Off to the Races: Ryan Miller Reigns in Top Recruits for Murray State
The Murray State Racers are coming into this season with a new head coach and an entirely new roster. Ryan Miller has assembled an impressive squad. Can they win the Missouri Valley Conference?
Just four seasons ago, the Murray State Racers reached 20th in the AP Poll and received a seven seed in the NCAA Tournament as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. Now, in three seasons within the Missouri Valley Conference, the Racers haven’t quite found their footing.
The Racers brought in former head coach Steven Prohm, but after three disappointing seasons by Murray State’s standards, the Racers decided to head in a different direction. The Racers brought in Creighton assistant coach Ryan Miller.
Miller has wasted no time whatsoever building an intriguing roster that on paper looks like it can compete with any other school in the Missouri Valley. Can he bring Murray State to the same level of competitiveness that fans saw in the Ohio Valley? Let’s take a look at who the Racers have coming for next season.
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Roster Turnover
JaCobi Wood (Ineligible)
12.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
Kylen Milton (Ineligible)
11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals
Terence Harcum (Ineligible)
12.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2 assists
Justin Morgan (Senior) - Unsigned
2.4 points, 1.8 rebounds
AJ Ferguson (Senior) - Unsigned
11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 steal
Alden Applewhite (Senior) - Georgia Southern
5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds
Nick Ellington (Senior) - George Mason
9.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Kyeron Lindsay (Senior) - UAB
6.6 points, 4.3 rebounds
Jordan McCullum (Sophomore) - ETSU
1.6 points (5 games/3 minutes)
Chiang Ring (Sophomore) - Unsigned
0.3 points (6 games/1.8 minutes)
John McCrear (Sophomore) - Lewis
0.5 rebounds (4 games/1.3 minutes)
Murray State fans aren’t seeing any familiar faces coming back to the team next year. Some favorites like JaCobi Wood, Kylen Milton, and Terence Harcum ran out of eligibility. Solid players like Nick Ellington, AJ Ferguson, and Kyeron Lindsay entered the transfer portal with Ellington headed to George Mason and Lindsay headed to UAB.
Returning Players
Murray State has the following players returning next season:
None
I’m fairly confident this is the first time that I’ve ever written none on a roster review. Usually at least one player stays, even in a coaching change, but Ryan Miller is starting completely from scratch. As you’ll see in the next section, he’s wasted no time assembling a strong roster. He had a vision for what he wanted, and the best way to achieve that vision was to use a blank canvas.
Roster Additions
The Racers have added the following players:
J.J. Traynor (Senior) - DePaul
5.6 points, 3.3 rebounds
Ben Shtolzberg (Senior) - UC Santa Barbara
3.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Javon Jackson (Senior) - UIC
11.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals
Mason Miller (Senior) - Creighton
1.1 points, 1.6 rebounds
Fredrick King (Senior) - Creighton
2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds
Brayden Shorter (Junior) - Washburn (DII)
15.5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Dylan Anderson (Junior) - Boise State
3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds
Brock Vice (Sophomore) - North Texas
1.2 points, 0.6 rebounds
K.J. Tenner (Sophomore) - West Virginia
2.4 points, 1.1 assists
Layne Taylor (Sophomore) - Central Arkansas
17.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.9 steals
Tristian Ford (Freshman)
Mathis Courbon (Freshman)
Dillon Butler (Freshman)
Roman Domon (Freshman)
Guards
Ben Shtolzberg (6’4)
Ben Shtolzberg started his career out at Creighton during the 2022-2023 season, so he has some familiarity with Ryan Miller already. He spent the last two seasons with UC Santa Barbara where he served as a back-up guard off the bench.
Last year, he shot 50% from the floor on 2.5 attempts per game and 20% from beyond the arc. He’s not a three point thread as on his career he is shooting just 23.2% despite 35.6% of his shot attempts being three-pointers.
