Did you also know that Mississippi had two brothers who played Thursday at two sites almost across the continent? Meet Leroy “Shaq” Buchanan, Murray State, and Shunn Buchanan, New Mexico State. Both were born in Durant. Both were Madison Central high school basketball players. Both played junior college basketball at Northeast in Booneville. Shaq Buchanan, older brother and senior, scored 14 points, had six rebounds, and assisted with two assists in helping 12-seed Murray State (Ky.) defeat 5-seed Marquette 83 to 64. In the Aggies’ heartbreaking 78-77 defeat to 5-seed Auburn, Shunn, Shunn’s younger brother, was a backup point guard for 12-seed New Mexico State. He scored two points and gave out two assists in just 12 minutes. Meet Stephanie Latiker, Madison’s mother who had to choose which one of her sons she would like to watch. She had been leaning towards staying home and watching the games on TV, but her younger brother Shunn helped make the decision. Latiker stated, “I thought hard about it, and Shunn suggested that I go see his brother because they’re seniors and these would be their last college basketball games.” “So that’s exactly what I did.” She was able to witness Shunn’s final game. Latiker stated, “We were in the arena getting ready for Murray and they put on the end of New Mexico State’s game on the Jumbotron.” “What a heartbreaker!” New Mexico State was poised to beat Auburn in the finals, but Shunn’s team missed two of three free throws with 1.7 seconds left. Latiker, however, was there to witness what many sportscasters and sports writers called the best tournament show. Murray State’s sensational point guard Ja Murant won the game, beating Marquette, which was higher up in the seedings. Morant led the Racers with 17 points and 16 assists. He also rebounded 11 time. Many of the assists went to Shaq Buchanan. Latiker stated, “I was so proud to my son, but also I was proud for the whole team.” “Actually, both my sons are super proud of their teams. Although it has been difficult to follow them both, with them traveling so far away from home, it’s also been very rewarding. “Now I just hope Murray can just continue.” Murray will face Florida State in Saturday’s second round at 5:10 p.m. Rahim Lockhart, a former Ole Miss standout who coached the Buchanans at Madison Central is not surprised at either team’s collegiate success. Lockhart stated that Shaq is an extremely humble child, who is team-first and doesn’t have any selfish bones. He is all about winning. While people talk about his offense, he is the best on-ball defense I’ve ever coached. He averages 13.1 points per contest. He is a great defender. Shunn: “Man, he guards your life.” Lockhart stated that Shunn Buchanan was the “prototypical little brother”. He’s Shaq’s little brother for his entire life. Because he has been fighting for his big brother his whole life, he won’t give up. There is nothing better than brotherly love off the court. On the court, however, when they are against one another, it becomes a war. Shunn will not back down from anyone. Stephanie Latiker can attest to that. She can recall them playing on their yard’s goal. She says, “There was never mercy shown.” Mississippi schools did not recruit either brother. Ole Miss and Mississippi State did not recruit either brother. Southern Miss loved Shaq, but was caught in a scholarship crisis due to NCAA probation. Shunn was offered by Jackson State, but he chose New Mexico State. Latiker stated, “Sometimes I wish that they had played Mississippi, so that I could have seen them more.” “But I can’t be unhappy about how it turned out.”_x000D