Racers Host Redbirds In Historic MVC Opener

Date (Time): Thu., Dec. 1, 2022 (7 p.m. CT)
Opponent: Illinois State Redbirds
Site (Venue): Murray, Ky. (CFSB Center)
Audio: Froggy 103.7 FM (PxP: Neal Bradley, Analyst: Rob Cross)
TV: ESPN+ (PxP: Dave Rowton, Analyst: Kenny Roth)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersHoops
MUR Record (Streak): 3-3 (L1)
ILST Record (Streak): 2-5 (L4)
MUR Last Game: L 69-66 at Chattanooga
ILST Last Game: L 57-44 vs Rhode Island in Cayman Island Classic
All-Time Series vs. ILST (Streak): MUR leads 6-1 (W4)
All-Time Series In Murray (Streak): Racers lead 4-0 (W4)
First Meeting: 1971 Home Won 85-74
Last Meeting: 2021 Away Won 77-65
Largest MSU Win: +12, 89-77 home 2014
Largest MSU Loss: -2, Redbirds won 63-61 in 2015
Next MSU Game: Dec. 4 at Valparaiso
Next MSU Home Game: Dec. 13 vs Chicago State

Illinois State Redbirds 2-5
Head Coach: Ryan Pedon Alma mater: Wooster (2000)
at ILST: 1st season (2-5) Career: Same Missouri Valley: 0-0 NCAA Tournament: 0-0

Murray State Racers 3-3
Head Coach: Steve Prohm Alma mater: Alabama (1997) at MUR: 5th season (107-32) Career: 204-127 (11th) Missouri Valley: 0-0 NCAA Tournament: 4-4

Historic Night For Racers vs Redbirds Thursday
The Murray State Racers (3-3) are back home for the first time in nearly three weeks when they play their first Missouri Valley Conference game in school history after playing in the Ohio Valley Conference after 74 years. Last July 1, the Racers officially became members of The Valley.

It's Murray State hosting the Illinois State Redbirds in each team's Valley opener in a 7 p.m. tip at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky, Thursday night. 5000 commemorative t-shirts from CFSB are being given out to make the evening into a White Out.

The two have had a competitive seven games with all but one of them being played since 2014, when a a four-year deal to play was decided and they have also played in each of the last two seasons. The Racers have a 6-1 all-time mark against the Redbirds and are 4-0 at the CFSB Center. The Racers return the game to Illinois State on Feb. 15 with a game in Normal, Ill.

New Faces - More than Usual
In a perfect example of how the landscape of college basketball has changed, there is only one MSU player from this seasons' roster for the Racers that played in the game a year ago and that was DJ Burns. As for Illinois State, only Kendall Lewis and Ryan Schmitt appeared in the game. In all, the Racers have 12 of 14 players that are new this season and the Redbirds have six new players among their roster of 15.

Coach Steve Prohm of the Racers and Ryan Pedon of ISU are part of a group of 62 new head coaches across NCAA Division-I in 2022-23.

The Bank - The Friendly Confines
As the CFSB Center celebrates its 25th season as the home of Racer Basketball, the big games that have been played here are many and remembered. Simply put, the Racers have enjoyed one of the top home court advantages now going on 40 years that includes the final 15 seasons in old Racer Arena during the 1980s and 1990s. Coming into the Illinois State game, the Racers are 303-49 all-time in the CFSB Center for a winning percentage of about 85 percent. In the last 10 seasons including 2022-23, the Racers are 121-17 in the arena some call The Bank (.876). The Racers enter the game having won their last 17 at The Bank since a loss to Eastern Illinois in 2021.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

DJ Burns

Murray State University Athletics