Photo Finish - Racers Go To The Wire Against Southern Illinois

Tuesday, January 24

Carbondale, Ill.

7 p.m.

Murray State

11-10,6-5MVC

Southern Illinois

17-5,9-2MVC

Murray St.

Southern Ill.

Photo by: (c) {year 4} David Eaton

Photo Finish - Racers Go To The Wire Against Southern Illinois

1/24/2023 6:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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The Murray State Racers saw a late lead slip away at the Banterra Center

The Murray State Racers dropped a 68-64 defeat to the Southern Illinois Salukis Tuesday night at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Ill., in front of 6,507.

The Racers (11-10) fell to 6-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference as they come home Saturday to host the Missouri State Bears at 1 p.m. in Murray. Saturday's game is sure to be a fan favorite on Ja Morant Poster Day.

Rob Perry collected his first double-double for MSU with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Brian Moore, Jr., added 19 points and Jamari Smith scored 15 points.

Trailing by six points as the game ticked under 10 minutes remaining, the Racers put together a gutsy 10-0 run. In the middle of it were two hustle plays by Quincy Anderson to help the Racers go in front 54-50 with Perry's contested corner jumper with 6:44 to play.

SIU, who had a share of MVC first place when the day started, dug in and took the lead for good with 3:19 left at 61-60. The Racers had three chances to either take the lead or tie the game in the final seconds, but came up short.

In a highly entertaining game, the Racers started the game trailing 10-2, but came back to tie the game at 12-12 on a three-point play by Moore. When Moore hit a free throw at the 9:08 mark, the run for MSU was 12-2 and a 17-14 lead. After the Racers hit 6-of-7 from the field for a 28-25 lead at 4:17, SIU hit three-straight 3-pointers and went into the halftime intermission with a 34-30 lead.

Game Notes

Today's double-double for Perry is his first at Murray State and the fifth of his career with the other four coming when he played at Stetson between 2019-22.
Brian Moore played another brilliant game in his third-straight start. His stat line included 19 points on 7-12 from the field with four 3-point baskets.
With one of their best rebounding games of the season, the Racers won the battle of the boards 36-27 and limited SIU to only five offensive rebounds, while grabbing 15.
The Racers are 2-8 on the road this season, but have now had late leads in each of their games at UNI and SIU.
MSU trails the all-time series with SIU 21-19 and are 5-12 on the road.
Coach Steve Prohm is 2-2 all-time against SIU.
Saturday's 1 p.m. game at the CFSB Center is Ja Morant Poster Day when the Racers host the Missouri State Bears
It will be the Bears' first trip to Murray since 2018 when the Racers won 77-66.
The last meeting was in Springfield in 2019 where Missouri State nipped the Racers 71-69.