MT Continues C-USA Run With Semifinal Match-Up

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee men's hoops will play the underdog role once again as the Blue Raider will see second-seeded UTEP in the Conference USA semifinal on Friday afternoon.

The semifinal will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network from Legacy Arena at the BJCC with tip-off slated for 3 p.m. CT.

This will be MT's third-straight conference semifinal appearance with the Blue Raiders hoping to make its ninth ever conference championship finale. MT is 18-15, guaranteeing Kermit Davis his eighth-consecutive season with a .500 or better record. UTEP defeated Middle Tennessee 83-70 earlier this year.

This is the Blue Raiders 22nd-straight postseason conference tournament appearance but only its second time playing in the C-USA Championship.

GAME INFORMATION
(FULL GAME NOTES)

Semifinal Match-Up
Date: Friday, Mar. 13
Time: 3 p.m. CT
Teams: #6 Middle Tennessee vs #2 UTEP
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
Arena: Legacy Arena at the BJCC (8,500)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Talent: Carter Blackburn, Pete Gillen & Jamie Erdahl
Radio: ESPN Nashville The Game (97.5/102.5) WGNS (1450/100.5/101.9) WMOT (89.5)
Play-by-Play: Chip Walters
Color: Kyle Turnham

TOURNAMENT NFORMATION
Video | Live Audio | Live Stats

BLUE RAIDER BULLETS

•The Blue Raiders have won FIVE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS in program history (1975, 1977, 1982, 1985 and 1989).

• In the Kermit Davis era, MT is 15-12 IN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT play.

• In that time period MT is 5-0 when PLAYING IN the FIRST ROUND, 8-5 in QUARTERFINALS and 2-5 in SEMIFINALS.

• MT DEFEATED Old Dominion in back-to-back Quarterfinals (2014-2015).

• The Blue Raiders have EIGHT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL APEARANCES and are 5-3 in those games.

• Under Coach Kermit DAVIS the Blue Raiders are 22-17 IN THE MONTH OF MARCH.

• When MT played at UTEP the Miners shot 75 PERCENT from 3-point range; the HIGHEST PERCENTAGE MT has faced in program history.

• This is the second time this season the Blue Raiders have won THREE CONSECUTIVE GAMES.

•The Blue Raiders have seen 20 DIFFERENT STARTING LINE-UPS in 32 games this season.

• ROZIER AND GIBSON have recorded 97 WINS with the Blue Raiders, the wins by a Middle Tennessee class.

• The Middle Tennessee BENCH has AVERAGED 27.4 POINTS PER GAME this season and 42.7 PERCENT OF THE TEAM'S POINTS.

•The Blue Raider BENCH is the ONLY TEAM IN THE COUNTRY that has scored MORE THAN 40 PERCENT of the team's points.

• The MT BENCH is OUTSCORING ITS OPPONENTS BENCH'S BY +11.7 so far this season and have a +4.5 REBOUNDING MARGIN.

• MT's 67 BENCH POINTS at UAB is tied for the HIGHEST SCORING BENCH OUTPUT in the nation this year.

• DAVIS EARNED HIS 250TH CAREER WIN at Middle Tennessee against ODU n the QF. He is the only coach in program history to earn 200+ wins.

• TEN different players have LED THE TEAM IN SCORING in a game this season with 12 players getting time.

• MT made history at FAU (3/7/15) when they went a perfect 18-OF-18 FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE; only the second time the program recorded a flawless night at the line.

• MT's FRESHMEN HAVE 499 POINTS this season with 249 of those points coming from three-point buckets; accounting for 38.2 PERCENT OF THE BLUE RAIDERS' THREE-POINT FIELD GOALS.

• A FRESHMAN HAS STARTED in every game except one this season for Middle Tennessee.

• Giddy Potts' EIGHT TREYS vs Marshall was the MOST BY AN MT FRESHMAN in school history and the most by a C-USA player this season.

• The Blue Raiders 90 POINTS vs Marshall was the MOST POINTS SCORED BY A TEAM IN C-USA action this season, while the 39-POINT VICTORY was the LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY in league play.

• MT went on a 50-7 RUN against Marshall in its biggest win of the year, 90-51.

• Middle Tennessee has hit a three-point field goal in 599-consecutive games, which is the 31ST-LONGEST STREAK IN THE COUNTRY.

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Players Mentioned

Giddy Potts

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics