Feb. 16, 2002

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.- As it is every time Murray State and Southeast Missouri meet, a good game is the outcome.

The Murray State Racers took the Southeast Missouri State Indians best shot but came out victorious 92-86 on Saturday.

"It's tough to lose when we play that well," said freshman Derek Winans. "You have to give credit to Murray, they make the shots when it counted the most."

Murray State (15-11, 9-5 OVC) was able to built an early eight-point lead behind good shooting while Southeast (5-20, 3-11) was kept in the game by Winans. Winans scored 11 points in a 4:50 span of the first half. Then his fast break layup with 6:34 to play before the half tied the game at 26. The two teams would play almost even the remainder of the half, as Murray went into the locker room with a 92-86 lead.

Murray dominated the second half at were able to go up by as many as 13 points with 3:11 remaining in the game. The Indians would make a run, however, as they used a 14-3 run over the next two minutes thanks to two three-pointers by Tim Scheer and buckets from Brett Hale and Demetrius King to close the gap to 86-84 with 50 seconds to play. Clutch free-throw shooting in the final seconds sealed the deal for Murray.

Murray outrebounded Southeast 40-21.

"We really pride ourselves in rebounding the basketball," said Murray State coach Trevester Anderson. "That is what is making us a better basketball team."

Winans led the Indians with 19 points. Scheer followed with 18 and Drew DeMond added 12.

Cuthbert Victor netted 20 points for Murray State, followed by 17 from both Antione Whelchel and Antonio Henderson.

"We couldn't have played any better," said Southeast Missouri coach Gary Garner. "We played as well as we could."