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| | Tuesday, November 2 | |||||||||||||||
COACH AND PROGRAM
AUBREY REESE (6-0, 190 lbs., SR, PG, #12, 14.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.9 apg, 3.5 tpg, 1.8 spg, 35.7 minutes, .439 FG, .349 3PT, .735 FT, Auburn HS/Auburn, Ala.) What made the Racers click last year? Aubrey Reese did. Reese was perhaps the best point guard in the OVC last season, and he hit one of the biggest shots of the year. With the Racers trailing by a point in the championship game of the league tournament, Reese made a running 15-foot shot that beat Southeast Missouri State, 62-61, and lifted Murray State into the NCAAs. In two previous games against Southeast Missouri State, Reese had scored a combined 29 points and grabbed 18 rebounds (he had 12 boards in the first meeting between the two teams). Reese also made a last-second shot that beat the Indians by a point in Cape Girardeau. Gary Garner, SEMO's coach, had seen enough of Reese. "I'm sick of him," Garner, somehow able to crack a smile, said after the loss in the OVC final. "Don't get me wrong. He's a great player, and I told him that when I saw him in the hallway. He made an even tougher shot against us at home." OVC coaches may get tired of seeing Reese, but Anderson wishes he had four more years of him. "It wasn't just the shots he made, he just had a solid year for us," Anderson said. "If he had gone down in any fashion, we would not be where we were. He matured so much. He developed a lot over the summer. He came back a lot better basketball player." That spells more trouble for OVC foes. Not only can Reese score, he can play defense. A former football cornerback in high school, Reese can be a gritty defensive player. Anderson realized that during Reese's freshman year, when he drew the assignment of guarding Tennessee State star Jamie Roberts. "Aubrey did a phenomenal job on him," Anderson said. "Defensively, he's quick and strong. He has strength, plus he has quickness." Reese, who was chosen to the All-OVC first team, was third on the team in three-pointers (45-for-129). When Spencer got hurt early in the NCAA Tournament game against Ohio State, Reese took on a scoring load with 26 points. He was 6 of 15 from the field, and made 11 of 14 free throws. Reese was 12th in the OVC in scoring, fourth in assists per game (4.94) and sixth in steals per game (1.76). ISAAC SPENCER (6-6, 215 lbs., SR, PF, #31,16.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.7 tpg, 1.1 spg, 32.3 minutes, .527 FG, .385 3PT, .708 FT, Jefferson Davis HS/Montgomery, Ala.) It wasn't just the numbers Isaac Spencer put up last season that made him so valuable to the Racers' success. Far from it. Spencer was the heart of the team in many ways. "He was our MVP," Anderson said. "At the same time, he was our emotional leader, our leading scorer and leading rebounder. That's why it hurt us so bad when he went out of the Ohio State game." Early in the game against the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament first round, Spencer landed hard and suffered a back injury. Spencer wanted to play and continued, but was hardly himself. It may have been a mistake. A few days after the loss to Ohio State, Spencer had surgery for a herniated disc. "We didn't know how bad his back was," Anderson said. "The trainer said if we were going to play him, don't let him sit. We may have made a mistake by playing him, because our backups may have been better than he was with the injury." With the injury, Spencer hobbled through the game against the Buckeyes, scoring seven points and grabbing three rebounds in 19 minutes. Anderson hopes Spencer will be back to his old form this season. "You never know until he plays," the coach said. "He's taken the entire summer off. We hope he'll be OK." Spencer, who was sixth in the OVC in rebounding and seventh in scoring, was chosen to the All-Conference first team. In the OVC Tournament last February, Spencer averaged 17.3 ppg and 10.3 rpg. Spencer may have transformed himself from strictly a frontcourt player to more of an all-court player. "He has good moves around the basket, no question," Anderson said, "but he has extended his game out. He can run the floor with the basketball. He can go out and guard a guard. He has improved his foot movement. He has really extended his game in the last year or two. By the end of the year, I think he can play small forward and be effective. He's really determined to have a great senior year." ROD MURRAY (6-7, 190 lbs., SR, SF, #13, 12.