(MURRAY, Ky.) — Fred King turned in a near-perfect performance and Javon Jackson added 23 points as Murray State routed Nicholls 99-79 on Saturday night at the CFSB Center.
King, making just his fourth appearance of the season, shot a flawless 8-for-8 from the field and scored a career-high 24 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking five shots. His dominant two-way performance marked the first time a Racer has posted at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks since Ed Daniel accomplished the feat against Lipscomb in November 2012.
“It was impressive,” could be said of King’s stat line, which also included an 8-for-9 showing from the free-throw line. He became the first Murray State player to shoot perfectly from the field on eight or more attempts since Jeffery McClain did so against Eastern Illinois in January 2010.
The Racers (3-1) shot 59.7 percent from the field, 42.3 percent from three-point range and 81.5 percent from the free-throw line, achieving the rare “50/40/80” performance for just the 15th time since 2012 and the first time this season.
Jackson provided offensive firepower throughout, including a four-point play in the first half—Murray State’s first since Kylen Milton converted one at UIC on January 5, 2025. First-time starter Layne Taylor contributed 14 points in the victory.
Murray State took control with a 12-0 run in the first half to build a 48-39 halftime advantage. Nicholls (0-4) briefly threatened in the second half, cutting the deficit to three points, but the Racers responded with a 19-8 surge. Roman Domon’s three-pointer—the team’s 11th of the game—pushed the lead to 20 points with 6:11 remaining and effectively sealed the outcome.
The Racers will host Little Rock on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to the Cayman Islands for the Cayman Islands Classic during Thanksgiving week.
