Article Archives
 The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter on the growth of the Racer brand and the return of Ivan Aska
The Racer Insider made his weekly visit to the Travis Turner Sports Show on Monday, and we open with Lindy Suiter celebrating another historic day for Racer basketball as Murray State climbed into the AP top ten, marking the first time in program history the Racers have been ranked in the top ten in both the AP poll and the coaches poll. He also celebrates the growth of the brand that is Murray State basketball, saluting the outstanding media coverage that has followed this team all year long, as well as the remarkable crowd support that is selling out the CFSB Center at each Racer home game. Lindy says it was a very special moment on Saturday night as that sellout crowd provided a standing ovation for the return of senior forward Ivan Aska from a hand injury, and he says it was clear that Aska was moved by the the response of the full house. Lindy says Aska looked good in his return, and he tells us it was another sharp peformance by Steve Prohm's team as they took care of business against Eastern Illinois. And he marvels at how well Coach Prohm continues to handle this magical year, able to keep his squad singularly focused on each task while honoring every national media request to spread the word about Racer basketball.
The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter talks SEMO matchup, potential BracketBuster foes
As we continue our January 30 visit with the Racer Insider, Lindy Suiter helps us break down Murray State's Thursday night matchup with the OVC's number two team, Southeast Missouri. Lindy sees the RedHawks as a dangerous foe, armed with talented forwards Leon Powell and Tyler Stone, a duo who helped SEMO outrebound Austin Peay 50-26 last Saturday night in a 65-60 victory. We also take a look at potential BracketBuster opponents for the Racers, and while Lindy hopes for WCC power St. Mary's, he says Wichita State is a strong possibility. Both clubs appear to be NCAA-bound, and each would present an excellent opportunity for the Racers to improve their case for a four or five-seed in the Big Dance. We also ask Lindy if the Racers still have room to improve, and he shares his thoughts on what they can do to find an even higher gear.
The Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko on Heath's run at the All-A Classic, latest on boys First Region hoops
The Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko made his weekly visit to the Travis Turner Sports Show, and Joe begins this week's examination of First Region basketball with a look back at Heath's run to the semifinals of the All-A Classic in Frankfort. He says Jacob Jett's three double-doubles illuminated the big forward as a special player on the big stage, and he talks about more end-game heroics from Chase Bradley and the unsung contributions of Javin Bell. Joe tells us that Burlin Brower's triangle-and-two helped upend West Carter in the quarterfinals, and he says the Pirates gave a very talented Bardstown club all they wanted in the semifinals. As we return focus to the First Region, the Pirates find themselves headed to Marshall County, a matchup that Joe believes will be very difficult for Brower's team as they face the Marshals on short rest. He says the game could feature the region's top two players in Jett and Marshall's Cole Nelson, and he reminds us that Chase Clark is having a phenomenal year for the Marshals as well. Joe also talks about another Graves County-Paducah Tilghman matchup, noting that both teams are still trying to figure out who they are and what they do best. He provides insight on a Tilghman squad that is quite different from previous editions of the Tornado, and he says they must be better on defense if they are to make postseason noise. Joe talks more about the balance of the Third District, and he says that region-wide the race for the title is Marshall County and everybody else in a mad scramble to the top.
The Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko studies the top contenders for the girls' First Region title
In part two of our visit with the Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko, we turn our attention to the girls' First Region landscape, and Joe takes a look at the battle for the top seed in the Fourth District. Murray struggled in a loss to Owensboro Catholic at the All-A Classic, then returned home to a 61-46 loss at the hands of Calloway County. Joe says the Lady Tigers are clearly struggling on offense, and Calloway County's win puts the Lady Lakers in position to control their own destiny in pursuit of the district's top seed. Marshall County also controls their own destiny, and the race will only intensify as Murray heads to Marshall County on Saturday...with Calloway doing the same on February 10. Joe points out that all three teams are dealing with key injuries as Murray misses Maddie Waldrop (out for year with ACL tear), Calloway County works without Abby Futrell (return unknown, head injury), and Marshall County plays minus Mariah McKenty (due to return this week). How they deal with those personnel issues could be critical, and Joe was very impressed with the play of Summer Simmons, who provided the Lady Lakers with a huge lift in their win over Murray. He also tells us that while those three battle it out in the Fourth, Paducah Tilghman is beginning to look like the favorite to win it all. Tilghman added a second convincing win over Marshall County last week, and Joe says the Tornado are led by the region's Player of the Year in guard Chelsey Shumpert. He believes the junior has returned from her knee injury better than ever, and he highlights the tremendous impact she has on the game night in and night out. Joe takes another look at the Third District race, and he says it is just as balanced and hard to forecast as it is on the boys' side of things.