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.9 tpg, 1.1 spg, 30.4 minutes, .486 FG, .395 3PT, .737 FT, Jefferson Davis HS/Montgomery, Ala.) Rod Murray showed vast improvement last season after averaging 9.5 ppg and 4.7 rpg as a sophomore. It didn't come as big surprise to his coach, though. "He's probably the most gifted player on our team," Anderson said. "In some games he didn't play as well as he should have played. As far as natural talent, if I picked one guy who had a chance to play after college, he would be that guy." Obviously, Anderson has high expectations for Murray during his senior season. If Murray continues to improve, he could get some serious looks from pro scouts. Between his sophomore and junior seasons, Murray worked on his range, and that work was evident last season. As a sophomore, Murray made only 10 three-pointers, but that number jumped to 47 last year when he shot nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc as the team's best three-point shooter. Murray, chosen to the All-OVC second team, was slowed by a sprained ankle in the OVC Tournament and failed to score in the title game against SEMO. In addition to improving his range, Murray has become a better defender. Anderson is putting plenty on the shoulders of Murray this season. "He runs so well, jumps so well, has quick feet and good balance," Anderson said. "He's become a real good shooter. If he has a great year, a coming out party, we'll really be a pretty solid team no matter who we're playing." MARLON TOWNS (6-5, 215 lbs., SR, SG, #4, 8.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.7 tpg, 1.6 spg,, 28.7 minutes,.345 FG, .320 3PT, .667 FT, Northeast Oklahoma JC & Fairley HS/Memphis, Tenn.) Towns may not have been in tip-top shape last season, but that has changed. Some off-season conditioning should make Towns an even better player this year. "I thought he was a little overweight," Anderson said. "Now he's lost 15 or 20 pounds and he looks real good. He's looking to have a good senior year." Anderson hopes for a better season of shooting from Towns, who was inconsistent last season. Towns is the team's best perimeter defender and always draws the assignment of guarding the opponent's best offensive player in the backcourt. "He's a really good, skilled player," Anderson said. "At times he shot real well, but at times he didn't. We want him to be more consistent this season." Towns led the team in three-pointers (48-for-150), but missed more than Anderson would have liked. Towns hurt his ankle in the NCAA Tournament game against Ohio State. With Isaac Spencer already struggling with a back injury, the Racers' chances of a comeback were slim when Towns was hurt. "Before he got hurt, we were making one of our patented runs," Anderson said. "We were coming back without Ike, but when [Towns] got hurt, it killed us." Towns finished with eight points and six rebounds against Ohio State. MIKE TURNER (6-8, 220 lbs., SR, C, #44, 2.0 ppg, 0.9 rpg, .370 FG, .361 3PT, .923 FT, 6.4 minutes, Goodpasture HS/Nashville, Tenn.) With the Racers loaded at the small forward spot last year, Mike Turner got lost in the shuffle. That probably won't be the case this year. Turner will be moving up in the frontcourt to take the place of departed low-post players Duane Virgil and Marvin Gay. Can a converted small forward make such a move? In the OVC he can. It's a league in which dominant centers are a rarity, and Turner should be able to hold his own. "If he plays [center] for us, Spencer will play the [power forward]," Anderson said. "What you have is him taking Virgil's spot. What you have is a guy who's a better scorer and a guy who can go get shots better." Turner had little chance to show his frontcourt skills last year, but emerged as a leader despite the lack of playing time. He had five blocked shots. But with more playing time and a change of position, Anderson thinks Turner can really blossom. "He really stepped it up as far as leadership," Anderson said. "We thought last year what held him back was the numbers at his position. He was playing small forward and we had three or four small forwards. This year we'll make him a [power] player. We think he'll be good there. He sets good screens, shoots the ball well and blocks shots. We'll think that's his natural position." Last season, Turner made the move from power forward to small forward to take advantage of his three-point range. He made 13 of 36 from three-point range last season.KEY RESERVES RAY CUNNINGHAM (6-5, 185 lbs., JR, G-F, #25, 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 11.6 minutes, .474 FG, .528 FT, Central HS/Louisville, Ky.) Cunningham is one of the team's better athletes. An excellent perimeter defender, Cunningham has long arms, quickness and is a good leaper. "He might be our best athlete, especially off the bench," Anderson said. "He can step right in and play [shooting guard or small forward]." Cunningham gives the Racers a solid backup for either Towns or Murray. Last season, he improved steadily as the campaign progressed. His sophomore year was cut short by a fractured finger, which caused him to miss all but six games. He received a medical redshirt that year. Twice last season, Cunningham came off the bench and scored 12 points, and he had two other double-digit scoring games. AARON PAGE (6-5, 180 lbs., SR, G-F, #20, 2.