In a tough Missouri Valley Conference match-up, the Murray State Racers suffered an 84-69 defeat to the Missouri State Bears at the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield on Tuesday. Despite the loss, the Racers are still holding strong with a record of 15-14, including a 10-9 conference record, as they head back to the CFSB Center for the regular season finale against the Valparaiso Beacons on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Senior Day will make the game against the Beacons an especially poignant occasion for the Racers as they honor the contributions of two of their players, Rod Thomas and DJ Burns. The team will look to put in a strong performance to pay tribute to their seniors and gain momentum as they head into the conference tournament.
The Racers put in a valiant effort against the Bears, with Rob Perry leading the way by scoring 20 points, closely followed by JaCobi Wood, who contributed 16 points. Jamari Smith and Quincy Anderson also played well, adding 10 points apiece to the team’s total.
The Racers struggled to take the lead throughout the game, with the Bears going on a crucial 13-2 run over 3:07 in the first half, which left the Racers trailing 40-25 with just under five minutes remaining. Although Wood made back-to-back threes to narrow the gap to 10 points with just 54 seconds left in the half, the Bears still maintained a comfortable 46-34 lead at the intermission.
The second half began promisingly for the Racers, with a 7-0 run that included a 3-pointer from Smith, a drive from Wood, and a pair of free throws from Perry. However, the team was unable to sustain their momentum, hitting only one of their next nine shots, which allowed the Bears to stretch their lead to 18 points with 13:28 remaining. Despite the setback, the Racers continued to fight hard, hitting six consecutive shots and getting as close as 11 points with 7:42 left in the game.
The match was not without its highlights, as both teams recorded season-highs for made 3-point baskets. The Racers made an impressive 12 out of 23 three-point attempts, which surpassed their previous season-high of 10 made threes in games against Texas A&M and UNI. Meanwhile, the Bears hit 52% from beyond the arc, which was their second-best clip of the season, after an 8-of-15 (.533) performance against Belmont on February 1.
With the seeding for next week’s State Farm Arch Madness tournament yet to be decided, the Racers will need to put in a strong performance against Valparaiso on Sunday. The team’s seeding could range from sixth to eighth, so every game counts as they fight for a favorable position in the conference tournament.
In summary, the Murray State Racers put in a hard-fought effort against the Missouri State Bears, but ultimately came up short in a 84-69 loss. The team will be looking to honor their seniors and gain momentum for the conference tournament as they face off against the Valparaiso Beacons on Senior Day at the CFSB Center.