Racers' Second Half Rally Comes Up Short At Bradley

Wednesday, January 24

Peoria, Ill.

6 p.m.

Murray State

8-12,5-4MVC

Bradley

15-5,7-2MVC

Murray St.

Bradley

Photo by: Clara Bush-Bradley Athletics

1/24/2024 9:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Murray State Racers took on the Bradley Braves at Carver Arena Wednesday

The Murray State Racers saw their three-game road winning streak come to an end with a 71-63 defeat to the Bradley Braves Wednesday at Carver Arena in Peoria, Ill.

The Racers (8-12) are now 5-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference as they come home to the CFSB Center to face the Southern Illinois Salukis in a 1 p.m. tip Saturday in Murray, Ky.

Nick Ellington led the Racers in scoring for a third time in the last four games with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Rob Perry and Quincy Anderson added 15 and 14 points to the MSU offense.

Trailing by 10 starting the second half, the Racers made a run when Anderson hit a 3-point basket and then scored an old fashioned three-point play to cut the BU lead to 65-57 at 5:33. Rob Perry's 3-pointer made it a five-point game with 5:07 left. The Racers were never able to get the contest into a one-possession game before the clock ran out.

Ellington, the MVC Newcomer of the Week for a second time, scored MSU's first seven points as the Racers led 7-6 with a little more than four minutes played. Trailing by as many as 10 points at 11:33, the Racers chipped away and got as close as two points after a pair of threes from Justin Morgan to cut Bradley's lead to 34-32 at 3:36. Bradley called timeout and responded with a 9-0 run and carried a 44-34 lead into the halftime intermission.

Game Notes

The Racers and Braves split their season series with the home team winning once.
Morgan's two 3-point baskets in the late first half marked the third time this season and the sixth in his MSU career of hitting multiple threes in the same game.
Morgan's career-high is three 3-pointers at Evansville (01-01-23).
The Racers had seven offensive rebounds in the first half and score 13 points as a result.

Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow Murray State men's basketball on Twitter and Instagram (@RacersHoops).

It's time to think about purchasing tickets to 2024 State Farm Arch Madness (March 7-10) in St. Louis, Missouri. The Enterprise Center is set to host the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament which will be staged in the Gateway City for a 34th consecutive time. Tickets can be purchased through the Murray State ticket office at the CFSB Center, by calling (270) 809-3000 or online through GoRacers.com and TicketMaster.com.