Aska Returns for Racers

Murray State is sitting at 20-0 and already enjoys a 2.5 game lead atop the Ohio Valley conference. They are having an incredible season under first year coach Steve Prohm and currently sit at no. 9 nationally in the coach's poll. Despite all of the good vibes, however, the Racers are not getting love from bracketologists, with Joe Lunardi currently (as of 1/23/12) placing the Racers into a seven seed. Add in the fact that Murray State two years ago beat Vanderbilt and then lost to eventual national runner-up Butler by 2 and Morehead State, the conference representative last year, upset Louisville in round one.

But let's focus on their current run, which has featured some struggles as they deal with the pressures of being what is now the nation's sole unbeaten team and the lack of their best rebounder and third-leading scorer, forward Ivan Aska, who missed the last six games with a broken right hand. Aska is back which is great news as Murray State does not have depth with big men and ran out four guards for most of the time he was sidelined. When planning for a March Madness draft, it is always good to see how injuries affect statistics and Murray State replaced Aska's 12.6 points per game by having its two other double digit scores, guards Isaiah Canaan (pictured after leading Racers to championship of the Great Alaska Shootout) and Donte Poole, take on more responsibility. Canaan, who deserves All American consideration, averaged 21 points per game over the last six contests, raising his average for the year to 18.7, while Poole has averaged 18.8 per in Aska's absence, to elevate his seasonal average to 14.6. Murray State's other big man (and they are both 6'7 so...) Ed Daniel also raised his game as he scored 10 points a game--up from 7+--and reached double digits on four occasions, to only three total in the 14 games Aska played. Be careful drafting a player like Daniel however, as he is more 7-pt scorer than one averaging 10. And both Aska and Daniel will have responsibilities come tournament time that may not lead to scoring, while the wave of good guards that the Racers hit you with will always look to score. Two years ago when Murray State played two games, big men, Aska, Tony Easley and Danero Thomas each entered the tournamanet with 10-pt scoring averages. But having to deal with the skilled bigs that played for both Vandy and Butler, Aska averaged 6 pts, Thomas 5.5 and Easley 3.5. Guards Canaan, B.J. Jenkins and Isacc Miles did the bulk of the scoring. Canaan is now the clear go-to guy and should be a high draft pick. Hopefully the Racers will be seeded properly--assuming they get in.