He can handle the ball well as he featured a 1.5 to 0.6 assist to turnover rate and he’s virtually automatic from the free throw line. Last year, he shot 95.2% from the line, missing just two. On his career, he’s shooting 89.6%.
I don’t expect Shtolzberg to start, but he’ll provide the Racers with some veteran experience and help off the bench.
Javon Jackson (6’3)
Javon Jackson is a rare inter-conference transfer as he is headed to Murray, Kentucky after appearing in 31 games (starting 29) for UIC last season. He shot 38.2% overall and 30.6% from beyond the arc. He ranked 489th with an 18.9 assist rate and he’s a strong on-ball defender as he ranked 228th in the country with a 3.1% steal percentage.
He’s an aggressive scorer and he can do it from all ranges of the court. He shot 43% on the season from inside the arc and he’s a strong free throw shooter, so he isn’t afraid to get to the line. Against Valparaiso, he knocked down 11-13 shots from the line. From outside, his numbers aren’t eye opening, but solid enough.
He had some monster games, including a 30 points performance against Murray State where he shot 60% from the floor. Jackson is the type of player that when he’s on, it’s hard to stop him.
Brayden Shorter (6’5)
Brayden Shorter spent the last two years at Division II Washburn and he has developed into a lethal wing. The 6’5 wing shot 36.7% from beyond the arc last season and 37.1% the season prior. Overall he shot 41.6% from the floor and 43.9% the year prior. 74.8% of his total shots were from three point and he took 9.5 per game on average. He gets his shots up, no doubt about that. His season high in made attempts was seven.
He was highly sought after in the portal as he held offers from Lipscomb, Indiana State, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Liberty, Wyoming, and many more.
Layne Taylor (5’11)
If you have been following Bracket Busters since last season, there is a good chance that you have seen me talk about Layne Taylor already. I’m so excited about him joining the Missouri Valley and I’ll call my shot right now that he’ll win multiple newcomer of the week awards.
The 5’11 guard was incredible at Central Arkansas last season. Despite the lack of success from the Bears overall, his metrics as a true freshman say all you need to know. He ranked 227th in assist rate with a 24.1% mark and 216th in turnover rate with a 10.7% mark. He featured a 2.9% steal percentage, while committing just 1.9 fouls on a 40 minute average which was 178th in the country. He shot 47.3% overall and 32.9% from deep, while finishing with a 48.6% effective field goal percentage.
You can expect that his averages from a points perspective will decrease, but with more pieces around him he should see an increase in shooting percentages. On Central Arkansas, Taylor was essentially the team’s offense, so defenders would be all over him. At Murray State, he’ll be relieved of some of the constant pressure.
Questioning his ability to go up against tougher competition? Against Utah he finished with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Against Georgia Tech, he finished with 20 points, five assists, and three rebounds.
Taylor is a prolific offensive weapon and he’ll be able to handle a lot of the point guard responsibilities for the Racers.
K.J. Tenner (6’0)
The former Tennessee Mr. Basketball spent his freshman year at West Virginia where he appeared in 30 games. He shot 35% overall and 14.4% from beyond the arc (4-26). I’m not too concerned about his statistics from beyond the arc, because he has time to develop and he’s play inside the arc is sold. On the season, he shot 44.4% from inside the arc. As he develops with more opportunities, you can expect those metrics to improve.
When you think of Murray State, you think about the long history of talented guards. Obviously, Ja Morant, but others like Cam Payne, Isaiah Cannon, etc. KJ Tenner just screams Murray State basketball. He’s lightning quick to the basket, he’s strong in transition, and he’s crafty around the rim.
Coming out of high school, he had offers from Drake, Bradley, Charleston, Arkansas State, and others.
Tristian Ford (6’3)
Tristian Ford is an incoming freshman out of Rockford, Illinois and he was listed as one of the top point guard in the state. The 6’3 guard was ranked the 3rd best recruit coming out of Illinois and was listed as a three-star per 247 Sports. He’s highly athletic, he can drive to the basket, step outside to knock down a three and create his own offense. He’ll be a big piece for Murray State’s future and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do in his opportunities.
