MURRAY, Ky. (AP) _ Justin Fuente threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns, including a 26-yarder to Terrence Tillman that halted an Eastern Kentucky rally and gave Murray State a 45-30 victory Saturday afternoon.

Eastern Kentucky narrowed Murray State's lead to 35-30 on a pair of Gary Gumm touchdown passes before Fuente connected with Tillman on the scoring pass that gave the Racers a 43-30 lead after the two-point conversion with 5:12 left.

Murray State (6-3, 5-1 Ohio Valley Conference) added a safety as the Racers stayed alive in the OVC race.

The Racers scored on their first play from scrimmage when Fuente connected with Jason French for a 71-yard touchdown pass.

Eastern Kentucky (6-3, 3-2) quickly tied it when Alex Bannister caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Chad Collins.

The Racers scored 20 straight points on Tim Linville's 3-yard TD run, an 8-yard TD pass from Fuente to Tillman and two 27-yard field goals by Greg Miller.

Eastern countered with Corey Crume's 8-yard touchdown run, but the Racers struck just before halftime when Linville scored from 1-yard out to give Murray State a 35-14 halftime lead.

The Colonels closed the gap in the second half on two short TD passes by Gumm, who came off the bench when Collins was injured.

Fuente completed 19-of-34 passes, while Jermaine Manning rushed for 182 yards on 24 carries for Murray State. Gumm was 11-of-16 for 118 yards for Eastern.