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Unexpected unbeaten run for Murray State

On College basketball

THIS STORY APPEARED IN

February 03, 2012|By Mark Blaudschun

Being the nations only undefeated team in Division 1 had Murray State fans… (John Wright/Associated…)

They have been unexpected guests at the dinner table for most of the season. They also know that even the slightest stumble will result in their exit.

Say hello to Murray State, which this week climbed to No. 10 in the Associated Press rankings, heady stuff for any team from the Ohio Valley Conference, even a program that has already clinched its 25th consecutive winning season.

After last night’s victory over Southeast Missouri State, the Racers are a pristine 22-0 - the only team in Division 1 with an unblemished record.

If you look at the other top 10 teams (Kentucky, Syracuse, Ohio State, Missouri, North Carolina, Baylor, Duke, Kansas, and Michigan State), you see a collection of basketball bluebloods from which the majority of the Final Four should come - although in this wacky season, anything is possible, especially since a year ago Butler and Virginia Commonwealth made it to the Final Four.

We haven’t had such an interloper since 2004, when Saint Joseph’s ran through the regular season with a 27-0 record that brought the Hawks a No. 1 ranking and an almost mystical “Hoosiers’’-type feeling to their season.

Saint Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli said at the time that the Hawks enjoyed their moment in the spotlight as much as they could.

“The word we’ve been using around here is ‘surreal,’ ’’ Martelli said then. “It’s a surreal experience to even think we’d be this good or enjoying this level of success.

“It chills you in a way to know that we’ll see in the newspapers that we’re the No. 1 team. Whether we are or not, that’s what it will say, and that’s a remarkable statement for our players, our program, and our fans.’’

A week after Martelli’s comments, Saint Joseph’s was spanked by Xavier, 87-67, in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament and reality kicked in. The Hawks still were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and made a run before losing by a basket to Oklahoma State in the East Regional final.

It could be argued that Saint Joseph’s played in a better conference than Murray State and was a better team with a better chance of running the table - something that hasn’t been done in Division 1 since Bobby Knight’s 1975-76 Indiana team went 32-0.

Murray State’s road is filled with potential potholes. The Racers, who weren’t even favored to win their conference, have games left at Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee State, and Tennessee Tech, all of whom are above. 500.

And with a BracketBuster game against No. 18 Saint Mary’s Feb. 18 and the conference tournament to be played in Nashville (home of Tennessee State), the odds are long of Murray State going into the NCAA Tournament unbeaten.

Bust and boon