Racers Grind Out Exhibition Win over Xavier

Saturday, October 18

Cincinnati, OH

1 p.m.

Murray State

0-0,0-0MVC

Xavier

0-0,0-0Big East

Murray St.

Xavier

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

10/18/2025 4:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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MSU wins its first of two exhibition games leading into the 2025-26 season

The Murray State Racers took a 75-70 exhibition win Saturday over the Xavier Musketeers at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Racers play their second and final exhibition game Sunday (Oct. 26) when the Northern State Wolves come to the CFSB Center for a 4 p.m. tip. The event is part of Racer Mania Presented by The Murray Bank.

Fred King and Brayden Shorter led the Racers each with 15 points, while KJ Tenner added 12 and Mathis Courbon 11 to make it five players in double-figure scoring for the Racers.

With the game tied 21-21 at 5:52 in the first half, the Racers went on a 14-0 run and took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Courbon and two baskets from King and Roman Domon.

The Racers began the second half hitting three of their first four shots to build their largest lead of the day at 43-31 at the 17:50 mark on a 3-pointer by Shorter. The MSU lead went to 13 on a rebound and score by King to make it 46-33 Racers at 15:35.

In the final three minutes, the Racers made 13-of-14 from the free throw line, including 6-of-6 from Tenner to seal the win.

Game Notes

The Racers hit 36 percent from the field for the game (23-of-64), were 7-of-30 from 3-point range for 23 percent and hit 22-of-31 from the free throw line for 71 percent.
The Racers defensive first half stood out once the game reached the intermission, when they limited Xavier to only nine field goals, at 28 percent (9-of-32).
Part of MSU's defensive effort held the Musketeers to 0-of-7 from the 3-point line and 2-of-15 for the game.
In the final 8:15 of the first half, the Racers held Xavier to just 1-of-13 from the field.
MSU won the rebound battled 45-44.
The 2025-26 season is the 101st in Murray State history, the 27th in the CFSB Center and MSU's fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Among teams that have played in NCAA DI for at least 25 seasons, MSU is ranked No. 14 in winning percentage at .643 and No. 44 in victories with 1,752.
MSU has made 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and has won five games, the last in 2022 against San Francisco.
The Racers were picked No. 4 in the Field of 68 MVC Preseason Poll.
The exhibition against Northern State is also part of the annual meet the team day, Racer Mania presented by The Murray Bank.
The event begins at 2:30 p.m. with the tip off between the Racers and Northern State at 4 p.m.
The game brings MSU Head Coach Ryan Miller close to the program he played for from 1994-98.
Miller was inducted into his Alma mater's Hall of Fame in 2013, from his career that saw him score 0,000 career points.
in 1998, Miller set the Northern State single game scoring mark with 45 points in the Wolves' win over South Dakota State in the NCAA D-II Tournament.

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