Murray State University in western Kentucky competes in the Missouri Valley Conference and has a remarkable history of mid-major basketball success. The Racers have produced NBA stars Ja Morant, Joe Fulks, and Cameron Payne, and have made numerous NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Racers nickname honors the thoroughbred horse racing heritage of Kentucky, with the university located near the western Kentucky horse country.
Ja Morant's explosive 2019 NCAA Tournament performance against Marquette, scoring 17 points with 16 assists and 11 rebounds in a triple-double that launched him to the #2 overall pick.
Joe Fulks, who played at Murray State in the 1940s, is credited as the inventor of the modern jump shot and was the first scoring champion in NBA/BAA history.
The Murray State Racers compete in the MVC and hold an all-time record of 1329–780 (.630 winning percentage) across 81 recorded seasons dating back to 1935-36.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 20-12 | 12-8 (MVC) | Ryan Miller | |
| 2024-25 | 16-17 | 9-11 (MVC) | Steve Prohm | |
| 2023-24 | 12-20 | 9-11 (MVC) | Steve Prohm | |
| 2022-23 | 17-15 | 11-9 (MVC) | Steve Prohm | |
| 2021-22 | 31-3 | 18-0 (OVC) | Matt McMahon | AP #19 |
| 2020-21 | 13-13 | 10-10 (OVC) | Matt McMahon | |
| 2019-20 | 23-9 | 15-3 (OVC) | Matt McMahon | |
| 2018-19 | 28-5 | 16-2 (OVC) | Matt McMahon | |
| 2017-18 | 26-6 | 16-2 (OVC) | Matt McMahon | |
| 2016-17 | 16-17 | 8-8 (OVC) | Matt McMahon | |
| 2015-16 | 17-14 | 10-6 (OVC) | Matt McMahon | |
| 2014-15 | 29-6 | 16-0 (OVC) | Steve Prohm | AP #25 |
| 2013-14 | 23-11 | 13-3 (OVC) | Steve Prohm | |
| 2012-13 | 21-10 | 10-6 (OVC) | Steve Prohm | |
| 2011-12 | 31-2 | 15-1 (OVC) | Steve Prohm | AP #9 |
| 2010-11 | 23-9 | 14-4 (OVC) | Billy Kennedy | |
| 2009-10 | 31-5 | 17-1 (OVC) | Billy Kennedy | |
| 2008-09 | 19-12 | 13-5 (OVC) | Billy Kennedy | |
| 2007-08 | 18-13 | 13-7 (OVC) | Billy Kennedy | |
| 2006-07 | 16-14 | 13-7 (OVC) | Billy Kennedy | |
| 2005-06 | 24-7 | 17-3 (OVC) | Mick Cronin | |
| 2004-05 | 17-11 | 11-5 (OVC) | Mick Cronin | |
| 2003-04 | 28-6 | 14-2 (OVC) | Mick Cronin | |
| 2002-03 | 17-12 | 9-7 (OVC) | Tevester Anderson | |
| 2001-02 | 19-13 | 10-6 (OVC) | Tevester Anderson | |
| 2000-01 | 17-12 | 11-5 (OVC) | Tevester Anderson | |
| 1999-00 | 23-9 | 14-4 (OVC) | Tevester Anderson | |
| 1998-99 | 27-6 | 16-2 (OVC) | Tevester Anderson | |
| 1997-98 | 29-4 | 16-2 (OVC) | Mark Gottfried | AP #25 |
| 1996-97 | 20-10 | 12-6 (OVC) | Mark Gottfried | |
| 1995-96 | 19-10 | 12-4 (OVC) | Mark Gottfried | |
| 1994-95 | 21-9 | 11-5 (OVC) | Scott Edgar | |
| 1993-94 | 23-6 | 15-1 (OVC) | Scott Edgar | |
| 1992-93 | 18-12 | 11-5 (OVC) | Scott Edgar | |
| 1991-92 | 17-13 | 11-3 (OVC) | Scott Edgar | |
| 1990-91 | 24-9 | 10-2 (OVC) | Steve Newton | |
| 1989-90 | 21-9 | 10-2 (OVC) | Steve Newton | |
| 1988-89 | 19-11 | 10-2 (OVC) | Steve Newton | |
| 1987-88 | 22-9 | 13-1 (OVC) | Steve Newton | |
| 1986-87 | 13-15 | 6-8 (OVC) | Steve Newton | |
| 1985-86 | 17-12 | 8-6 (OVC) | Steve Newton | |
| 1984-85 | 19-9 | 8-6 (OVC) | Ron Greene | |
| 1983-84 | 15-13 | 7-7 (OVC) | Ron Greene | |
| 1982-83 | 21-8 | 11-3 (OVC) | Ron Greene | |
| 1981-82 | 20-8 | 13-3 (OVC) | Ron Greene | |
| 1980-81 | 17-10 | 10-4 (OVC) | Ron Greene | |
| 1979-80 | 23-8 | 10-2 (OVC) | Ron Greene | |
| 1978-79 | 4-22 | 2-10 (OVC) | Ron Greene | |
| 1977-78 | 8-17 | 4-10 (OVC) | Fred Overton | |
| 1976-77 | 17-10 | 9-5 (OVC) | Fred Overton | |
| 1975-76 | 9-17 | 5-9 (OVC) | Fred Overton | |
| 1974-75 | 10-15 | 3-11 (OVC) | Fred Overton | |
| 1973-74 | 12-13 | 6-8 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1972-73 | 17-8 | 9-5 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1971-72 | 15-11 | 6-8 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1970-71 | 19-5 | 10-4 (OVC) | Cal Luther | AP #17 |
| 1969-70 | 17-9 | 9-5 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1968-69 | 22-6 | 11-3 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1967-68 | 16-8 | 10-4 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1966-67 | 14-9 | 8-6 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1965-66 | 13-12 | 8-6 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1964-65 | 19-7 | 9-5 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1963-64 | 16-9 | 11-3 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1962-63 | 13-9 | 6-6 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1961-62 | 13-12 | 5-7 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1960-61 | 13-10 | 7-5 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1959-60 | 12-11 | 7-4 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1958-59 | 10-15 | 3-9 (OVC) | Cal Luther | |
| 1957-58 | 8-16 | 4-6 (OVC) | Rex Alexander | |
| 1956-57 | 11-13 | 5-5 (OVC) | Rex Alexander | |
| 1955-56 | 15-10 | 6-4 (OVC) | Rex Alexander | |
| 1954-55 | 11-15 | 6-4 (OVC) | Rex Alexander | |
| 1953-54 | 15-16 | 6-4 (OVC) | Harlan Hodges | |
| 1952-53 | 18-9 | OVC | Harlan Hodges | AP #17 |
| 1951-52 | 24-10 | OVC | Harlan Hodges | AP #16 |
| 1950-51 | 21-6 | OVC | Harlan Hodges | AP #16 |
| 1949-50 | 18-13 | OVC | Harlan Hodges | |
| 1948-49 | 13-12 | 3-9 (OVC) | Harlan Hodges | |
| 1937-38 | 27-4 | Ind | Carlisle Cutchin | |
| 1936-37 | 22-3 | Ind | Carlisle Cutchin | |
| 1935-36 | 23-2 | Ind | Carlisle Cutchin |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|