What a Trip Back to Starkville Means for Auburn's ‘Spider-Man’

Amidst a season in which the Auburn Tigers returned just one scholarship basketball player, new names have had the opportunity to take the forefront of attention on the Plains. One such name, KeShawn Murphy, or “Spider-Man,” as he has become known, has been quite dominant for the Tigers, and he has a homecoming game slated for this week.

The Tigers are set to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Wednesday of this week, where Murphy spent the first three years of his career before transferring to Steven Pearl’s program.

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“I call it perfect timing,” Murphy said in an interview with Jeff Shearer of AuburnTigers.com. “My physicality coming from [Mississippi] State was a good thing to bring to this team.”

Murphy averaged just over six points per game in three years with the Bulldogs, though his junior season saw him average a career-high 11.7 points per game. Despite a series of injuries to start the season, Murphy has largely been able to match his production from last year, averaging 11 points per game with the Tigers.

The man his teammates call “Spider-Man” also talked about his newfound team’s identity, particularly heading into a matchup with his former team.

“Defense first,” he said. “We’re starting to build that chemistry and growth in our team to where we understand what it takes to win. That’s one of the biggest keys. Good game plans from the coaches and good execution, staying on the script and staying focused.”

Despite being a “big man,” or a forward, and averaging an impressive seven rebounds per game, Murphy has one factor of his game that often goes unnoticed, but he is looking to take it back to Starkville: three-point shooting.

The web slinger is averaging 36.7% from three-point range, only behind Keyshawn Hall among qualified shooters. He’s 11-for-30 on the season from beyond the arc.

“I work on every three-point shot every day,” Murphy said. “It’s nothing new to me. Coming into college, I was a shooter. I got away from it because I developed a more physical game. I’ve always been a shooter. I feel like I can knock down a lot of shots that I don’t take. I’m getting more comfortable in my game and putting the work in.”

Murphy will have a chance to prove himself to his former team on Wednesday, when his Auburn Tigers for this big matchup against Mississippi State. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CST, and it will be broadcast on ESPN.

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