Late SIU Run Sends Racers To Home Defeat

Friday, December 18

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

5-6

Southern Illinois

10-2

Southern Illinois

Murray State

Photo by: Tab Brockman

12/18/2015 4:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

The Murray State Racers dropped an 88-73 defeat at home Friday to the Southern Illinois Salukis at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.

MSU fell to 5-6 on the season, while SIU improved to 10-2.

Bryce Jones led the Racers with 20 points, including 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Wayne Langston added 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and Damarcus Croaker scored 10 points.

The final score wasn't indicative of how close the game was until the Salukis ran away with the win at the end.

With 8:00 left in the game, the Racers grabbed what was their final lead when Chad Culbreath made a brilliant finish on a fast break for a 57-56 MSU lead.

The Salukis answered with back-to-back 3-point baskets that keyed a 12-3 run that put the Racers behind 68-60 with 3:24 left. The Racers couldn't recover as they fell behind by double-digits. MSU did cut the SIU lead to seven with 1:30 left.

In the first half, the Racers fell behind by 12 with 8:00 remaining before the intermission. They responded with a 15-2 run, but trailed 36-32 at the half.

The Racers hit the road for their final game before the Christmas Break Tuesday when they travel to Wright State in Dayton, Ohio. The Raiders lead the all-time series 2-0 and lost the last meeting in Puerto Rico in 2008.