Live Blogging: 2019 NCAA MBK Round of 32: Murray State Racers vs. Florida State Seminoles 03/23/2019

Hello and welcome to another edition of ‘Live Blogging on Shish on College Basketball’. Tonight it is a 2019 NCAA MBK Round of 32 game between Murray State Racers and Florida State Seminoles. This game is in the West Region.

This is a battle of a team with a star player vs. a deep team. Ja Morant is coming off having a triple-double in the Racers win over the Golden Eagles. He is the best player not named Zion Williamson.

For the Seminoles they are hoping to continue their run of making it deep into NCAA MBK Tournament. They had a tough matchup vs. Vermont, but manage to beat them on Thursday Afternoon.

And even though the Noles are more deep as a team, their sixth man Mfiondu Kabengele could be the closest to being an NBA player. Kabengele is the nephew of NBA Great Dikembe Mutombo.

The Racers are led by Ja Morant in scoring and assists. And Darnell Cowart leads Murray State in assists. For their team stats, they average 83.3 PPG, rebound the ball at a 40.3 RPG, and they distribute the ball at 18.3 APG.

As for the Seminoles, they are led by Mfiondu Kabengele in scoring. Terrence Mann leads Florida State in rebounding. While Trent Forrest leads the team in assists. Their team stats include a scoring average of 74.9 PPG, a rebounding average of 40.2 RPG, finally they distribute the ball at 12.7 APG.

It is Murray State Racers taking on Florida State Seminoles, in the West Region. The game will be live blogged shortly.
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Possible Starting Lineups:
Murray State Racers (28-4):
G: J. Morant
G: S. Buchanan
G: T. Brown
F: D. Cowart
F: K. Williams

Florida State Seminoles (28-7):
G: M.J. Walker
G: T. Mann
G: T. Forrest
F: R. Gray
C: C. Koumadje

Murray State is in their blue and gold uniforms. While the Seminoles are in their home white uniforms. 

1st Half:
NCAA MBK Tournament Scores:
20:00: Florida State wins tipoff. Murray State will have the Possession Arrow, in their favor.
19:27: Gray drills a 3-point FG. MURR 0, FSU 3
19:04: Morant with a 3-point FG. MURR 3, FSU 3
18:35: Buchanan with a layup. Morant with an assist. MURR 5, FSU 3
18:06: Koumadje with a layup. MURR 5, FSU 5
17:14: Jump Ball! Murray State Ball! Florida State will have the Possession Arrow, in their favor. 
17:08: Buchanan makes both free throws. MURR 7, FSU 5
16:11: Morant with a 3-point FG. MURR 10, FSU 5
15:50: Kabengele with a jumper. MURR 10, FSU 7
15:35: Morant with a 3-point FG. MURR 13, FSU 7
15:16: T.V. Timeout #1: MURR 13, FSU 7

​15:16: Morant makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 14, FSU 7
15:05: Kabengele makes a 3-point FG. MURR 14, FSU 10
14:28: Kabengele with a fade-away. MURR 14, FSU 12
14:12: Cowart with a FG. MURR 16, FSU 
14:03: Mann with a layup. MURR 16, FSU 14
13:49: Cowart with a layup. MURR 18, FSU 14
13:35: Gray with a 3-point FG. MURR 18, FSU 17
13:09: Kabengele with a FG. MURR 18, FSU 19
12:48: Vassell with a 3-point FG. MURR 18, FSU 22
11:50: Morant with a 3-point FG. MURR 21, FSU 22
11:22: Mann with a layup. MURR 21, FSU 24
10:43: Forrest with a layup. MURR 21, FSU 26
10:24: Buchanan with a layup. MURR 23, FSU 26
9:53: Gray with a 3-point FG. MURR 23, FSU 29
9:50: RACERS TIMEOUT #1: MURR 23, FSU 29
9:33: T.V. Timeout #2: MURR 23, FSU 29

​​9:27: Morant goes down. He goes off the court. Now Morant is back on the court. 
8:51: Savoy with a 3-point FG. MURR 23, FSU 32
8:28: Morant with another line-drive 3-point FG. MURR 26, FSU 32
7:47: Savoy with a 3-point FG. MURR 26, FSU 35
7:18: Forrest with a layup. MURR 26, FSU 37
7:12: T.V. Timeout #3: MURR 26, FSU 37

​6:52: Savoy with a 3-point FG. MURR 26, FSU 40
6:13: Brown with a layup. MURR 28, FSU 40
5:32: Buchanan with a layup. MURR 30, FSU 40
5:19: Mann with a layup. MURR 30, FSU 42
5:00: Gray makes both free throws. MURR 30, FSU 44
4:44: Morant with a layup. MURR 32, FSU 44
3:28: Mann with an alley-oop. Vassell with an assist. MURR 32, FSU 46
3:06: T.V. Timeout #4: MURR 32, FSU 46

​2:43: Kabengele with a FG. MURR 32, FSU 48
2:23: Vassell with a stuff on Buchanan's 3-point shot attempt. 
1:55: Cowart makes both free throws. MURR 34, FSU 48
:41: Mann with a jam. MURR 34, FSU 50
:00: The End of 1st Half. Florida State will inbound the ball to start 2nd Half.

