Men's Hoops Looks to Make More Strides Forward as they Strive for Win at Vanderbilt Friday

11/16/2022 5:39:00 PM

By: By Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations

GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LINKS TO LIVE VIDEO, LIVE AUDIO AND LIVE STATS)

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- With several newcomers and new styles to gel, Morehead State men's basketball has made great strides in its first four games of the 2022-23 season, already continuing as one of the best defensive teams in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Eagles get another chance to prove their success against a Power-5 Conference team Friday night.

MSU will meet up with SEC foe Vanderbilt in Nashville's Memorial Coliseum at 7 p.m. ET.

Morehead State and Vanderbilt meet for just the fifth time in both team's program histories and the first time since the 2008-09 season. All four matchups in the series have been claimed by the Commodores in Memorial Gym. This marks MSU's third Power 5 opponent this season and second straight.

The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network (WIVY-96.3 FM) with Chuck Mraz and Dean Hardin. It is also available on MSUEagles.com as well as network partner WGOH 100.9 FM/1370 AM. The game will be on SEN Network+/ESPN+.

2022-23 RECORDS
MSU: 2-2 | VU: 1-2

SERIES RECORD

Record vs. Vanderbilt: 0-4

First Meeting: 12/21/87 Vandy won 81-67 at Vandy

Last Meeting: 11/16/08 Vandy won 74-48 at Vandy

Streak: VU, 4 games

Record vs. Vandy in Nashville, Tenn.: 0-4

Record vs. Vandy in Morehead: 0-0

Neutral Record: 0-0

NOTABLE
• Morehead State held Bellarmine to just 33 percent shooting last Saturday night, the lowest the Knights had managed to shoot in their three Division I years and the lowest they had shot since 2011-12.

• Four of the Eagles' five starters are averaging 25+ minutes per game so far.

• Among the 8 Division I men's basketball programs in Kentucky, Morehead State ranks first in wins in the last three seasons - 48. Among all 27 college programs in the Bluegrass State, only one - Thomas More - had more wins (48) than the Eagles in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

• Graduate transfer Alex Gross came to MSU with lofty career totals from his four years at Olivet Nazarene (Ill.). He was a three-time NAIA All-American and finished there with 2,021 points, 1,226 rebounds, 426 assists and 363 blocked shots. He earned the NAIA men's basketball CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year award in 2021-22.

• Alex Gross is one of just four current players on Division I teams to score 2,000+ career points in college. He is the only player in Division I to record 2,000+ points AND 1,200+ career rebounds in college.

• Morehead State was selected No. 1 in the preseason Ohio Valley Conference vote of coaches and media relations personnel. Senior guard Mark Freeman was selected to the Preseason All-OVC Team.

• Branden Maughmer (pronounced MOFF-mer) exploded for 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists against CU-Harrodsburg. In his college career, he now has 1,747 points and 426 assists. He needs just 74 assists to achieve 1,700+ career points AND 500+ career assists.

• Morehead State has out-rebounded 49 opponents in the past three seasons and won 40 of those games.

• LJ Bryan is hitting an amazing 79 percent from the field this season and 61 percent for his Eagle career.

• MSU currently ranks second in the OVC in rebounding margin at +7.5. MSU has ranked No. 1 or 2 in the OVC in rebound margin for the past two seasons.

• Morehead State ranks second in the OVC in scoring defense (69.0), free throw percentage (.732) and three-point defense (.234).

• The Eagles' .813 free throw percentage at West Virginia was the best efficiency in a game (with 10+ attempts) since hitting 92 percent in the OVC Tournament Championship game win over Belmont on March 6, 2021.

• Head coach Preston Spradlin needs six wins to become the sixth head coach in program history to lead his teams to 100+ wins. Spradlin is just the second head coach in program history to lead his teams to back-to-back 20-win seasons.

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