Late Lead Slips Away At SIU As First Road Win Eludes MSU

Friday, December 11

Carbondale, Ill.

6:30 p.m.

Murray State

3-2,1-0OVC

Southern Illinois

3-0,0-0MVC

Murray St.

Southern Ill.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Late Lead Slips Away At SIU As First Road Win Eludes MSU

12/11/2020 6:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Murray State's Brion Whitley scores a career-high 15 points

The Murray State Racers came up short in winning away from home for the first time in the 2020-21 season when they dropped a 70-66 defeat Friday to the Southern Illinois Salukis at the Banterra Center in Carbondale.

The Racers (3-2) come home Tuesday to host the Transylvania Pioneers Tuesday at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky. The game opponent was changed from Prairie View to Transylvania and the news was announced after the game.

KJ Williams fought foul trouble in the first half, but still managed 17 points to lead the Racers as he tied his career-high with three 3-point baskets. Brion Whitley notched a career-high 15 points on three 3-pointers. Chico Carter, Jr. was MSU's third double-figure scorer with 10 points. Justice Hill led the Racers with seven assists, while Williams and Tevin Brown each grabbed seven rebounds. Brown was held to three points, below his average of 16 points per game as the day began.

The Racers started slow and found themselves down 12-2 out of the gate. Whitley hit back-to-back threes to tie it 21-21 with 7:15 left. Devin Gilmore scored on a weird ricocheted pass that went off the glass and right into his hands with 24 seconds left, but SIU's Lance Jones hit a three at the buzzer for a 40-32 SIU lead at the intermission.

Whitley's 3-pointer was part of a 10-4 run to start the second half as the Racers cut the SIU lead to 44-42 with 15:52 left. MSU took their first lead of the game with 5:39 remaining 60-58 when Whitley made an acrobatic tip in. After falling behind 63-60 at 3:40, the Racers had three chances to take lead, which they did on the third try with 1:24 on the clock on Carter's free throws. However, SIU took the lead for good with 1:00 on free throws, but Williams' try from the 3-point line and Carter's drive to the basket missed.

Game Notes
The all-time series between the Racers and Salukis is tied 19-19. The Racers fell to 5-11 all-time in Carbondale.

MSU had won the last three in the series coming into this game.

After the game, the Racers announced they have switched opponents for the Tuesday home game at the CFSB Center. The Racers will host Transylvania at 7 p.m., after the Prairie View game was cancelled due to established institutional protocols. Tickets for the Prairie View game will be accepted for the new opponent, Transylvania.