On Wednesday, Jan. 15th, Murray State men’s basketball fell 97-93 to the UIC Flames at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, Illinois. The defeat brought an end to the Racers’ three-game winning streak, bringing them to 10-8 overall and 4-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

In the final 15 seconds of regulation, the Racers, trailing by five points, executed an incredible defensive sequence, making three steals and scoring off two of them. Alden Applewhite and Kylen Milton converted the steals into layups, putting Murray State down one with 6.5 seconds remaining. After a UIC timeout, the Racers fouled the Flames with five seconds left, regaining possession after UIC made one of two free throws, leaving Murray State down by just three.

The Racers forced overtime in dramatic fashion when Terence Harcum was fouled while attempting a game-tying three-pointer from midcourt. Harcum kept his cool, sinking all three free throws to knot the game at 76-76 and send it into overtime.

In the first overtime period, the game remained tight, and with just five seconds left in overtime, Harcum drove the lane to score and tie the game once again at 88-88. However, in the final minutes of the second overtime, the Flames outscored the Racers 9-5, securing the win.

Despite the loss, there were notable individual performances, most notably from Applewhite, who set a new career high with 22 points. Kylen Milton and Harcum following right behind him with 15 points from Milton and 14 points from Harcum. 

The Racers return home on Saturday for a 3 p.m. showdown with the Bradley Braves at the CFSB Center, marking MSU’s Hall of Fame Day. The 42nd class of inductees will be honored during halftime of the game.