Murray State got out to a fast start in the first half on the back of balanced scoring to pull away from the Braves for an 86-66 Missouri Valley Conference win  The Racers shot nearly 58 percent in the opening half and carried a double digit lead (50-32) into the break, improving to 13-3 overall and 5-0 in MVC play. Bradley meanwhile moves to 10-6 overall and 3-2 in conference action.

The Racers set the tone early behind efficient shooting and strong ball movement, knocking down 10 three-pointers in the first half. Javon Jackson led the charge, scoring 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting while adding four assists. Mathis Courbon provided a major spark off the bench, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including four made three-pointers, as Murray State built its largest lead to as many as 24 points.

Bradley struggled to find consistency offensively, shooting just 31.3 percent from the floor in the first half and 32.9 percent for the game. Demarion Burch and Ahmet Jonovic led the Braves with 13 points apiece, while Alex Huibregtse added 11 points, hitting three shots from beyond the arc. BU did well when it came to gathering second chance opportunities, scoring 15 second-chance points.

In the second half, Bradley showed signs of of pulling back, but Murray State answered each push with timely baskets. The Racers finished the game shooting 50.8 percent overall and 43.3 percent from three-point range, while also outscoring the Braves 32-19 off the bench. Murray State also dished out 15 assists and committed just 12 turnovers in a the performance.

Bradley will be back in action as they head home for their next two contests when they host the Drake Bulldogs on Wednesday January 7th at 8:00 p.m. and the UNI Panthers on Saturday, January 10th at 5:00 p.m on ESPNU.