Raiders Look to Sweep Homestand

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Now in sole possession of second place in Conference USA, Middle Tennessee looks to keep pace with league leader UAB when it hosts FIU Saturday at 6:00 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
(Full Game Notes)

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Date: Saturday, Feb. 6
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Teams: Middle Tennessee (16-6, 8-2 C-USA) vs. FIU (11-12, 5-5 C-USA)
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Arena: Murphy Center (11,520)
Radio: WMOT-FM (89.5), WGNS (1450 AM/100.5 FM/101.9 FM), Game 2 (102.5/94.9/95.1)
Play-by-Play: Chip Walters
Analysis: Kyle Turnham

Live Audio | Live Stats

GAME NOTES
Crashing the Boards
Over the last 11 games, the Blue Raiders have crashed the offensive glass to the tune of 12.8 offensive rebounds per game, up from just 8.4 through the first 11 games. The additional 4.4 offensive boards per game has led to an increase in second chance points from 8.3 to 15.0 per game. Reggie Upshaw has led the way with 3.5 offensive boards per game in that stretch while Perrin Buford has drastically increased his offensive rebounding from 1.0 in the first 11 games to 2.5 in the last 11 games.

High Percentage Shots
Middle Tennessee is shooting 44.5 percent from the field this season, which lands them right in the middle of the pack in Conference USA and just above the middle of the pack nationally. However, when the Blue Raiders shoot over 40 percent in a game, they are 15-0. When shooting below 40 percent, the Raiders are just 1-6, with the lone win coming at WKU on January 30.

There's No Place Like Home
The Blue Raiders have kicked it up a notch at home this season, going 9-1
through their first 10 home games in front of an average crowd of over 5,100
Blue Raider fans. MT is averaging 79.2 ppg at home compared to 67.4 on the
road and are holding opponents to just 68.0 ppg at home. The Raiders also collect
7.8 more rebounds, 2.8 more blocks and 1.9 more steals per game at home.

Depth Chart
Middle Tennessee boasts one of the deepest rosters in Conference USA this season. Head coach Kermit Davis has played each of the 12 scholarship players in at least 75 percent of this season's contests, with the exception of Jacob Ivory who sat out the first eight games due to injury. Of those 12, 11 are averaging over six minutes per game while eight are averaging over 16 minutes per game. With that kind of depth, Davis was able to try eight different starting lineups in the first 13 games to find his best combination.

Fantastic Four
Just last season, Middle Tennessee did not have a single player average over 10 points per game. Reggie Upshaw was close at 9.9, but this season MT has four players in double-figures in Upshaw (13.3), Giddy Potts (15.2), Darnell Harris (12.9) and Perrin Buford (11.3).

Upping His Game
Through 22 games, junior forward Reggie Upshaw leads the Blue Raiders in rebounds per game (8.7), defensive rpg (5.7), offensive rpg (3.0), assists per game (2.0) and steals per game (1.4) and ranks in the top seven in Conference USA in each of those categories except assists per game. The Chattanooga, Tenn. native is also second on the team in points per game (13.3) and field goal percentage (50.9%). Through 10 conference games this season, Upshaw has increased his numbers in five of those seven categories over his non-conference statistics.

Buford's Best
Through his first 19 games as a Blue Raider, Perrin Buford was averaging just 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 13.3 minutes per game. In his last 38 games stretched over two seasons, Buford is averaging 11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 26.1 minutes per contest.

Series History
On Saturday, the Blue Raiders take on FIU for the 34th time in program history. Middle leads the all-time series against their most common opponent from the state of Florida 25-8. The Raiders and Panthers have split the last four meetings, but MT ran off eight straight wins prior to that. Middle has won four straight and six out of seven against the Panthers in the Murphy Center while head coach Kermit Davis is 22-5 against FIU.

Last Time Out
Reggie Upshaw led the Blue Raiders with 19 points and eight rebounds. JaQawn Raymond broke out for 13 second half points to finish with 15 and added three steals.

With a couple of blocks in the contest, Perrin Buford moved into the top 10 in career blocks at Middle Tennessee, currently landing in a tie for 10th with 49 career rejections. He also totaled 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Buford's five assists were a career high while Upshaw tied his career high and Raymond tied his season high in three-pointers mad, buth making three each.

Middle Tennessee (16-6, 8-2) finished with 21 points off of 15 Florida Atlantic turnovers. The Owls (6-17, 4-6) shot 42.9 percent from the field but turnovers limited their possessions and limited their scoring.

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Players Mentioned

Perrin Buford

Darnell Harris

Jacob Ivory

Giddy Potts

Reggie Upshaw

Middle Tennesee State University Athletics