Halftime Report

Only one more half stands between Murray State and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have jumped out to a quick 26-21 lead against Valparaiso.

If Murray State keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 10-7 in no time. On the other hand, Valparaiso will have to make due with a 10-7 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Valparaiso Beacons @ Murray State Racers

Current Records: Valparaiso 10-6, Murray State 9-7

How To Watch

What to Know

Valparaiso is 0-4 against Murray State since December of 2022 but things could change on Saturday. Both will face off in a Missouri Valley battle at 4:00 p.m. ET at CFSB Center. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

On Wednesday, Valparaiso needed a bit of extra time to put away Indiana State. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 98-95 win over the Sycamores. The victory was familiar territory for the Beacons who have now won three matchups in a row.

Valparaiso's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Cooper Schwieger, who scored 23 points in addition to eight rebounds and three blocks. Another player making a difference was Tyler Schmidt, who went 7 for 12 en route to 23 points plus seven rebounds and two steals.

N. Iowa typically has all the answers at home, but on Wednesday Murray State proved too difficult a challenge. They skirted past the Panthers 71-68. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Racers.

Among those leading the charge was JaCobi Wood, who earned 11 points plus six assists and three steals.

Valparaiso pushed their record up to 10-6 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. As for Murray State, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games, which provided a nice bump to their 9-7 record this season.

Saturday's match is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: Valparaiso has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.8 rebounds per game. It's a different story for Murray State, though, as they've been averaging only 32.9. Given Valparaiso's sizable advantage in that area, Murray State will need to find a way to close that gap.

Valparaiso is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. They might be worth a quick bet since they've covered the spread the last four times they've played.

Odds

Murray State is a big 7.5-point favorite against Valparaiso, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The line on this game has moved quite a bit since it opened, as it started out with the Racers as a 10.5-point favorite.


The over/under is 145.5 points.

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Series History

Murray State has won all of the games they've played against Valparaiso in the last 3 years.

  • Feb 24, 2024 - Murray State 80 vs. Valparaiso 68
  • Mar 02, 2023 - Murray State 78 vs. Valparaiso 50
  • Feb 26, 2023 - Murray State 77 vs. Valparaiso 76
  • Dec 04, 2022 - Murray State 77 vs. Valparaiso 70