Murray State had their last dance on Thursday, March 7, as the Racers fell to the Missouri State Bears 60-35.
Despite winning the previous two matchups against the Bears, the Racers lost by 25 points, shooting an abysmal 21.1% from the field and making just 12 of their 57 shots. Missouri State shot 44.7% from the field in the game.
“They just had more aggression and physicality,” Head Coach Steve Prohm said after the game. “The way they attacked us inside, attacked us early. Overall, we were just one step slow. I thought we had opportunities, but you look at our numbers from the field, those aren’t winning numbers.”
Junior guard JaCobi Wood led the Racers with 12 points. Despite the Racers being down the entire game, Wood kept his head up and continued to coach his teammates through the final whistle.
“It’s difficult in that situation,” Wood said. “You just gotta stick with it. That is what Coach (Prohm) has told us all year. We were down 18 and we got it back to 11. We just had to play one possession at a time, and I was trying to be the coach on the court like Coach always tells me.”
Senior guard Quincy Anderson was visibly upset following the loss, as it marked his last time playing in a Murray State jersey. He said postgame the opportunity just to play at Murray State has been a highlight in his career as a whole.
“God put me in a position to be successful at this level,” Anderson said. “Obviously, it’s rough and frustrating for it to end like this, but I’m super grateful to Coach (Prohm) and our entire coaching staff and teammates. I’m thankful for everyone who’s supported me. But that’s why it’s so tough. You have so many people who love you and support you.”
Missouri State head coach Dana Ford gave praise to Prohm and the Racers after the game and said he knows they’ll get back on track in the near future.
“(Prohm) is a great coach, and he’s gonna get the program back to where they need to be, I’m sure,” Ford said.
Prohm left the post-game press conference on a positive note and said he’s excited for what the future holds for the program next season.
“You have to understand that (I was) an assistant here years ago when we were in the same situation,” Prohm said. “That led to the most decorated decade in the history of the program. I’ve been a part of the best, I’ve been a part of right now. I think it humbles you and refocuses you. You really find out who has your back and who’s ready to go to work. I’m more energized now than I have been because there’s people we wanna prove right but also people we wanna prove wrong.”
Murray State finishes its season with a 12-20 record. The offseason holds a lot of potential for the Racers through recruiting, as well as the Transfer Portal. Next season will show how the Racers can bounce back from one of their worst seasons in recent history.
