Racers run fades in road loss to UNI, 75-67

The Murray State Racers couldn't finish off a great performance for 32 minutes in a 75-67 loss Tuesday to the University of Northern Iowa Panthers in Cedar Falls. 

Rob Perry scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half as the Racers hit UNI with a 17-3 run to push out to a 60-51 lead with 7:52 left. However, the lead vanished as quickly as the Racers built it when UNI held the Racers without a field goal for more than six minutes. By the time Perry scored with 1:31 remaining, the Racers were down 69-62.
 
Jamari Smith added 16 points, while JaCobi Wood added 13.
 
In the first half, the Racers held a 24-17 lead with 3:30 after a 3-pointer from Wood. Perry hit a 3-point basket at the first half buzzer, but UNI held a 28-27 lead at the intermission.

The Racers (9-8) fall to 4-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Northern Iowa (9-8) improves to 5-2 in the first ever meeting between the two schools.
 
The Racers are home Saturday at 3 p.m. to host the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames on Cameron Payne Day. The Murray State hall of famer and current player with the NBA's Phoenix Suns will have his jersey No. 1 retired at halftime.
 




Photo: Dave Winder/MSU Athletics