Raiders host FAU Thursday for Mardi Gras Mambo

Thursday, February 4

Murfreesboro, TN

6:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

Florida Atlantic (MT 10)

2/3/2016 4:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Now back on track after a win at rival WKU, the Blue Raiders host Florida Atlantic on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. for Mardi Gras Mambo night in the Murphy Center.

GAME INFORMATION
(Full Game Notes)

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Date: Thursday, Feb. 4
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Teams: Middle Tennessee (15-6, 7-2 C-USA) vs. Florida Atlantic (6-16, 4-5 C-USA)
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Arena: Murphy Center (11,520)
TV: MT10
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 10 games, the Blue Raiders have crashed the offensive glass to the tune of 12.6 offensive rebounds per game, up from just 8.4 through the first 11 games. The additional 4.2 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 2.6 in the last 10 games.

High Percentage Shots
Middle Tennessee is shooting 45.5 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 14-0. 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 8-1 through their first nine home games in front of an average crowd of 5,100 Blue Raider fans. MT is averaging 78.6 ppg at home compared to 67.4 on the road and are holding opponents to just 67.4 ppg at home. The Raiders also collect 8.3 more rebounds, 2.6 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 15 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 (13.0), Giddy Potts (15.6), Darnell Harris (13.0) and Perrin Buford (11.2).

Upping His Game
Through 21 games, junior forward Reggie Upshaw leads the Blue Raiders in rebounds per game (8.8), defensive rpg (5.7), offensive rpg (3.1), assists per game (2.0), and steals per game (1.5) and ranks in the top six 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 (13.0) and field goal percentage (51.2%). Through nine 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 37 games stretched over two seasons, Buford is averaging 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 25.9 minutes per contest.

Series History
On Thursday, the Blue Raiders take on Florida Atlantic for the 19th time in program history. Middle leads the all-time series 14-4, with each meeting coming during the tenure of head coach Kermit Davis. The Raiders have gotten the best of the Owls in all three contests since joining Conference USA and have won seven straight in the series by an average of 14.9 points. MT is 7-2 against the Owls in the Murphy Center.

Last Time Out
A thriller in E.A. Diddle arena fell the Blue Raiders' way as a Darnell Harris tip-in proved to be the winning shot in a 66-64 win against rival WKU.

Reggie Upshaw collected his seventh double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out three assists.

Harris led the Blue Raiders in scoring on the night with a season-high 22 points while Giddy Potts added 11 and Perrin Buford totaled 10.

Middle Tennessee (15-6, 7-2) shot just 38.3 percent from the field, but held WKU (11-11, 3-6) to just 37.0 percent. MT also committed only nine turnovers on the night while totaling 11 assists, a far cry from the three assists and 14 turnovers in the previous outing.