Game Information
Opponent: Evansville Purple Aces Site (Venue): Evansville, Ind. (Ford Center)
Date/Game Time: Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023/1 p.m.
Audio: WFGS Froggy 103.7FM (PxP: Neal Bradley, Analyst: Kenny Roth)
TV: ESPN+ (PxP: TBA, Analyst: TBA)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com Twitter In Game: @MSURacers
MUR Record (Streak): 7-6 (L2) UE Record (Streak): 4-10 (L1)
MUR Last Game: Lost 63-57 home Southern Illinois (Dec. 29)
UE Last Game: Lost at Indiana State 91-63 (Dec. 29)
All-Time Series vs. UE: Racers lead 26-13 (11-9 away)
First Meeting: 1943 Racers won at home 60-36 Last Meeting: 2019 UE won at home 78-77 in overtime
Last Overtime: 2019 UE won at home 78-77
Last MSU Win: 2018 MSU 66-64 at home Last UE Win: 2019 UE won at home 78-77
Last Five vs UE: MSU 2-3 Last 10 vs UE: MSU 7-3
Next MSU Game: Jan. 4 home vs Bradley Next MSU Away Game: Jan. 7 at Drake
Next UE Game: Jan. 4 at Missouri State Next UE Home Game: Jan. 7 vs Illinois State
Murray State Racers 7-6 (2-1) MVC)
Head Coach: Steve Prohm Alma mater: Alabama (1997) at MUR: 5th season (111-35) Career: 208-130 (11th) Missouri Valley: 2-1
Evansville Purple Aces 4-10 (0-3 MVC)
Head Coach: David Ragland Alma mater: Southern Indiana (2003) at UE: 1st season (4-10) Career: Same Missouri Valley: 0-3
Racers & Purple Aces Prep For New Year’s Day Clash
The Murray State Racers (7-6, 2-1 MVC) take on the Evansville Purple Aces (4-10, 0-3 MVC) on New Year’s Day at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. In one of MSU’s longest running non-conference series, the meeting in 2023 marks their first in the Missouri Valley Conference. With their first meeting vs UE in 1943, the game on the first day of 2023 is their 40th with the Racers owning a 26-13 advantage and winners of seven of the last 10 dating back to 1992. Sunday’s game marks Murray State’s eighth tilt on New Year’s Day and their first since 2003. MSU scored victories in 1955 over BYU and 1958 against Louisville.
Racers Return To The Ford Center
The Racers have a 9-4 all-time mark in the Ford Center in a mix of regular season games with Evansville and games in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. MSU and UE have split four games there with the Racers winning in 2012 and 2014 and the Aces taking the last two in 2016 and 2019. In their five appearances at the OVC Tournament from 2018-22, the Racers ended up three championships including in 2022 when they defeated Morehead State in the title game 71-67.
Before playing in the Ford Center, historic Roberts Stadium was the home to Evansville hoops from 1956-2011. The last time MSU played there was in December 2002 when the Racers won 76-58.
Cameron Payne’s Jersey To Be Retired
Murray State 2020 Hall of Fame member, Cameron Payne will have his jersey retired (Jan. 14) when the Racers host the UIC Flames at 3 p.m.. Payne arrived at MSU from Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis in fall of 2013 and in 69 games in two seasons wearing No. 1, he became a lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft .The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Payne in the first round as the 14th overall pick. After playing for the Thunder, Bulls, Raptors and Cavaliers, Payne found a home in 2020 with the Phoenix Suns and is with the team for a fourth year.
