Racers End Season at Arch Madness In Loss to UIC

Friday, March 6

St. Louis, Mo.

2:30 p.m.

Murray State

20-12,12-8MVC

(5) UIC

18-14,12-8MVC

UIC

Murray St.

Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics

3/6/2026 9:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Racers end the rookie season of head coach Ryan Miller at 20-12

The Murray State Racers saw the 2025-26 season end Friday with a 92-79 loss to the UIC Flames in their first game at State Farm Arch Madness – Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

The Racers end their season at 20-12 as they were the No. 4 seed against the Flames who were the No. 5 seed.

Javon Jackson led the Racers with 30 points, while MSU got 12 points from Mason Miller, 11 from Roman Domon and 10 from Fred King.

MSU struggled offensively and defensively, as their usually reliable shooting only produced a clip of 37 percent (26-of-63) from the field, while UIC managed to shoot 54 percent (34-of-63). The Racers were also on the wrong side of a 42-32 rebound total in favor of the Flames.

Trailing 50-32 at the halftime intermission, the Racers couldn't make a big run in the second half, only getting as close as 14 points with 3:07 remaining.

Game Notes

In four appearances at Arch Madness, the Racers are 2-4.
The Racers end the season with the bright spots of their first 20-win season in The Valley, top win total in the MVC regular season of 12 and their highest seed in four years at Arch Madness of No. 4.
One is left wondering what might've been for the Racers in Coach Ryan Miller's first season as the Racers started 16-3, but finished it 4-9.
Javon Jackson's 30 points is second at 2025 Arch Madness only to Jalen Quinn's 31 against Belmont earlier in the day.
Jackson was one point from his career-high that he scored against the Racers while playing for UIC in 2024 and he was one point from MSU's single game scoring mark for Arch Madness by Terence Harcum, in 2025 of 31 points for the Racers in an opening win over Evansville.
With three blocked shots today, Fred King finished the season with 62, good for seventh place for a single season at Murray State.
King averaged 8.3 rebounds per game and will be the MVC leader when all is said and done.
He will be the first Racer to lead in conference rebounding since Ed Daniel led the Ohio Valley Conference with an average of 10.0 in the 2012-13 season.
March means postseason play and the Racers have had plenty, as today it marked their 20^th game on March 6.
With the loss, the Racers are 12-8 all-time on March 6.
The Racers defeated Howard (AL) in 1936 under Coach Carlisle Cutchin in Jackson, Tenn.
1936 was a big year as the Racers defeated Howard, Louisville, Louisiana Normal and Western Kentucky over the period of five days to win the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) Championship.