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GAME NOTES: The first-ever meeting between the James Madison Dukes and the Murray State Racers takes place this afternoon at U.S. Century Bank Arena in Miami as part of the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches Vs. Cancer.

For the Dukes, this is just their second game of the young season and their first in eight days. The opener for the squad didn't turn out as planned as JMU was crushed by nationally-ranked Ohio State on the road by a final of 72-44.

James Madison, which plays in the Colonial Athletic Association, was an even 9-9 in league action a year ago and finished 21-15 overall.

As for the Racers, just two games into the 2009-10 campaign, they've already had some exciting play to write home about. Prior to the team's 92-54 blowout win against Missouri-St. Louis last Saturday, the squad kicked it all off with a narrow 75-70 loss to 12th-ranked California in Berkeley.

The victory last weekend at the Regional Special Events Center in Kentucky represented Murray State's 20th straight season-opening home win.

Even though the Dukes were being pushed all around by Ohio State in the opener at Value City Arena, the squad still used just three reserves in the unsightly contest. After making just nine field goals in the first half the team dropped to 7-of-29 (.241) in the second half and made a mere 1-of-13 beyond the arc in the frame. There wasn't a single double-digit scorer among them, with Pierre Curtis coming the closest with his nine points to go along with eight rebounds. Andrey Semenov chipped in with eight points, but he shot only 2- of-9 from the floor and accounted for five of their 16 turnovers, without the benefit of a single assist. Curtis started out his career strong enough with the Dukes, averaging 11.4 ppg, but he has since watched his scoring efforts drop each year, but in order for this team to do anything positive this season he'll have to break that trend and get back to where he was in 2006-07.

The Racers used a 17-4 run and a sizzling 66.7 percent shooting from the field in the first half to put distance between themselves and UMSL the last time out in order to cruise to the 38-point win at home. Ivan Aska accounted for a team-best 20 points as he made good on all nine of his field goal attempts, followed by Isaiah Canan off the bench with 17 points. Backup Danero Thomas checked in with 11 points and four assists, followed by Tony Easley and his 10 points and seven rebounds. After two games this team has a quartet of players hitting for double figures, beginning with Aska and his 18.5 ppg on the strength of his unbelievable 82.4 percent accuracy from the floor. Strangely enough, Aska is shooting a mere 64.3 percent at the free-throw line, although it isn't that odd given that the team as a whole has made just 66.7 percent at the stripe in these two games. Canan (12.5 ppg), B.J. Jenkins (12.0 ppg) and Thomas (11.5 ppg) will also be ones to watch for Murray State during this three-game run in Miami.

Murray State is built for speed, just as its nickname suggests, so the Dukes had better be ready to run the floor if they hope to stay remotely close in this one.