Ford was highly sought after with offers from Arkansas State, Bradley, Milwaukee, Duquesne, App State, Texas A&M, Arizona State, and more.
Mathis Courbon
Mathis Courbon was the first French basketball player to ever sign with Murray State. The 6’6 wing was a member of Chorale Roanne Basket this past season where he appeared in 27 games. In 10 minutes per game, he averaged 3.4 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. He shot 48.4% overall and 35% from beyond the arc.
There' is a lot to like about the long-term potential here for Courbon. He has a nice looking shot from outside and he can score in transition with ease. We likely won’t see him much here in year one, but shall he return to Murray State the next season, Racers fans are going to become fans very quickly.
Dillon Butler (6’3)
Dillon Butler is a 6’3 guard out of Memphis, Tennessee. Truthfully there isn’t a lot of information available regarding Butler. I’ve attached some highlights from his personal YouTube channel. You have to take highlights with a grain of salt sometimes, but he looks to be a proficient scorer with a nice looking shot.
Murray State is loaded with guards, so it’s hard to imagine that he’ll see much playing time his freshman year. He’ll be on a redshirt watch list for the Racers.
Forwards
Brock Vice (6’10)
Brock Vice spent his freshman season at North Texas, but he started his career at Creighton so he already knows Ryan Miller well. After redshirting, he transferred to North Texas where he appeared in just five games. When he headed to Creighton, he was listed as a finalist for Tennessee Mr. Basketball and he was listed as the third best player in the state. Coincidentally, he was coached by Mike Miller, aka, Ryan Miller’s brother.
Vice is essentially a true freshman in terms of collegiate experience, despite spending two seasons at two different programs. He’ll most likely finally have a chance to break into a consistent role with the Racers.
Coming out of high school, he held offers from Washington State, VCU, App State, Chattanooga, Evansville, Belmont, and more.
J.J. Traynor (6’9)
We saw a different DePaul team last year, and J.J. Traynor was a big piece of that puzzle. The 6’9 forward shot 55.8% from the floor and 30.8% from beyond the arc while appearing in 32 games, starting in ten.
Traynor has some monster athleticism and he’ll slide right into Murray State’s rotation. He won’t be a volume shooter from outside, but he has a strong enough shot to be a threat and stretch out defenders. Once he gets into the paint, he’s hard to stop as he shot a ridiculous 66.7% from inside the arc which was 51st in the country. On the defensive end, he featured a 16.8% defensive rebounding percentage and a 3.9% blocking percentage which was 294th in the country. In his last seven games of the season, he averaged 1.6 blocks per game.
Mason Miller (6’9)
Mason Miller is the son of Mike Miller and nephew of his new head coach, Ryan Miller. While he took a step back in his role last season, during Miller’s sophomore season with Creighton he started in 33 games. During that season, he averaged 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 48.8% overall and 45.4% from three point (108 attempts).
While the Missouri Valley is one of the best non-power conferences in the country, taking a step down to the MVC rather than on Creighton in the Big East is going to do wonders for Miller. He’ll slide right into the regular rotation for the Racers this season and provide them with a nice flex four to step outside and knock down tough shots in the catch-and-shoot and play in the paint.
Roman Domon (6’10)
Roman Domon is a fun international prospect for the Racers. The 6’10 forward is coming out of France where he’s playing in the U18 and U20 teams. This past season, he played on BCM Gravelines where he averaged 6.1 points and three rebounds per game, while averaging 17.3 minutes.
I love the potential of Domon because he is quick on his feet. He can play inside with his height, but he can stretch outside and knock down shots in the mid-range and from beyond the arc. I’m not for sure how much we’ll see Domon in his freshman season, but I hope he stays with Coach Miller because he has some strong long-term potential.
