SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Murray State (1-0) used a 29-8 run in the middle portion of the game to take control during an 85-77 victory over the Omaha men's basketball team (0-1) Monday afternoon at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. as part of the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon.
It was the season opener for both teams as Omaha is coming off a 2024-25 season when it reached the NCAA tournament after winning the Summit League regular-season and tournament championships.
Javon Jackson led four Racers in double figures with a game-high 24 points. He made all 10 of his free throws and Murray State went 24 of 25 from the line in the second half to keep the Mavs from making a second-half run.
Omaha is expected to depend on its depth this season and on Monday, six Mavs finished in double figures.
Lance Waddles,
Tony Osburn and
Khamani Cooper each scored 13 points, while Waddles also grabbed 10 rebounds for his second career double-double.
Ja'Sean Glover added 12 points,
Brock Scholl, a true freshman from Skutt Catholic, had 11 points and seven rebounds and
Kamryn Thomas chipped in 10 points.
Omaha led most of the first half before Murray State raced to a double-digit lead early in the second half.
"I thought we played OK in the first half," said fourth-year head coach
Chris Crutchfield. "Their size and athleticism caught up to us."
Omaha was up 11-4 early lead, but Murray State grabbed seven rebounds in the first 15 minutes and took its first lead at 25-24 with 5:18 left on a second-chance 3-pointer from Mason Miller.
Omaha regained a 29-25 lead on a Waddles 3 from the left wing at the 4:25 mark, but the rest of the half the Mavs scored only two points and committed four turnovers as Murray State took a 34-31 lead to the break.
Omaha committed 11 of its 17 turnovers in the first half.
The Mavs also were out of sync to start the second half as Murray extended its lead to 54-37 with 12:20 remaining.
During the 12-minute stretch following Waddles' 3, Omaha shot just 3 of 17 from the field as the Racers went from four down four to a 17-point lead.
Omaha was within 56-44 after a three-point play by Cooper with 11:20 left, but eight was as close the Mavs got the rest of the way.
Omaha returns to action Thursday, Nov. 6 at Abilene Christian on ESPN+ and 1180 AM.
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