Murray State player’s mother killed as team about to depart for NCAA tourney

Tourney-bound Murray St player’s mom dies in crash

MURRAY, Ky. — The mother of Murray State reserve guard Picasso Simmons was killed in a car crash Monday, on the eve of the team’s departure for the NCAA tournament.

Freeda Simmons died in Nashville, Tenn., Murray State spokesman Dave Winder said. Her son is planning to go to the Racers’ first-round game Thursday against Vanderbilt in San Jose, Calif.

Simmons’ mother, who ran track at Murray in the early 1980s, was pleased the team made the tournament, Winder said. The bracket was announced Sunday.

“His mom was real, real happy that he was getting a chance to go,” Winder said. “He just feels that she would want him to go, and he wants to honor her in that way.”

Picasso Simmons, a walk-on junior guard from Gallatin, Tenn., saw limited time in seven games for the Racers, who went 30-4 and won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

Simmons’ sister, Galileo, has also competed in track and field for Murray State, and their father played football there in the early ’80s, Winder said.

“Our basketball team is a family,” Winder said. “We had all the jubilation of yesterday, and something like this puts it into perspective.”