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 7.2 minutes, .373 FG, .313 3PT, .636 FT, McNeil HS/Austin, Tex.) After a terrible January, Page played his best ball during the Racers' stretch run. He played in six of 10 games in January and didn't score a point. In the Racers' last three games of the season, Page averaged 5.3 ppg and was 3-for-7 from three-point range. His late-season run was enough to land Page the job as the backup small forward to Rod Murray. As a sophomore, Page averaged 6.6 ppg and played in all 33 games, averaging 14.9 minutes. "Page was hurt at the beginning of the season and he came on real late in the season," Anderson said. "He played real well his sophomore year and didn't play much his junior year. If he stays healthy, he can play extremely well for us." JUSTIN BURDINE (6-1, 170 lbs., SO, G, #24, 1.8 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.8 tpg, 6.3 minutes, .349 FG, .381 3PT, .889 FT, Hardin County HS/Savannah, Tenn.) After last season, Justin Burdine would probably like to settle into one position. That may not happen. "Last year we experimented with Justin so much," Anderson said. "At one time we said he was a two-guard, then we tried him at the point." At least Burdine was in the mix somewhere. He was the only freshman to see action last season for the Racers. This season, Burdine will again be a backup. Will he spell Aubrey Reese at the point, or will he spell Marlon Towns at shooting guard? Anderson isn't sure, but he does expect Burdine to contribute. "His strengths are his quickness and his shooting," Anderson said. "He can go to the basket with the ball. He really has great quickness, can finish and shoot the ball." KEVIN PASCHEL (5-11, 180 lbs., FR, G, #1, 16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.0 apg, Pleasure Ride Park HS/Louisville, Ky.) Murray State doesn't often expect a freshman to come in and contribute in his first season, but that will be expected of Kevin Paschel. "He will definitely play some point and spell Aubrey (Reese) some," Anderson said. Paschel is a natural point guard and an outstanding defensive player. He is a great leaper who can drive to the basket. After his senior season of high school, Paschel was selected the most valuable player of both the Kentucky-Ohio all-star game and the East-West all-star game. He was most valuable player of the Louisville Invitational high school tournament during the season and earned all-district, all-region and all-state honors. Paschel was also the Region 6 player of the year.OTHER RETURNEES None.OTHER NEWCOMERS CHRIS SHUMATE (6-6, 185 lbs., FR, G-F, #32, 25.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, Male HS/Louisville, Ky.) Chris Shumate has dreams of being the next Wally Szczerbiak, the recent star at Miami (Oh.). Shumate is a good player, but "He's not a Szczerbiak yet, but he's a very good shooter and a fine athlete," Anderson said. "He will be a fine player in this league." Shumate is a smart player and a student of the game. He has great court awareness and is an outstanding passer. After his senior year, he was honored as an all-district, all-region and all-state player and was chosen to play in the Kentucky-Indiana all-star game. Look for Shumate to be a backup at shooting guard in his freshman season. ANTIONE WELCHEL (6-5, 215 lbs., FR, F, #34, East Hall HS/ Gainesville, Ga.) Antione Welchel reminds Anderson of a bigger version of Marlon Towns. "He's a lot like Towns, but he's bigger and stronger than Towns," the coach said. During a recruiting trip last summer in Las Vegas, Anderson watched Welchel while he was playing for an AAU team out of Atlanta. Welchel was a post player in high school, and that probably helped Murray State's chances of signing him. "The thing that caught my eye was his ability to shoot the 'three' so well," Anderson said. "If he had played outside and played the way I thought he could play, I think Georgia or Georgia Tech would have signed him before we got him. I think he's a player we got because of the position he played in high school." Welchel will probably play small forward for the Racers, but, with his athleticism, could also be a power forward. CHIWALE BEDEAU (6-8, 240 lbs., FR, F, #40, Port of Spain, Trinidad) Bedeau continues Murray State's Trinidad connection. He is the third player from Port of Spain, Trinidad, to come to the program in the last three years. The others: Duane Virgil and Marvin Gay. Bedeau is an athlete. His basketball skills may need some refinement, but Anderson likes his potential. "He's a good player, very strong, very physical," Anderson said. "If he develops in practices in the first six to eight weeks, he could help us after Christmas." Bedeau will likely be a backup at power forward. LENNART CHRISTIANSEN (7-0, 250 lbs., FR, C, #55, Copenhagen, Denmark) Christiansen may also need some work, but with his size he could become a powerful frontcourt player in the OVC. It may take some time, but Anderson wouldn't have signed Christiansen if he didn't think the potential was there. "He's a big, strong guy, but he's a project," Anderson said. "He will be a fine player one day, but he's not ready for this league right now." JOSH RAMAGE (6-9, 210 lbs., FR, C, Caldwell County HS/Princeton, Ky.) Ramage is a walk-on who could help the Racers' frontcourt in the future. He is a good shooter from mid-range and in, but he lacks the size and bulk to contribute soon. ANTHONY WOODARD (6-3, 190 lbs., FR, G, Russellville HS/Russellville, Ky.) Woodard is a walk-on with good quickness and ballhandling skills. If he improves his strength, Woodard could be a good role player in the Racers' backcourt in years to come.STARTERS NOT RETURNING DUANE VIRGIL (6-9, C, 11.