The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter talks about the Racers' rise to #9, being the nation's lone unbeaten team
The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter made his weekly visit to the Travis Turner Sports Show, and this time Lindy arrives with the Racers standing as the nation's only undefeated team. He discusses how special that achievement is, and he marvels at Murray State's rise to #9 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Lindy praises the incredible fan support that continues to grow in the wake of the Racers' sustained excellence, and he says the burgeoning regional support bodes very well as the program looks to continue to expand its brand. Lindy talks about the grit the Racers showed in a come-from-behind win at Morehead State, and he takes Eagles head coach Donnie Tyndall to task for statements he made following the game last Wednesday night. Lindy then breaks down Murray State's impressive performance at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, an effort that came in front of a sell-out crowd that Lindy believes to be as hostile as any the Racers have faced this year. And we get a chance to talk about the return of Ivan Aska, a welcome boost that should further energize Steve Prohm's team as they prepare for the stretch run.
The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter talks OVC landscape, All-Access, and BracketBusters
In part two of our most recent visit with the Racer Insider, Lindy Suiter evaluates the OVC standings as we prepare for the second half of conference play. Lindy also shares his thoughts on ESPNU's All-Access program on the Racers, and he talks about his favorite parts of the show and what it meant to his family to be part of the production. We close out this week's visit with Lindy be taking a look at the potential matchups the Racers could see on BracketBuster Saturday, and we consider what it would be like if ESPN's GameDay and college basketball's most famous ambassador, Dick Vitale, came to town to see the Racers.
The Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko about All-A regional titles for Heath's Pirates, Murray's Lady Tigers
The Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko made his weekly visit to the Travis Turner Sports Show, and Joe get started with a look back at two terrific rallies by the Heath Pirates that lifted Burlin Brower's team to a second straight First Region All-A championship. He breaks down how the Pirates came back to beat Mayfield in the semifinals and St. Mary in the title game, and he talks about the unsung heroes that played huge roles in the victories. Joe says leading scorers Jacob Jett and Drew Wrinkle were in the middle of things as always, but Joe points to the play of Javin Bell, Luke Jordan, and Chase Bradley as key to the comebacks that chased down the Cardinals and Vikings. Jordan and Bradley were particularly important, with Bradley delivering the game-winner against St. Mary. Joe also reflects on Murray's win over St. Mary's Lady Vikings for the girls championship, and Joe says the Lady Tigers had to sweat it out as the Lady Vikings rallied in the second half. He discusses the brilliant first half the Lady Tigers put together to lead by 17 at the halftime break, and he breaks down the elements that made Murray so effective over the first two quarters. Joe praises the young St. Mary squad for their comeback, and he talks about some of the key pieces that will return for the Lady Vikings next year.
The Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko on the All-A Classic roads for Murray and Heath
We continue our coverage of the All-A Classic with the Paducah Sun's Joey Fosko, and with the First Region championships in the book, we look ahead to the state tournament in Frankfort. We begin our examination of the brackets, with the ladies' side of things, and Joe takes a look at Murray's first-round game against Owensboro Catholic. The Lady Aces are the tournament's defending champions, but Joe says they have a different look minus injured All-American Rebecca Greenwell. We discuss the personnel and strengths of OCath and Murray will match up with them, and then we take a look at what Murray could face if they can move forward in the tournment. In a unique twist, Heath will also face the defending state champion in the boys' tournament, 15th Region champion Betsy Layne. Joe tells us this champ isn't quite the same either, having lost several key pieces to graduation, but he says the Bobcats still present a bit of a challenge to the Pirates in the first-round. Joe also has a look at what obstacles could await Heath in future rounds, and he discusses the likelihood that the Pirates can play into the weekend.
