Murray State Racers Suffer Loss in Regular Season Finale, Earn #4 Seed in Arch Madness

The Racers will face #5 UIC in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament after finishing the regular season 20-11 overall and 12-8 in conference play.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Murray State Racers suffered an 87-78 defeat against the Bradley Braves in their regular season finale at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois. Despite strong performances from several Racers players, including King's career-high two three-pointers in the first half, the team was unable to overcome the Braves' lead in the second half. The Racers finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record and 12-8 in Missouri Valley Conference play, earning the #4 seed in the upcoming Arch Madness tournament.

Why it matters

The Racers' loss in their regular season finale sets them up as the #4 seed in the Arch Madness tournament, where they will face the #5 seed UIC in the first round. This positioning will determine their path to a potential conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth, making the outcome of this game an important factor in the Racers' postseason aspirations.

The details

The Racers surged ahead with a 12-2 run in the first half, taking the lead at 13:25 after King hit his first of two three-pointers. However, the Braves regained the lead by halftime, 34-33. In the second half, the teams traded free throws before the Braves gradually pulled away, with the Racers unable to reduce the deficit to a single possession.

  • The Racers' regular season finale took place on March 2, 2026.
  • The Arch Madness tournament will begin on March 6, 2026.

The players

Murray State Racers

The men's basketball team from Murray State University, competing in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Bradley Braves

The men's basketball team from Bradley University, a rival of the Murray State Racers in the Missouri Valley Conference.

King

A Murray State Racers player who hit a career-high two three-pointers in the first half of the game.

Mathis Courbon

A Murray State Racers player who hit a three-pointer to close the gap to four points in the second half.

Domon

A Murray State Racers player who had six games this season with 10 or more free-throw attempts, including 11 of 16 in this match.

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What they’re saying

“With a win, the Racers would advance to the semi-finals to face the winner of #1 Belmont vs. #8 SIU/#9 Drake winner.”

— DaveWinder, MSU Athletics (marshallcountydaily.com)

What’s next

The Racers will face the #5 seed UIC in the first round of the Arch Madness tournament on Friday, March 6, 2026 at 2:30 PM in the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

The takeaway

Despite the regular season finale loss, the Racers have had a strong season, finishing with 20 overall wins and 12 conference wins, their best performance in the last four years. Their #4 seed in the Arch Madness tournament sets them up for a potential deep postseason run, but they will need to overcome the challenge of the #5 seed UIC in the first round to keep their championship aspirations alive.