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.6 apg, 1.2 tpg, 0.9 spg, 27.0 minutes, .562 FG, .650 FT) Sure, Duane Virgil was a solid low-post player for the Racers. He was the team's second-leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer. But Anderson has plans to replace Virgil, plans that could give the Racers more versatility from the low-post spot. Mike Turner, at 6-7, won't have the size of Virgil, but he can step outside the paint and score. Virgil, a native of Port of Spain, Trinidad, was a player the Racers could count on every night. He started all 65 games of his career at Murray State after transferring from Palm Beach (Fla.) CC, where he averaged 20 points and 15 rebounds as a sophomore and led the team to a 26-9 record. As a junior at Murray State, Virgil started 33 games and, although not a flashy player, put up solid numbers, averaging 8.2 ppg and 5.9 rpg in 23.1 minutes per game. An aggressive defender, Virgil led the team in fouls (104) as a junior, but only fouled out once that year. Virgil played his best ball in big games. In his junior year, Virgil scored 10 and 15 points in the Racers' victories over Austin Peay and Tennessee State, respectively, in the semifinals and final of the OVC Tournament. He was 11-for-12 from the field in those two games. In the Racers' 97-74 loss to Rhode Island in the NCAA Tournament, Virgil scored 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting. At the end of last season, Virgil was on a roll again. He scored 23 and 16 points in the semifinals and final of the OVC Tournament in victories over Morehead State and Southeast Missouri State. In the three games before the NCAA Tournament, Virgil averaged 18.3 ppg, shot 70.3 percent from the field and averaged 5.6 rpg. In the 72-58 loss to Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament, Virgil scored eight points on 4-for-10 shooting and led all rebounders with 11. "We will really miss Virgil," Anderson said. "He was our man in the middle. It will be hard to replace him."OTHERS NOT RETURNING MARVIN GAY (6-9, C, 3.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.6 bpg, 12.2 minutes, .500 FG, .516 FT) Gay, Duane Virgil's backup at the center spot, was an excellent athlete and a good transition player. As a senior, Gay added a jump-hook to his arsenal and could move to the high post and score on the mid-range jumper. When Virgil came to the bench, opponents couldn't always breathe a sigh of relief. Not with Gay entering the game. Gay wasn't close to being the same threat in the low post that Virgil was, but, for a backup center, Gay was one of the best in the OVC. MICHAEL FLOYD (6-7, F, 2.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 9.2 minutes, .500 FG, .541 FT) Floyd was another valuable backup for the Racers last season. A rugged, physical player, Floyd was the backup for Isaac Spencer at the power forward spot. Floyd wasn't a great shooter, but had good moves and could score in the low post. He could also be a strong rebounder, as evidenced by his 11 boards against Eastern Kentucky in an early December game. He also had 10 points in that contest.QUESTIONS Frontcourt? Murray State must replace not only starting low-post player Duane Virgil, but also Virgil's backup, Marvin Gay. While the Racers have one of the OVC's better power forwards in Isaac Spencer, they have a hole to fill in the lane. Also, Murray State won't have a big frontcourt. The Racers can get by with their frontcourt in the OVC, but when they go outside of the OVC against bigger teams, they will need to rely on quickness and athleticism to stay in games. Depth? Four starters return, but the Racers' backups must prove themselves this year. At least a couple of the five freshman signees will be expected to contribute immediately. Those freshmen were effective in high school, but they must adapt to the college game where they'll be facing bigger, stronger and more talented competition. The returning non-starters can also expect to play more crucial roles. Spencer's back? How healthy is starting power forward Isaac Spencer, who suffered a herniated disc in the NCAA Tournament opener against Ohio State and had subsequent surgery? Back problems can be brutal. Spencer took much of the summer off, resting his back. Will Spencer be back at full speed? Only time will tell.ANSWERS Leaders! Five seniors will probably be in the starting lineup for the Racers. These guys have plenty of big-game experience to fall back on, and they expect to win every time they step on the court. They don't want to finish their senior seasons any differently than their previous years with the Racers. Backcourt! The Racers are loaded with talent in the backcourt, starting with senior point guard Aubrey Reese, an All-OVC player last season. Reese can score, play defense and run the show. Small forward Rod Murray, at 6-7, may be the team's most talented player, and shooting guard Marlon Towns is primed for his best season with the Racers. Tradition! The Racers have dominated the OVC for the last 12 years, and this senior-laden team doesn't want to lose that stronghold. Now they want to take the next step. Returning to the NCAA Tournament won't be good enough. After playing Ohio State tough in their NCAA opener last year even with Spencer hurting the Racers want to make some noise in the Big Dance this time.
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