Murray State rolls into February

The Murray State Racers are 21-0, which ties the Ohio Valley Conference record for best start by a team, set by Western Kentucky during the 1953-54 season. The Racers played once again with senior forward Ivan Aska, who made his return Saturday in a win against Eastern Illinois after sitting out six games with a broken bone in his right hand. On Monday, the Racers advanced in the Associated Press college basketball poll to be ranked No. 10, but stayed at No. 9 in the USA Today coaches poll.

Djokovic outlasts Nadal

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open tennis tournament championship in a five-set match with scores of 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5. The match lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes, ending at 1:37 a.m. early Monday morning in Melbourne, making it the longest Grand Slam singles final in the history of professional tennis.

Bardstown ends Heath’s All A run

The Heath Pirates basketball team managed to string together two wins to make it to the Final Four of the Touchstone Energy All A Classic boys basketball state tournament, where the Pirates lost to Bardstown 56-44 on Saturday in Frankfort. Heath is one of five First Region teams to make it to the Final Four of the state tournament, and the first since 2001 to make it this far. Both Jacob Jett and Drew Wrinkle made it to the All A all-tournament team.

Murray’s girls basketball team lost a 41-40 game to Owensboro Catholic on Wednesday, ending the Lady Tigers’ hoped-for run in the All A state tournament.