Murray State collects 13th tournament berth

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Murray State Racers love looking at the banners that fill their gym's rafters.

Adding to that collection is even more special.

Reserve Tyler Holloway scored 11 of his 13 points in a key second-half run to help Murray State clinch its 13th berth in the NCAA tournament by beating Samford 74-57 in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship Saturday.

The Racers (24-6), who have won the OVC tourney title two of the past three seasons, celebrated by linking together like a chorus line and dancing at mid-court in what junior Trey Pearson titled a "diddybop".

"It just feels good knowing you're one of those banners up there," Racers junior Shawn Witherspoon said. "I guess we're going to be two unless they put them on the same one."

"We're running out of room," Murray State coach Mick Cronin added.

Samford (20-11) was trying to earn its third NCAA berth in eight seasons in a third different conference only three seasons after joining the OVC. The Bulldogs' first two trips came first as winners of the Trans America Athletic Conference tournament in 1999, then the Atlantic Sun tournament in 2000.

But the Racers have dominated the OVC for decades, and not even the fifth-best 3-point shooting team in the nation was going to change that.

Pearson led Murray State with 15 points, and all 10 Racers who played scored. Pearson Griffith added 11 and Justin Orr 10. Murray State outrebounded Samford 45-29 and outshot the Bulldogs 53.1 percent to 33.3 percent, holding them to 12-of-39 from beyond the arc.