Wood Delivers Walk Off Win Over Evansville

Saturday, February 10

CFSB Center

3 p.m.

Murray State

10-15,7-7MVC

Evansville

15-10,6-8MVC

Evansville

Murray St.

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

2/10/2024 6:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Murray State Racers eked out a amazing victory Saturday when JaCobi Wood hit the game winner at the buzzer

The Murray State Racers scored a walk off win Saturday when JaCobi Wood hit a 3-point basket to defeat the Evansville Purple Aces 73-70 at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky.

The Racers (10-15) improved to 7-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference as they host the Missouri State Bears on Wednesday on Valentine's Day at 7 p.m.

The final play was set up when Quincy Anderson was called for a blocking foul with 6.1 seconds left in a tie game 70-70. Evansville's Ben Humrichous went to the line looking to give the Aces the lead, but when he missed both free throws, the Racers had a chance to win it. JaCobi Wood hit a step-back straightaway 3-pointer as the clock ran out and bedlam ensued at The Bank.

Anderson led the Racers with 20 points on the strength of five 3-point baskets and a team-high eight rebounds. Nick Ellington added 19 points, with Rob Perry scoring 12 and Wood added 12 points including the game winner.

The first half was the Anderson and Ellington show for the Racers as they combined to score 24 of MSU's 32 points. MSU held the Purple Aces to without a field goal from the 10:40 mark to the 4:56 mark. In the middle, MSU built a 9-point lead at 5:58 when Anderson scored down the lane. The half ended with Kenny Strawbridge making a buzzer 3-pointer to cut the Racers' lead to 32-27 at the intermission.

Game Notes

JaCobi Wood's big moment made him the No. 1 play on ESPN's nightly Top-10 Plays.
The Racers had lost all eight games this season that were decided by 5-points or less.
The win snapped the Racers' four-game home losing skid and also UE's four-game win streak overall.
The Racers have won all four games with the Purple Aces as members of The Valley.
Anderson's 20-point game is his fourth of the season and his second in a row following the 21 points he scored at Belmont on Wednesday.
The Racers now have 10 games this season of a player scoring 20 points: Quincy Anderson (4), Nick Ellington (2), Rob Perry (2), JaCobi Wood (1), Brian Moore, Jr. (1).
Coach Steve Prohm is 7-0 all-time against the Purple Aces with wins in 2012, 2013 and 2014 in his first era with MSU as head coach and now has four-straight wins in 2023 and 2024 in the MVC.
5,517 watched it today at the CFSB Center. MSU's ninth crowd of 5,000 or larger this season
Before the game tipped, world famous Joe Everson exhibited his one-of-a-kind artistry by creating an amazing painting of the USA flag being raised at Iwo Jima in WWII as he simultaneously sang the National Anthem.