By Glenn Osborne
Special to NKyTribune
Much attention has been given to Kentucky’s season-opening 25-game winning streak, a feat that has matched the mark set by the 1953-54 Wildcats, the school’s only modern-era undefeated squad.
If UK can knock off Tennessee on the road Tuesday, the 2014-15 team will have the mark to itself and the quest for an unblemished record will continue.
Flying under the radar, however, is another team from the Bluegrass state that is carrying the nation’s second longest winning streak among Division I men’s teams. If you guessed Murray State, then you’ve been paying attention to your college basketball. Don’t look now, but the Racers are 23-4 and winners of 21 decisions in a row.
Perhaps more significantly, coach Steve Prohm’s Racers defeated Southeast Missouri 94-92 in overtime last weekend to clinch the program’s 24th Ohio Valley Conference title. It’s their fourth league title in six seasons and second under Prohm’s direction. He also led the team to a championship in 2011-12.
In the win over SEMO, Murray State fell behind 73-63 with five minutes to play, then used a 15-5 streak to get back in the game. Three T.J. Sapp free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining sent the game into overtime.
MSU played the last 2:43 of regulation and the entire overtime period without leading scorer Cameron Payne, who fouled out. Payne averages 19.6 points a game and shoots better than 36 percent from behind the arc. He finished with 26 points in the contest.
The Racers are nearing a record of their own: the OVC and program record for consecutive wins is 23, set in 2011-12. Murray will get a chance to inch closer to the mark Saturday when its hosts Austin Peay at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by the CBS Sports Network.
While John Calipari was announced as one of 12 finalists under consideration for induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, former UK scoring great Louie Dampier learned that he will be entering the Hall as a direct elect, one of five selections.
Dampier, who played at UK from 1965-67 and was a second team All-American, joins Lindsay Gaze from the International Committee, Tom Heinsohn from the Veterans Committee, John Isaacs from the Early African American Pioneers Committee and George Raveling from the Contributor Direct Election Committee.
Dampier was elected by the American Basketball Association Committee. When he graduated, he was the third-leading scorer in UK program history. His scoring total of 1,575 points, was bettered only by Cotton Nash (1,770) and Alex Groza (1,744). He still ranks 12 on the scoring list.
When the ABA shut its doors, Dampier was the league’s all-time leading scorer and assists-producer.
The Lindsey Wilson’s 2014 NAIA National Champion women’s soccer team was honored last week by the Kentucky House of Representatives and Senate. The players and coaches were recognized on the chamber floors, where resolutions were adopted honoring their 2014 accomplishment.
The national title was the program’s fourth NAIA national title and the college’s 13th overall NAIA team national title.
Kentucky freshman golfer Tyler ‘Chip’ McDaniel joined former Wildcat great J.B. Holmes and two other amateurs Monday in the inaugural Northern Trust Open Collegiate Showcase at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. The event is the first of its kind, allowing collegians to play alongside top PGA Tour professionals and two amateurs to represent their respective universities.
The professional and the two amateurs (not the collegian) teamed up for a best-ball competition for the Collegiate Showcase Trophy and a donation of $50,000 to the university’s golf program. Each collegian played their own ball with the low medalist earning a spot in the Northern Trust Open later this week.
McDaniel led the Wildcats with a 72.8 stroke average in four fall tournaments which included three top-20 finishes and a win at the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational.
Holmes was a four-year letterwinner for the Wildcats and helped guide UK to an SEC Championship in 2005. He has six professional wins and top 25 finishes at all four major championship events.
The Northern Trust Open is one of the longest-running tournaments on the PGA Tour, debuting in 1926 at Los Angeles Country Club. It has been held at The Riviera Country Club near Los Angeles since 1973.
Keffri Neal became the fourth Kentucky Wildcat to break the four-minute mark for the mile last weekend in the Iowa State Classic, recording a time of 3:58.02.
Neal is undefeated in the 800 meter this season and is the defending Southeastern Conference Champion in the indoor half-mile. He ranks second on the UK all-time list in the mile behind Matt Hillenbrand (3:57.0), who graduated last season after winning each of the past two SEC mile titles.
Neal, who is from British Columbia, will have two weeks to prepare for his next race in the SEC Championships, which Kentucky will host beginning Feb. 27.
Georgetown had a memorable win at Cumberland University last weekend. The Tigers forced overtime and rallied for a 91-87 decision behind a combined 59 points from Noah Cottrill (30) and Deondre McWhorter (29).
In addition, Cottrill went over the 1,000-point mark for his career and Georgetown coach Chris Briggs secured his 100th win at the school. Georgetown improved to 22-4 overall and 9-3 in the Mid-South Conference.
Cottrill came into the contest with 975 points. He is the 49th Tiger to reach the mark. He is currently tied with Maurice Pearson with 1,005 points.
The ninth-ranked Tigers are back in action on Thursday, hosting No. 4 Pikeville at 8 p.m.
Glenn Osborne is sports editor for KyForward, where this story was first published.