Halftime: 
MURR 34, FSU 50

Halftime Leaders:
Scoring: Morant (MURR) 18 points 
Rebounding: Koumadje (FSU) 6 rebounds
Assists: Mann (FSU) 4 assists

Halftime Thoughts: 
Ja Morant and the Racers got off with a fast start. However, the Seminoles led by Kabengele and Savoy have made this a 16-point game, at halftime. 

NCAA MBK Tournament Scores:

2nd Half:
20:00: Florida State will inbound, to start the 2nd Half. Murray State will have the Possession Arrow, in their favor. 
​19:45: Mann both free throws. MURR 34, FSU 52
19:03: Mann makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 34, FSU 53
17:36: Forrest with a layup. MURR 34, FSU 55
17:17: Morant makes both free throws. MURR 36, FSU 55
17:09: Mann makes a layup and foul. Mann makes both free throws. MURR 36, FSU 58
16:52: Cowart with a layup. MURR 38, FSU 58
16:35: Koumadje with an alley-oop. Forrest with an assist. MURR 38, FSU 60
16:12: Cowart with a jumper. MURR 40, FSU 60
15:49: T.V. Timeout #1: MURR 40, FSU 60
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14:41: Koumadje with an alley-oop. Mann with an assist. MURR 40, FSU 62
14:31: Morant muscles a layup on Koumadje. And Ja draws a foul. Morant MURR 43, FSU 62
14:01: Kabengele with a layup. MURR 43, FSU 64
13:46: Buchanan with a 3-point FG. MURR 46, FSU 62
13:33: Mann with a layup. MURR 46, FSU 66
13:00: Kabengele with a jam. MURR 46, FSU 68
12:37: Morant makes both free throws. MURR 48, FSU 68
12:04: Polite with a jam. MURR 48, FSU 70
11:37: T.V. Timeout #2: MURR 48, FSU 70

​11:09: Gilmore with a tip-in. MURR 50, FSU 70
10:34: Polite makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 50, FSU 71
9:45: Morant with an airball?
8:49: Wilkes with a jumper. MURR 50, FSU 73
8:35: Seminoles shutting out Racers in bench points, 32-0.
8:15: Brown with a 3-point FG. MURR 53, FSU 73
8:15: RACERS TIMEOUT #2: MURR 53, FSU 73
​7:50: Kabengele with a layup. MURR 53, FSU 75
6:42: Murray State is in the Bonus. 
6:09: T.V. Timeout #3: MURR 53, FSU 75

​6:09: Cowart makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 54, FSU 75
5:47: Kabengele makes a jam. MURR 54, FSU 77
4:49: Kabengele with a 3-point FG. MURR 54, FSU 80
4:18: Forrest with a layup. MURR 54, FSU 82
4:07: Morant makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 55, FSU 82
3:33: Polite with a 3-point FG. MURR 55, FSU 85
3:20: Gilmore with a jam. Morant with an assist. MURR 57, FSU 85
2:47: Polite with a 3-point FG. MURR 57, FSU 88
2:25: T.V. Timeout #4: MURR 57, FSU 88

2:25: Buchanan makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 58, FSU 88 
1:45: Morant with a layup. MURR 60, FSU 88
1:35: SEMINOLES TIMEOUT: MURR 60, FSU 88
1:24: Davis makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 61, FSU 88
1:11: Prieto makes a layup. MURR 61, FSU 90
1:02: Johnson makes 1 of 2 free throws. MURR 62, FSU 90
:40: Murray State is in the Double Bonus.

:00: The End of Game.

Final:
MURR 62, FSU 90
Florida State advances to Sweet 16. Will play winner of Baylor/Gonzaga, on Thursday.

Final Leaders:
Scoring: Morant (MURR) 28 points 
Rebounding: Koumadje (FSU) 9 rebounds
Assists: Mann (FSU) 6 assists

Final Thoughts:
Seminoles were too much for Ja Morant and the Racers. Florida State let Morant score and shut down everyone else. Bench scoring was key for Florida State. For the Racers, will they regroup after losing Ja Morant to the NBA. 

Florida State will play the winner of Baylor/Gonzaga in Anaheim, on Thursday. 

This is Paul Shishkoff, Jr. This has been 'Live Blogging on Shish on College Basketball'. Thanks for visiting this page.