Fun Fact: Indiana University legend Romeo Langford played in three games on the same team as Domon this past year.
Centers
Fredrick King (6’9)
Fred King is another Creighton Bluejay that’s following Ryan Miller over to the Racers. During his last season, he appeared in 36 games, but he still managed to average 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per game. His best game of the season came against Notre Dame when he finished 14 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and four blocks on 6/10 shooting.
King is a bit of raw talent still, but there’s a lot of potential with his size to be a force in the Missouri Valley. His metrics show that he should take a strong step forward as he finished with a 6.3% block percentage, 11.3% offensive rebounding percentage, and a 66.7% effective field goal percentage. The jury is out on how these metrics will hold up in an increased role, but there is a lot to like.
Dylan Anderson (7’0)
Dylan Anderson has bounced around some strong teams in his first two seasons in college basketball. The 7’0 center started his career at Arizona where he appeared in 15 games, then transferred to Boise State where he appeared in 24 games and started in 11 games.
Last season, he shot 53.8% overall and 38.5% from beyond the arc on 13 attempts. His best game of the season came against Utah Tech where he finished with 14 points on 5/11 shooting.
Once area that Murray State would love to see is Anderson take a huge step forward on the defensive end. He averaged 10.1 minutes per game last season, but he swatted just two blocked shots. In larger minute opportunities, his season high in rebounds was three against division one teams. He finished with just a 1% block percentage, 1.1% steal percentage, and a 3.9% offensive rebounding percentage.
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Expectations
When you are starting with a completely new roster and the majority of the players have never stepped on the court with one another…you are running some risks. However, Ryan Miller is reaching for the stars with this roster because if it works out and everyone gels well together, we are looking at a team that should be competing at the top of the Missouri Valley during the 2025-2026 season.
What does a potential starting lineup look like?
Layne Taylor
Javon Jackson
Brayden Shorter
J.J. Traynor
Fredrick King
The first players off the bench in this scenario would be Ben Shtolzberg, K.J. Tenner, Mason Miller, and Dylan Anderson. Tenner would swap in for Taylor, Shtolzberg would serve as ball handler, then Miller and Anderson would swap for Traynor and King. You could also swap out Shorter and Shtolzberg, move Jackson to the three, the have Shtolzberg as a secondary ball handler to run plays with Taylor in the starting lineup. Then you are going to have Shorter as an elite sharpshooter from deep coming off the bench.
Two things this team does not lack is athleticism and offensive weapons. From 5’11 to 7’0, there are strong athletes across the board. On the offensive end, Layne Taylor, Javon Jackson, and Brayden Shorter are probably going to lead the charge. I wouldn’t be shocked to see J.J. Traynor right there as well on the offensive piece. I don’t foresee there being a ton of offense from the five in either King or Anderson, but I could be wrong. King is going to be tasked with focusing on defense to protect the paint against some tough teams in the Missouri Valley and Anderson is going to have to use his expanded opportunity to use his 7’0 height to his advantage on both the defensive and offensive ends.
The largest question mark for this team is going to be experience. A lot of these players don’t have a ton of experience in expanded roles. The players that do are Layne Taylor who is just a sophomore, Brayden Shorter from Division II, then Javon Jackson, J.J. Traynor, and Mason Miller. Others have some experience in more limited roles, but that will change on Murray State. There’s going to be some times that we see the inexperience break through, but among the mid-major ranks, that’s becoming the usual.
What’s the ceiling of this team? Winning the Missouri Valley. I firmly believe that the Murray State Racers could win the Missouri Valley if this team gels well together. On the opposite end, I feel like they could finish middle of the pack at worst. We aren’t going to know if this team is going to work well together until several games into the season. This is a brand new team that has, excluding limited scenarios, never played together. Running through practices and exhibitions is one thing, but playing 40 minute games together is another. There’s a ton of potential here, if you want a team to keep an eye on in the Missouri Valley, you’ll want to watch the Racers.