Billie Prince on Ballard Memorial's fresh start, dealing with injuries, and defending a championship
Billie Prince and his Ballard Memorial Lady Bombers have dealt with enough injuries over the last twelve months to last a career, and as the team looks to defend its All-A First Region title, they find themselves dealing with a key injury again. In a conversation held Thursday morning, we ask Coach Prince about his team's hot start to 2012, an impressive stretch built on the rigors of a very difficult schedule before and after Christmas. Prince talks about the change in mentality that put his team back on the attack in wins over Mayfield, St. Mary, and Paducah Tilghman. He also discusses dealing with an ankle injury to sophomore Abbi Denton, and he says while it is a concern, he also knows that Denton will give the Lady Bombers everything she can in the semifinals against St. Mary. Prince breaks down the matchup with the Lady Vikings, and he says it's no secret his ladies will get off the bus intending to bring full-court pressure on Thursday night. He says his club must be able to deal with St. Mary's imposing size up front, and he points to the ability to play at their preferred tempo as a big key. We get Prince's thoughts on trying to defend the championship and win the program's fourth title in five years, and he talks about the importance of his players believing that they can do just that.
Burlin Brower on Heath's All-A quarterfinal win, trying to defend the All-A title
Burlin Brower's Heath Pirates entered the season with high expectations coming off an All-A championship season and returning senior forward Jacob Jett, but December saw the Pirates struggle more than a little as they dealt with injury and evolving roles in their rotation. But as we enter the new year, the rotation has settled in around Jett, and Heath has started to play very good basketball...just in time to try and defend that All-A title. Coach Brower joined us on Thursday morning to talk about how well his team is playing, a fact evident in the Pirates' 55-48 win over Hickman County on Wednesday night, and he opens by talking about how well his team is shooting the ball of late, a development he credits to moving the ball well and getting quality shots. The Pirates made 58 percent of their shots against the Falcons, and they got a huge game from Javin Bell, who tossed in 20 points. Brower also praised the defensive effort of his club, most notably the work of Chase Bradley and Jason Armstrong, two players who worked hard to contain Hickman County stars Eric Kerney and Kedrian Thomas. Brower talks about Jett's fine play in his senior season, and he says the multi-talented big forward has proven himself to be a great passer capable of making the game easier for his teammates. As we move our attention forward to Friday night's semifinals, Brower breaks down the many strengths of his foe, Mayfield, and he takes a look at the opposing styles that will be at work in St. Mary's game against Fulton City. Brower shares his keys for his team's success, and he outlines what he believes the Pirates will have to do well to lift the trophy again on Saturday night.
Staci Averill talks about St. Mary's thrilling All-A semifinal win, preparing for Saturday night's title game
Staci Averill has led the St. Mary Lady Vikings to a number of big-time wins in the First Region All-A Classic, and there's little doubt the Lady Vikings' championship victories would top the list. But even those wins might have to make a litte room for St. Mary's breathtaking roller-coaster of a win on Thursday night, as Casey Kupper's basket before the buzzer lifted the Lady Vikings into Saturday's championship game. We visit with Coach Averill the morning after the see-saw affair, and she talks about the effort her kids gave to survive the end-to-end pressure of Ballard Memorial. Averill discusses Kupper's game-winner and the contributions of the sophomore, and she talks about how important the three-point shooting of Michae Word has been to the St. Mary offense. Word's perimeter accuracy helps balance the floor for the Lady Vikings, as most teams focus on trying to stop the powerful front line of Alex Durbin, Lydia McManus, and Rachel Guess. Averill talks about the job Durbin did creating against the Lady Bomber pressure on Thursday night, as she had seven assists to go with eight points and twelve rebounds. Averill says she asks a lot of different things of the talented sophomore, a player she says has as much athletic ability as any player she's coached. Having the powerful McManus back in the lineup has been huge for St. Mary, and Averill tells us the six-footer can be a tremendous force scoring the ball around the basket. And the blue-collar Guess always comes to play, with her head coach calling her the 'glue' that holds the Lady Vikings together. We get Averill's thoughts on matching up with Murray in the title game, and she says her team must take care of the basketball and hit the glass if they hope to upset the top seed. She also talks about her friendship with Lady Tigers' head coach Rechelle Turner, discussing the legacy they share as part of Marshall County's great basketball tradition. Averill shares how much the All-A Classic means to the St. Mary family, and she talks about how special it might be to coach in the opening title game, and then get to watch her son Wes play in the boys title game if his Vikings arrive there on Saturday night.
Murray senior G Kendall Deese on taking the big shot, facing Calloway County
Murray High senior Kendall Deese is one of the First Region's top backcourt performers, and as we check in with athletic guard, we ask him about the confidence the Tigers have gained from a stretch that's seen Murray claim wins in five of their last six games. Deese talks about finally getting healthy and finding his rhythm, and he also shares his insight on what it's like to play for first-year Tigers coach Joey Adair. Deese talks about the major role he plays on both ends of the floor for Murray High, and he details the impact an increased focus on rebounding has had on his game. Deese talks about the keys to the Tigers playing well at Calloway County on Friday night, and after missing a potential game-winner at Hickman County on Tuesday, the Tigers' leader says he'll be readyfor another chance to go to work with the game on the line in the Crosstown Classic.
