Brilliant Racers Run Fades In Loss At UNI

Tuesday, January 10

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

Murray State

9-8,4-3MVC

UNI

9-8,5-2MVC

Murray St.

UNI

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

1/10/2023 6:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Murray State Racers saw a nine-point lead vanish late in the second half in a 75-67 defeat at UNI

The Murray State Racers couldn't finish off what was a great performance for 32 minutes in a 75-67 loss Tuesday to the UNI Panthers at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Racers (9-8) fell to 4-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Northern Iowa (9-8) improved to 5-2.

The Racers are home Saturday (Jan. 14) at 3 p.m. to host the UIC Flames on Cameron Payne Day at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky. The Murray State hall of famer and current player with the NBA's Phoenix Suns will have his jersey No. 1 retired at halftime.

Rob Perry scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half as the Racers hit UNI with a 17-3 run to push out to a 60-51 lead with 7:52 left. However, the lead vanished as quickly as the Racers built it when UNI held the Racers without a field goal for 6:21. By the time Perry scored with 1:31 remaining, the Racers were down 69-62.

Jamari Smith added 16 points, while JaCobi Wood added 13.

In the first half, the Racers held a 24-17 lead with 3:30 after a 3-pointer from Wood. Perry hit a 3-point basket at the first half buzzer, but UNI held a 28-27 lead at the intermission.

Game Notes

Today's game marked the first meeting between the Racers and Panthers.
With the formula for the MVC season in 2022-23, the Panthers will not return a game this season to Murray. Conversely, the Racers do not make a trip on the road to play UIC this season either.
Anderson's consecutive games streak with a made 3-point basket ended at 10 as he went 0-3 tonight. The MSU record of 40, by Isaiah Canaan (2012-13).
Moore's free throw streak ended at 16 and he ties Wood for the Racers' best streak of the season. MSU's all-time record is 39 in a row was by Jonathan Stark in 2017-18.
As the night began, the Valley had eight teams in the 175 of the KenPom.com rankings.
The Racers come home Saturday to celebrate the career of Cameron Payne, who was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 2020. Payne's jersey No. 1 will be lifted into the rafters at the CFSB Center as he becomes the 12^th Racer to have the honor and the first since Ja Morant in 2019.