Racers release full non-conference schedule
MBB: Murray State will have five non-conference home games this season
One year ago, Murray State didn’t release their full non-conference schedule until September 27th. This year, they beat that mark by 43 days. We’ve known the teams and the dates for some time, but today we’ll dig a little deeper into the opponents the Racers will face ahead of the start of Missouri Valley Conference play.
October 18th at Xavier (Exhibition)
Last season: 22-12 overall, 13-7 Big East, 11-seed in NCAA Tournament
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #71
The Musketeers won a game in the First Four before losing to Illinois in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last March. With Head Coach Sean Miller leaving to take over the program at Texas, Xavier is now led by Richard Pitino. The Musketeers will have a completely remade roster this season. Their highest returning scorer is Ian Sabourin, who averaged 1.0 points per game last season.
October 26th vs. Northern State (Exhibition)
Last season: 2-26 overall, 1-21 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Head Coach Ryan Miller is welcoming in his alma mater for Murray State’s lone home exhibition game. The Division II Wolves are now being led by first-year head coach Matt Wilber, who spent last season as an assistant coach with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. Prior to his stop in the professional ranks, Wilber spent 11 seasons as the head coach at Dakota Wesleyan, an NAIA program in Mitchell, South Dakota — which happens to be Miller’s birthplace.
November 3rd vs. Omaha (in Sioux Falls, SD at The Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon)
Last season: 22-13 overall, 13-3 Summit League, 15-seed in NCAA Tournament
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #150
After starting last year 4-9, the Mavericks won 18 of their final 22 games, earning their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in the 14 years since they made the transition to Division I. While they graduated their two leading scorers from last season, Omaha brings back five of their top seven scorers from a year ago — Tony Osburn (12.1 PPG), Lance Waddles (8.8 PPG), Ja’Sean Glover (7.6 PPG), Kamryn Thomas (6.4 PPG) and Isaac Ondekane (5.3 PPG).
November 7th vs. Mississippi Valley State
Last season: 3-28 overall, 1-17 SWAC
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #365
From a metric standpoint, the Delta Devils were one of the worst teams in the country last season, as they were last in America in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Their victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff was their only win over a Division I team last year. Mississippi Valley State has yet to post a 2025-26 roster on their official website.
November 11th at SMU
Last season: 24-11 overall, 13-7 ACC, 2nd round of NIT
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #46
This is the only true road game for the Racers this year in the non-conference, as this will be the back-end of the home-and-home series that started in Murray in December of 2023. Expectations are high in Dallas as the Mustangs are hoping to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017. SMU returns Boopie Miller, their leading scorer from last season, who averaged 13.2 points and 5.5 assists per game. Last season, the Mustangs were 14th in the country in offensive rebounding percentage and 20th in three-point percentage at 37.8% from beyond the arc.
November 15th vs. Nicholls
Last season: 20-13 overall, 13-7 Southland Conference
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #277
This will be the third-ever meeting between the Racers and Colonels. Nicholls was the only team last year to beat Southland champion McNeese in conference play. Last season, the Colonels were one of the best teams in the country in three-point defense, holding opponents to 30.1% from beyond the arc. Nicholls is yet to post a 2025-26 roster on their official website.
November 18th vs. Little Rock
Last season: 19-14 overall, 12-8 Ohio Valley Conference
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #142
This is the return game in a home-and-home series that started at Little Rock in December of 2023. The Trojans bring back their leading scorer from last season in Johnathan Lawson, who averaged 15.4 points per game. Little Rock will also get back KK Robinson, who missed all of last season with an injury. Robinson was the team’s leading scorer in 2023-24 when he averaged 15.8 points per game. The Trojans are expected to be among the frontrunners in the OVC this season.
November 23rd vs. Middle Tennessee (Cayman Islands Classic)
Last season: 22-12 overall, 12-6 Conference USA, 1st round of NIT
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #148
The Racers and Blue Raiders have played each other in the non-conference in each of the last 12 seasons, as Murray State went 7-5 over that stretch. It appeared the series was going to take a hiatus before the two schools were matched up at the Cayman Islands Classic. After graduating their top four scorers, the Blue Raiders will bring back 6’8 forward Kamari Lands, who averaged 8.1 points per game last season.
November 24th vs. McNeese (Cayman Islands Classic)
Last season: 28-7 overall, 19-1 Southland Conference, 12-seed in NCAA Tournament
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #103
The Cowboys are coming off the best season in program history, which included a win over Clemson for their first-ever NCAA Tournament win. Head Coach Will Wade has moved on to NC State, and now Bill Armstrong has taken over the McNeese program. Armstrong worked with Wade at LSU before joining the staff at Baylor. While the program will have a new look this season, the Cowboys will return two of their top four scorers — Javohn Garcia (12.6 PPG) and DJ Richards (9.6 PPG). This will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools and the first since 1983.
November 25th vs. George Washington (Cayman Islands Classic)
Last season: 21-13 overall, 9-9 Atlantic 10, 1st round of College Basketball Crown
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #59
This will be the first-ever meeting between these two schools. The Revolutionaries bring back two of their top four scorers from last year in Rafael Castro (14.0 PPG) and Trey Autry (10.4 PPG). George Washington is trying to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.
December 2nd vs. Morehead State
Last season: 15-17 overall, 10-10 Ohio Valley Conference
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #301
Morehead State Head Coach Jonathan Mattox, who was an assistant at Murray State under Steve Prohm from 2022-24, makes his return to the CFSB Center for this one. This will be the first meeting between the old Ohio Valley Conference rivals since the 2022 OVC Tournament championship game. The Eagles top returning scorer is 6’3 senior guard George Marshall, who averaged 7.3 points per game last season.
December 6th vs. Bellarmine
Last season: 5-26 overall, 2-16 Atlantic Sun
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #326
Bellarmine Head Coach Scott Davenport retired at the end of last season, and his son, and longtime assistant, Doug has now taken over the program. Last season’s 5-26 record was the worst since Bellarmine made the transition to Division I five seasons ago. The Knights bring back their leading scorer in Jack Karasinski. The 6’7 junior forward averaged 15.4 points per game last season.
December 13th vs. Akron (in Henderson, Nevada at the Jack Jones Classic)
Last season: 28-7 overall, 17-1 Mid-American Conference, 13-seed in NCAA Tournament
2025-26 Bart Torvik projected national ranking: #95
After a successful run at Ohio, which featured a Sweet 16 run in 2012, Head Coach John Groce has returned to the MAC and turned the Zips into a perennial powerhouse, leading them to three of the last four NCAA Tournaments. Akron will be led 5’11 guard Tavari Johnson, who was second on the team in scoring last season with 13.0 points per game.
Hey what do think about this nonconfrence schedule? Do u like are chances of winning most of them?