Racers Drop Game One in Cayman Islands Classic to MTSU

Sunday, November 23

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

6:30 p.m.

Murray State

4-2,0-0MVC

Middle Tennessee

4-1,0-0CUSA

Murray St.

Middle Tenn.

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Racers Drop Game One in Cayman Islands Classic to MTSU

11/23/2025 10:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Racers tied it with 8:56 left but couldn’t get the lead in the final minutes at Gray Gymnasium

The Murray State Racers fell 90-87 to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the first day of play Sunday night at the Cayman Islands Classic in George Town at Gray Gymnasium.

The Racers (4-2) meets McNeese Monday night at 6:30 p.m. in their second of three games this Thanksgiving Week. McNeese defeated George Washington 92-86.

Fred King led the way for MSU with 18 points, while MSU got 12 points each from Javon Jackson, Mathis Courbon and Brayden Shorter, plus 11 from Roman Domon.

Trailing by seven points with 2:18 remaining, the Racers made a run on a dunk by King and a 3-pointer by Domon to make it 85-83 MTSU. Mason Miller had a 3-point try with 39 seconds left that would've given the Racers the lead.

In the first half, the Racers took their first lead at 14-13 when Jackson hit MSU's first 3-pointer with 14:37 on the clock. JJ Traynor's dunk gave MSU its largest lead at 26-22 at the 8:20 mark. The Blue Raiders went on a run and took a six-point lead at 3:20, before the Racers finished the half on a runner at the buzzer by KJ Tenner to cut the MTSU lead to 43-40 at the intermission.

Game Notes

The Racers hit 48 percent from the field, but MTSU shot 50 percent and beat the Racers on the boards 46-34, including 17 offensive rebounds.
MSU produced 40 bench points between Courbon, Domon, Shorter and KJ Tenner.
The Racers gave up 60 points in the paint to MTSU.
Javon Jackson was 1-4 from the 3-point line and has hit at least one in the first six games of the season.
King and Domon lead the Racers each with six rebounds.
MSU had five blocked shots tonight, with three from Dylan Anderson.
The Racers entered the game ranked No. 25 in Effective Field Goal Percentage, No. 44 in Adjusted Tempo, No. 78 in offense and No. 161 in defense nationally by KenPom.com.
The Missouri Valley Conference was the No. 10 league in the nation according to KenPom.com, ranked ahead of No. 11 Conference USA and behind No. 9 American Athletic.
Today's game was the 149^th meeting between the Racers and MTSU, now in favor of MSU 109-39.
In 16 the most recent meetings, all have been non-conference games, MSU has won nine.

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