Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, November 26
Nashville, TN
7:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
5-1
73
vs
70
Toledo
3-3
1
2
OT 1
F
Middle Tennessee
22
39
12
73
TOLEDO
30
31
9
70
Team Stats
MT
TOLEDO
FG%
.446
.408
3FG%
.300
.304
FT%
.645
.767
RB
28
42
TO
4
16
STL
7
1
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
31
FGM
12
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
Raiders clinch Challenge in Music City title
11/26/2016 11:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MT downs Toledo in overtime, 73-70
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee clinched the Challenge in Music City title Saturday night with a 73-70 overtime win against Toledo.
It was the JaCorey Williams and Giddy Potts show for the Blue Raiders all game long as the pair combined for 54 points, including 11 of Middle's 12 overtime points.
Williams had a career-high 31 points on the night, marking the first 30-point game by a Blue Raider since Reggie Upshaw's 32 against Trevecca last December, and added seven rebounds and a pair of steals. Potts totaled 23 points and seven rebounds on the night, going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Potts opened up the overtime period with a triple followed by a basket by Williams to give MT a quick five-point lead.
Toledo got as close as one, down 69-68 at the 2:08 mark, but never took the lead from MT in the overtime period as the Raiders went on to win by three.
The Blue Raiders got off to a sluggish start, falling to a 7-2 deficit in the early going, prompting Head Coach Kermit Davis replaced his starting lineup with all new players.
"We just came out flat," Davis said. "We made a complete line change early but their energy level wasn't much better than the first five. We just kept settling for jump shots.
"In the second half I think our toughness really got better."
Getting the ball into the paint and matching Toledo's toughness and physicality would turn out to be the key for Middle to get back into the game.
"We started off the game settling and a lot of times when you start off settling you just play soft," Williams said. "You don't take physicality to the game. When we started going inside we got more physical and turned the game around."
Junior forward Brandon Walters gave Middle its first lead, 8-7, at the 9:59 mark in the first half but Toledo responded with a pair of baskets in the paint to retake the lead.
The offense continued to sputter as halftime approached before a Potts 3-pointer pulled the deficit back within 10 and sent the Blue Raiders into the locker room down 30-22.
MT shot just 28.6 percent from the field before the break and allowed Toledo to grab 23 boards to the Raiders' 13.
Williams and Potts were able to bring the Blue Raiders within four with a couple of quick baskets to open the second half, but the Rockets answered with a triple open their lead back up to seven.
Middle came storming back midway through the half, cutting the Toledo lead to 46-45 with a Potts layup in transition, but Toledo got a 3-pointer on the other end as the shot clock expired to thwart the Blue Raider run.
Toledo extended its lead back out to five as the game reached the final media timeout but then MT would go on a run.
Xavier Habersham gave MT the lead back for the first time in 27 minutes with an old-fashioned 3-point play at the 2:59 mark before Reggie Upshaw sank a basket to extend the Blue Raider lead to three.
Toledo was able to momentarily regain the lead but Potts dropped in a layup with six seconds remaining to send the contest to overtime.
With head-to-head wins over UNC Wilmington and Toledo, Middle Tennessee will take home its second third tournament trophy in two years regardless of tomorrow's outcomes.
The Blue Raiders face Evansville in the tournament finale tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. following the 3:00 p.m. contest between UNCW and Toledo.
It was the JaCorey Williams and Giddy Potts show for the Blue Raiders all game long as the pair combined for 54 points, including 11 of Middle's 12 overtime points.
Williams had a career-high 31 points on the night, marking the first 30-point game by a Blue Raider since Reggie Upshaw's 32 against Trevecca last December, and added seven rebounds and a pair of steals. Potts totaled 23 points and seven rebounds on the night, going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Potts opened up the overtime period with a triple followed by a basket by Williams to give MT a quick five-point lead.
Toledo got as close as one, down 69-68 at the 2:08 mark, but never took the lead from MT in the overtime period as the Raiders went on to win by three.
The Blue Raiders got off to a sluggish start, falling to a 7-2 deficit in the early going, prompting Head Coach Kermit Davis replaced his starting lineup with all new players.
"We just came out flat," Davis said. "We made a complete line change early but their energy level wasn't much better than the first five. We just kept settling for jump shots.
"In the second half I think our toughness really got better."
Getting the ball into the paint and matching Toledo's toughness and physicality would turn out to be the key for Middle to get back into the game.
"We started off the game settling and a lot of times when you start off settling you just play soft," Williams said. "You don't take physicality to the game. When we started going inside we got more physical and turned the game around."
Junior forward Brandon Walters gave Middle its first lead, 8-7, at the 9:59 mark in the first half but Toledo responded with a pair of baskets in the paint to retake the lead.
The offense continued to sputter as halftime approached before a Potts 3-pointer pulled the deficit back within 10 and sent the Blue Raiders into the locker room down 30-22.
MT shot just 28.6 percent from the field before the break and allowed Toledo to grab 23 boards to the Raiders' 13.
Williams and Potts were able to bring the Blue Raiders within four with a couple of quick baskets to open the second half, but the Rockets answered with a triple open their lead back up to seven.
Middle came storming back midway through the half, cutting the Toledo lead to 46-45 with a Potts layup in transition, but Toledo got a 3-pointer on the other end as the shot clock expired to thwart the Blue Raider run.
Toledo extended its lead back out to five as the game reached the final media timeout but then MT would go on a run.
Xavier Habersham gave MT the lead back for the first time in 27 minutes with an old-fashioned 3-point play at the 2:59 mark before Reggie Upshaw sank a basket to extend the Blue Raider lead to three.
Toledo was able to momentarily regain the lead but Potts dropped in a layup with six seconds remaining to send the contest to overtime.
With head-to-head wins over UNC Wilmington and Toledo, Middle Tennessee will take home its second third tournament trophy in two years regardless of tomorrow's outcomes.
The Blue Raiders face Evansville in the tournament finale tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. following the 3:00 p.m. contest between UNCW and Toledo.
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
2025 Blue Raider Blitz Media Panel
Thursday, July 03
MTSU Men's Basketball Coach Nick McDevitt interview at 2025 Blue Raider Blitz
Monday, June 30
MTSU Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs Chattanooga NIT 3/18/25
Tuesday, March 18
