The Murray State Racers’ 20-game home winning streak came to a crushing end on Thursday as they fell to the Southern Illinois Salukis 63-57 at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky. Despite a valiant effort led by Rob Perry’s 26 points and Kenny White Jr.’s 13 points in the second half, the Racers (7-6, 2-1 MVC) were unable to overcome the Salukis (10-4, 2-1 MVC).
Trailing by 10 points with only 5:25 remaining in the game, the Racers mounted a comeback with a 7-0 run that brought them within three points at 54-51 with 3:23 left on the clock. However, it was not enough as the Salukis held on for the win.
The first half was a struggle for both teams as they combined for just 23 points in the opening 12 minutes of play. Perry hit the first 3-pointer of the game for the Racers at 4:46, giving them their first lead of the night at 16-15. The Racers briefly regained the lead at 23-22 on a layup by DJ Burns, but the Salukis closed out the half with the last two baskets to take a 26-23 advantage into the halftime break.
The Racers will look to bounce back on New Year’s Day as they take on the Evansville Purple Aces at the Ford Center. The game is set to tip off at 1:00 PM CT and will be the Racers’ first game on New Year’s Day in 19 years. The Racers are 2-3 all-time on January 1 and will be seeking their first win on the holiday since beating Middle Tennessee 76-64 in 2022.