Raiders to Open Florida Swing at FAU

BOCA RATON, Fla. – An opportunity to nail down a top four seed at the Conference USA Tournament is on the line Thursday as the Blue Raiders face off against the Florida Atlantic Owls at 6:00 p.m. in Boca Raton.

GAME INFORMATION
(Full Game Notes)

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Date: Thursday, March 3
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Teams: Middle Tennessee (19-9, 11-5 C-USA) vs. Florida Atlantic (7-22, 5-11 C-USA)
Location: Boca Raton, Fla.
Arena: FAU Arena (2,980)
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

Live Audio | Live Stats

GAME NOTES
Lockdown Defense
The Blue Raiders are constantly working on closing out on opposing ball handlers, but are struggling to force tough shots lately. MT's opponents average 43.4 percent from the field this season, but their last three opponents have made 53.6 percent of their field goal attempts. The Raiders will need to get back to their gritty defensive ways to improve their chances of winning down the stretch.

Get to the Line
Middle Tennessee has shot just 574 free throws this year, an average of just 20.5 free throw attempts per game. MT's opponents have shot 664 free throws, an average of 23.7 free throws per game. Middle's opponents are also making an average of 3.5 more free throws per game. The Blue Raiders have attempted an average of 21.4 free throws per game in their wins compared to just 18.6 in their losses, including a total of just 10 attempts in the loss at LA Tech and 13 in the loss vs. UAB.

Downtown Raiders
MT has been deadly from beyond the 3-point line this season and are currently ranked 23rd among D-I teams in 3-point percentage (38.9%). Sophomore guard Giddy Potts is currently second nationally in 3-point percentage, converting 49.3 percent of his attempts from deep, but will be sorely missed as he is out with a concussion. The team has even improved lately, shooting 40.6 percent from deep and making 8.9 threes per game in conference play compared to 36.4 percent and 7.3 threes per game in non-conference play.

Protecting the Rock
Middle Tennessee's offense strives on decision-making and taking good care of the basketball. As the season has gone on the Blue Raiders have constantly decreased their amount of turnovers. MT is averaging 11.9 turnovers on the season but have dropped that number to 10.7 in conference play and just 10.0 in their last eight contests.

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 (13.1), Giddy Potts (15.0), Darnell Harris (12.4) and Perrin Buford (11.4).

Upping His Game
Through 28 games, junior forward Reggie Upshaw leads the Blue Raiders in field goal percentage (51.6%), rebounds per game (8.6), defensive rpg (5.8), offensive rpg (2.8), assists per game (2.1) and steals per game (1.5) and ranks in the top eight 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 (13.1). Through 16 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 44 games stretched over two seasons, Buford is averaging 11.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 26.5 minutes per contest.

Series History
The Blue Raiders travel to Boca Raton Thursday to take on the Owls of Florida Atlantic for the 20th time, with all 20 meetings coming under head coach Kermit Davis. Middle Tennessee leads the all-time series 15-4 and is a perfect 4-0 since joining Conference USA. The Blue Raiders are 6-2 against FAU on the road with their last loss coming in Boca Raton back in 2011. MT has currently won eight straight against the Owls.

Last Time Out
Senior Night featured none other than the seniors themselves Saturday night as the Blue Raiders rolled past Marshall 83-74 for their 12th straight Senior Night win.

Buford led the way for the Raiders with 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. Harris added 18 points while Raymond finished with eight points, four assists and three steals.

Reggie Upshaw came up just short of his ninth double-double of the season with 14 points and nine boards. Aldonis Foote enjoyed the best night of his career, logging 10 points and six rebounds in 16 minutes of action.

After experiencing free throw struggles all season and despite missing its top two free throw shooters, MT closed the game out by excelling at the line, going 9-of-14 in the final five minutes to finish off the Herd.

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Players Mentioned

Perrin Buford

Aldonis Foote

Darnell Harris

Giddy Potts

Reggie Upshaw

Middle Tennesee State University Athletics