The Eagle men's basketball team will look to keep its perfect (3-0) home record intact Tuesday night when the Knights of Kentucky Christian make the 35-mile trek down Interstate 64. Game time is 7 p.m. ET on FamilyLeisure.com Court in Johnson Arena.
MSU has won 15 of the past 17 games inside Johnson Arena.
KCU has moved to the Appalachian Athletic Conference after being a member of the NAIA Mid-South Conference. They are also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association.
The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network (WIVY-96.3 FM) with Chuck Mraz and Drew Barnette. It is also available on MSUEagles.com as well as network partner WGOH 100.9 FM/1370 AM. The game will also be on ESPN+. The men behind the mic are Jared Stacy and Dean Hardin.
2022-23 RECORDS
MSU: 3-4 | KCU: 2-4
SERIES RECORD
Record vs. KCU: 9-0
First Meeting: 2/1/03 MSU won 88-39 at MSU
Last Meeting: 12/12/17 MSU won 85-57 at MSU
Streak: MSU, 9 games
Record vs. KCU in Grayson, Ky.: 0-0
Record vs. KCU in Morehead: 9-0
Neutral Record: 0-0
NOTABLE
• Morehead State will strive to make it 10 for 10 all-time against Kentucky Christian. The Eagles and Knights have played nine times since 2003 with the average margin of victory for MSU being 99.1-58.5.
• Morehead State's 114 points generated last Tuesday in the win over Kentucky State was the highest scoring output since scoring 120 against Asbury (Ky.) on Dec. 28, 2016 - making it the second highest point total in head coach Preston Spradlin's tenure leading the program. The 65-point win was also the second-highest victory margin in program history, only behind the 68-point triumph over Centre (Ky.) in 1955.
• With six players scoring in double figures against Kentucky State, that marked the second game this season that six players had reached double figures - also occurring against Campbellsville-Harrodsburg.
• Alex Gross is one of just four current players on Division I teams to score 2,000+ career points in college. He is the ONLY player in Division I to record 2,000+ points AND 1,200+ career rebounds in college.
• Alex Gross has a pair of double-doubles this season. The 6-10 forward had 40 double-doubles just in his final two seasons at Olivet Nazarene (Ill.).
• Mark Freeman scored a season-high (and MSU career-high) 16 points at Marshall, hitting 4 of 5 three pointers.
• Mark Freeman and Branden Maughmer both boast career free throw accuracies of 82 percent.
• Freshman Trent Scott made his first career start against KSU and nearly had a double-double, tying his career high with 10 points and handing out nine assists - the highest assist total for any Eagle this year.
• Kalil Thomas set his career high against KSU, scoring 21 points off the bench in just 18 minutes.
• Morehead State ranks first in the OVC in defensive rebound percentage, averaging 77 percent per game. Opponents only average 8 offensive rebounds per game.
• Morehead State ranks third in the OVC in free throw shooting, hitting 71 percent as a team from the line.
• Morehead State ranks second in the OVC in rebounding margin (+4.0) and third in the OVC in scoring defense (69.1).
• The Eagles rank second in the OVC in offensive rebounds, grabbing 12 second-chance opportunities per game.
• Morehead State was selected No. 1 in the preseason Ohio Valley Conference vote of coaches and media relations personnel. Senior guard Mark Freeman was selected to the Preseason All-OVC Team.
• Head coach Preston Spradlin needs five wins to become the sixth head coach in program history to lead his teams to 100+ wins. Spradlin is just the second head coach in program history to lead his teams to back-to-back 20-win seasons.
• Among the 8 Division I men's basketball programs in Kentucky, Morehead State ranks first in wins in the last three seasons - 49.
By Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations