Boxscore (pdf) 

ESTERO, Fla. (November 23, 2015) – Murray State (3-1) used a late 7-0 run to erase a one-point deficit and then held off a Milwaukee (4-2) comeback in the waning seconds to pick up a 66-63 victory this afternoon in the Gulf Coast Showcase at Germain Arena. Jordan Johnson's three-pointer from the top of the key would have tied the game at 66 and forced overtime, but it was ruled to have come just a shade after the final horn.
 
"Those were two really good teams playing today and down the stretch they just made more plays than we did," Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter said. "I give our guys a lot of credit for battling back through adversity and we had a chance there at the end, which is all you can ask when you're playing against a really good team. It was a game of runs and they made more plays."
 
Akeem Springs scored Milwaukee's first eight points, hitting a pair of three-pointers in the process, to help the Panthers get off to a quick start. Milwaukee used an early 12-2 run to turn a two-point deficit into a 15-7 lead and it would lead by as many as 10 points in the half, taking a 29-19 edge on Johnson's first basket of the game.
 
The Racers used the hot shooting of Bryce Jones early in the second half to turn a nine-point deficit into a 37-35 lead. Milwaukee would reclaim the lead (54-53) on Austin Arians' three from the right corner, but Murray State rattled off seven straight points to open up a 60-54 edge with 4:47 remaining.
 
Milwaukee showed the heart of a champion, battling back to get within a basket (62-60) on Johnson's layup with 42 seconds left to play. Following a pair of free throws by Jones, Arians hit a long three from the left wing with six seconds left to get the Panthers within 64-63.
 
Jeffery Moss drained a pair of foul shots to give Murray State a three-point lead, and Milwaukee had a chance to force overtime, but Johnson's three-pointer was ruled to have come a split second after the final horn.
 
Four Panthers scored in double figures, led by Springs and J.J. Panoske, who totaled 12 points apiece. J.R. Lyle provided a huge lift off the bench, dropping in a season-high 11 points, while Johnson just missed out on his second double-double of the season with 10 points and nine assists.
 
Jones led Murray State with 15 points.
 
Milwaukee falls to the consolation bracket of the Gulf Coast Showcase, where it will face the loser of the Pepperdine – Duquesne game tomorrow at 12 p.m. Eastern.