Calloway County senior PG Jay Green talks about his role, preparing for Murray High
Calloway County's Jay Green plays an important role as the point guard for Bruce Lane's talented young Lakers, and we caught up with the senior to talk about his job and the Lakers upcoming battle with Murray High. Green discusses Calloway County's road win at Lone Oak on Saturday night, and he breaks down what the Lakers did well to earn the victory. Green takes us inside his job as the Lakers' floor leader, and he talks about how it feels to be on the floor for the fantastic atmosphere in the Crosstown Classic. He also provides insight on his team's week of preparation, and Green points to the things his club must do well to knock off the Tigers on Friday night.
Calloway County PG Lauren Benson on her amazing experiences as a Lady Laker, getting ready for Murray
Lauren Benson will leave Calloway County with an incredible legacy of winning, and we talk to the senior guard about an unbelievable junior year that saw her earn minutes as a key reserve on a Sweet Sixteen Final Four basketball team and play a prominent role as the third baseman for a Lady Laker softball team that finished third in the state. Benson says the experiences were very special, and she says they were made even more special by being able to share them with friends and family. As we turn our attention to her senior basketball season, Benson talks about her increased role as the team's starting point guard, and she talks about how much she relishes the role of defensive stopper for the Lady Lakers. We get Benson's thoughts on her career-best game at Graves County (15 points, 12 steals), and she talks about what it meant to her team to knock off district rival Marshall County last Friday night. And Benson talks about what it's like to play in front of a Crosstown Classic crowd, and she breaks down the things the Lady Lakers must do well to beat Murray's Lady Tigers.
Murray F Shelby Crouch on her career, playing for Rechelle Turner, and preparing for Calloway County
Shelby Crouch is the latest Murray High Lady Tiger to score 1000 career points, a milestone the senior attained on December 27, and the 5-11 forward is also in position to finish her career with more than 1000 career rebounds. If she does so, she'll be the first player in Rechelle Turner's 16 seasons to reach both milestones. Crouch's career has been synonymous with winning at Murray, and we talk to her about being part of so many of Turner's 300 career wins. Crouch talks about what it's been like to play for Turner, and she also talks about her role as a leader for the Lady Tigers and the work she's done to mentor young forwards Julie Thiede and Maddie Waldrop. We talk to Crouch about the impact of playing in front of the high-energy crowds in the Crosstown Classic, and she shares her insight on what Murray must do well to come away with a win on Friday night.
The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter talks about the top ten, a gritty win, and a record crowd
The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter makes his weekly visit to the Travis Turner Sports Show, and Lindy opens up talking about another incredible first in the proud history of Murray State basketball...the Racers entry into the coaches poll top ten. He talks about just how amazing it is to see the Racers ranked tenth in the country, and he discusses the record-breaking crowd that watched the Racers edge Tennessee Tech on Saturday in evening. Lindy calls it the best atmosphere he's ever seen inside the CFSB Center as 8671 fans cheered Murray State to their 18th straight win, now the longest-winning streak in school history. Lindy shares his thoughts on the gritty, gutty effort that kept the Racers perfect, and he highlights all of the heroic efforts that helped get the job done. And as we wrap the first part of our visit with the Racer Insider, Lindy talks about the unbelievable start to Steve Prohm's head coaching career.
The Racer Insider Lindy Suiter on a pair of road tests for the Racers and the All-Access experience
Our most recent visit with the Racer Insider rolls on, and as we move into our second segment Lindy Suiter fields question from our listeners, including a query about OVC tournament tickets. A search for information on those tickets reveals that all-session tickets are already on sale for $60 at university ticket offices, and we urge Racer fans to start grabbing their tickets now for an event that could be very difficult to get into in March. Lindy then helps us get ready for the coming week in OVC play, and we take a look at the challenges that trips to Morehead State and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville could provide. Lindy says the Racers have become a huge draw on the road, and he says both Morehead and SIUE will be looking to take advantage of the top ten Racers' presence to fill up their buildings this week. And we close this week's conversation with Lindy as he talks about being part of ESPNU's All-Access production, a program that will add to the fabulous attention showered on a team and program that is richly deserving of the national spotlight.
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