The Murray State Racers (10-1) hit the road for a Wednesday (Dec. 22) game against the 12th ranked (Associated Press Poll) Auburn Tigers (10-1) at Auburn Arena in Auburn, Alabama. The 5 p.m. tip will see both teams entering the game with seven-game win streaks after the Racers defeated Chattanooga at home Saturday 87-76 and the Tigers won at Saint Louis 74-70.
Racers vs Tigers Series
The game marks the seventh all-time meeting between the two and it marks their third meeting since 2017. In that 2017 meeting, Auburn was the first team from the SEC to visit Murray State’s CFSB Center and came away with a last second win 81-77. The last meeting in the series was at Auburn in 2018 in which the Racers and Tigers each scored 50 points in the second half in which Auburn won 93-88. The Racers are 0-2 at Auburn with games there in 2002 and 2018.
Racers vs SEC
Since their first meeting with Vanderbilt in 1932, the Racers have played Southeastern Conference teams 38 times and are 10-28 overall. MSU’s last win over an SEC team came in 2012 at the Charleston Classic when the Racers defeated Auburn 79-59, but have lost their last six including their most recent SEC tilt at Tennessee in 2019 by an 82-63 score. Murray State’s SEC wins have come against Alabama (1980), Arkansas (1997), Auburn (2012), Mississippi State (1941, 1956), Ole Miss (1958, 1993, 1994), Vanderbilt (1946, 2010). Among MSU’s big wins was the 2010 NCAA Tournament over Vanderbilt when Danero Thomas hit a buzzer beater in San Jose for the Racers’ first NCAA win in 22 years and Christmas Day 1997 when MSU hall of famer, DT Mayes, scored 42 points to lead the Racers past Arkansas 94-83 in Puerto Rico. The Racers have faced Mississippi State more than any team in the SEC, eight times.
Racers vs Ranked Opponents
The game against Auburn marks the Racers’ first game against a ranked opponent since they took on No. 14 Tennessee in Knoxville in 2019. In recent seasons, the Racers also had games against ranked teams against Florida State in the 2019 NCAA Tournament second round (No. 10), at Auburn (No. 7) in 2019 and against West Virginia (No. 18) in 2012 at the NCAAs. Murray State was ranked (No. 9 and 11) in 2012 when they defeated Saint Mary’s (No. 11) and lost to Marquette (No. 11) in Louisville at the NCAA Tournament.