(CHICAGO)-The Murray State Racers extended their winning streak to eight games with an 81-77 victory over the UIC Flames on New Year’s Day at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago. With the win, the Racers improved to 12-3 overall and maintained their perfect 4-0 record in Missouri Valley Conference play. They return home Sunday to face Bradley at 4 p.m. in the CFSB Center, where they’ve won nine consecutive contests.
After falling behind 40-36 at halftime, Murray State mounted a comeback with an 11-0 scoring surge fueled by three-pointers from Mason Miller, Javon Jackson, and Layne Taylor. That run put the Racers ahead 51-46 with just under 15 minutes remaining. Jackson’s three-pointer with about a minute left gave Murray State a 75-73 advantage they wouldn’t relinquish. A crucial moment came when Head Coach Ryan Miller successfully challenged an out-of-bounds call with 18 seconds on the clock. The reversed call gave Murray State possession, allowing them to seal the victory at the free-throw line.
Fred King delivered a standout performance with 16 rebounds, surpassing his previous career best of 12 set during the Cayman Islands Classic against McNeese. His rebounding total matched the highest by any Murray State player since KJ Williams’ performance against UT Martin in February 2021. This marked only the tenth time in the program’s 101-year history that the team has competed on January 1st. Their previous New Year’s Day appearance was a 78-61 victory at Evansville in 2022, and they’ve now won three straight games played on this date, improving their all-time New Year’s Day record to 6-4.
The Racers now hold a 6-2 advantage in the all-time series with UIC and have captured five of six meetings in conference play. Their current eight-game winning streak leads the Missouri Valley Conference. A notable trend this season shows that all twelve Murray State victories have come in games where they reached 80 points before their opponent. The Racers are 12-2 when scoring 80 or more points, with their only defeats coming against SMU and Middle Tennessee.
Sunday’s doubleheader at the CFSB Center features the men facing Bradley at 4 p.m., followed by the women’s team hosting Bradley at 6:30 p.m. The men’s game includes Junior Racer Day festivities and the popular Baby Race during halftime. Murray State will attempt to push their home winning streak to double digits.
