DALLAS — Despite a standout performance from guard Javon Jackson in his native Texas, the Murray State Racers couldn’t overcome a second-half deficit Tuesday evening, falling 102-91 to the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum.
Jackson led all Racers with 26 points in front of friends and relatives who made the trip from Houston. The junior guard shot efficiently throughout, converting eight of 14 field goal attempts while making all eight free throw attempts. He also connected on two three-pointers in the contest.
The defeat leaves Murray State at 2-1 overall heading into Saturday’s home matchup with Nicholls State. The Mustangs improved their record to 3-0 with the victory.
Three additional Racers reached double figures in scoring. JJ Traynor finished with 14 points, Roman Domon added 11, and Fred King scored 10 in what was his first career start for the program.
Murray State entered intermission facing a seven-point disadvantage at 49-42. The margin expanded to 18 points midway through the second period before the Racers began their rally. Murray State made multiple runs, narrowing the gap to six points on five occasions, with the final surge coming inside the last three minutes of regulation.
The contest represented a challenging night defensively for the Racers, who surrendered triple digits for the first time in a regulation game in more than two decades. The rebounding battle proved crucial, as SMU collected 42 boards compared to Murray State’s 31, with the Mustangs holding a significant 17-8 edge in offensive rebounds.
Jackson’s scoring output has him averaging 19.3 points through the season’s opening three games, placing him second among Missouri Valley Conference players in that category. Both he and teammate Mason Miller have made at least one three-pointer in each game so far this season.
The game marked Murray State’s 50th all-time contest against universities from Texas, with the program now holding a 32-18 record against Lone Star State opponents dating to a 1943 meeting.
Saturday brings a full day of Murray State athletics to campus. The basketball team faces Nicholls State at 4:30 p.m. at the CFSB Center, positioned between the football team’s 11 a.m. contest versus North Dakota and the women’s basketball squad’s 7 p.m. game against Saint Louis.
The Racers will aim to rebound from Tuesday’s setback when they return to home court this weekend.
