ky.--It’s redemption Thursday at Morehead State as Tennessee State men’s basketball visits for a pivotal OVC matchup in Johnson Arena. Earlier this season, the Eagles lost an overtime heartbreaker in Nashville 70-64 to the Tigers and MSU will look to return the favor with a 7:45 p.m. tip Thursday night. The game is sponsored by Whitaker Bank and Morehead State ROTC.
Morehead State (13-8, 5-4 OVC) is tied for fourth place in the OVC, but has lost two straight conference games and will look to snap that streak. The Eagles got a big boost Monday with a gut-check, 50-48 non-conference win at Ball State. It was MSU’s fourth win over a Mid-Major Top 25 program this year and it stopped a two-game losing streak. It was also MSU’s third road win this season.
Morehead State leads the conference in scoring defense at 60.8 points per game - a stat that will be tested by TSU, which has four players who average double figures. Kenny Moore (14.8 ppg), Robert Covington (13.5 ppg), Patrick Miller (11.8 ppg), and Wil Peters (11.2 ppg) provide the balanced TSU attack. The Tigers will also provide a challenge on the glass as Moore and Covington are second and third in the league in rebounding at 7.7 rpg and 7.5 rpg, respectively.
Tennessee State (10-9, 7-2 OVC) enters Thursday’s game tied for first place in the OVC with Austin Peay. The Tigers are on a four-game winning streak (all OVC opponents) that includes a win over current OVC co-leader APSU.
Kenneth Faried, the man in the middle, is second in the league in scoring (16.9 ppg) and first in rebounding (13.8 rpg), which also leads the nation. Demonte Harper is ranked third in the conference in scoring at 16.0 points per game and leads the team in assists with 3.4 per game.
Saturday will also test the Eagles as they battle Austin Peay at 7:15 pm in Johnson Arena.
