Racers Hang In Until The End Vs MTSU

Monday, November 13

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

1-1

Middle Tennessee

2-0

Middle Tenn.

Murray St.

Photo by: Tab Brockman

11/13/2017 10:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery

The Murray State Racers battled to the end with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, before a would-be tying 3-pointer fell off the rim in a 72-67 loss in front of 3,854 Monday at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky.

Trailing 68-62 with 1:45 remaining, Anthony Smith gave the Racers a three-point play when he scored off a rebound and was fouled. His free throw cut MTSU's lead to three. With 40-seconds left, the Racers got the break they wanted when officials reviewed a play that originally had the Racers touching the ball last as it went out of bounds. The call was reversed and gave MSU a chance to possibly tie the game.

However, the Racers were called for an offensive foul, but got the ball back again when they rooted better in a scramble on the floor to get a jump ball. The possession arrow was in MSU's favor. The Racers went to Jonathan Stark, but he missed a 3-pointer that would've tied it with 2.2 seconds remaining.

The 72-67 final dropped the Racers to 1-1 as they hit the road for the first time Saturday for a game at Wright State. The Blue Raiders moved to 2-0 and play another pair of Ohio Valley Conference opponents in their next two games with clashes against Belmont and Tennessee State.

Freshman Ja Morant led the Racers with 16 points, including a 9-of-9 night from the free throw line to go with five assists. Stark scored 14 points, while Terrell Miller, Jr., tossed in 11 points and had a team-best eight rebounds.

In the first half, Stark's three put the Racers in front early 15-9. Morant's own 6-0 run put the Racers ahead again by their largest lead of the game (6) when it was 39-33 with the Racers in the lead with 2:48 before half.

MSU held a 44-42 lead at the half time intermission.

The Racers shot 48 percent (14-of-29) in the first half, while MTSU was at 55 percent (16-of-29). Both teams slumped in the second half as Murray State shot 32 percent (8-of-25) and the Raiders were at 32 percent (9-of-28). For the game, the Racers hit only 3-of-16 from the 3-point line and MTSU hit just 1-of-12.