(HENDERSON, NV) — Murray State put together a dominant offensive performance at Lee’s Family Forum, shooting 58% from the field to defeat Akron 115-100 at the Jack Jones Classic in a game they controlled for nearly the entire 40 minutes.
The Racers led for more than 35 minutes of game time and built their largest advantage to 23 points midway through the second half at 107-84 with just over four minutes remaining.
Layne Taylor paced Murray State with 23 points on efficient 7-of-11 shooting, adding eight rebounds and a game-high nine assists. Jerrae Jackson contributed 20 points while shooting an impressive 9-of-13 from the field, including hitting his lone three-point attempt.
Murray State caught fire in the second half, shooting a blistering 68.6% after halftime and connecting on 24 of 35 field goal attempts. The Racers also knocked down 10 of 18 three-pointers in the second half to pull away.
JJ Traynor added 16 points with eight rebounds, while Domon came off the bench to chip in 13 points. The Racers’ balanced attack saw five players score in double figures.
For Akron, Tavar Johnson led all scorers with 28 points on 12-of-18 shooting, adding three assists in 30 minutes of action. Shammah Young added 20 points, and Amani Lyles contributed 16, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Murray State’s offensive onslaught.
The Zips held a brief 12-10 lead early in the first half at the 16:05 mark, but Murray State quickly seized control and never looked back. Akron managed to score 58 points in the second half while shooting 50% from the field, but couldn’t match the Racers’ explosive offensive output.
Murray State dominated the paint with 52 points compared to Akron’s 42, and the Racers’ efficient shooting from beyond the arc—hitting 18 of 32 three-pointers (56%)—proved to be the difference.
The Racers (8-3) will open Missouri Valley Conference play on Thursday night at home against the Drake Bulldogs (6-5) at 7 p.m.
