Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Thursday, February 15
Hattiesburg, MS
7 PM
Middle Tennessee
-215, 131 CUSA
72
at
62
Southern Miss
-1314, 68 CUSA
1
2
F
Middle Tennessee
37
35
72
Southern Miss
36
26
62
Team Stats
MT
USM
FG%
.491
.434
3FG%
.435
.368
FT%
.667
.692
RB
34
30
TO
12
11
STL
4
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
Defense clamps down late in 72-62 win
2/15/2018 9:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MT moves to 11-1 in true road games
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Middle Tennessee endured another tough battle Thursday night as Conference USA opponents continue to give the Blue Raiders their best shot, fending off Southern Miss by a score of 72-62 as the Golden Eagles were held scoreless in the final 7:15 of action in Hattiesburg.
Four Blue Raiders figured heavily in the scoring led by senior Nick King, who tallied game highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds to collect his ninth double-double of the season.
Senior Giddy Potts added 13 points, six rebounds and four assists while junior Antwain Johnson pitched in 13 points as well. Sophomore Tyrik Dixon had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists on the night.
After senior Brandon Walters won the tip in Reed Green Coliseum, A missed jumper on the first possession allowed Southern Miss to get on the scoreboard first. Tyrik Dixon quickly tied it up with a triple on the next possession before a Giddy Potts 3-pointer and a high-flying slam by Walters on the fast break put MT up 8-6.
Dixon gave the Raiders a 3-point lead, its largest of the half, just moments later when his second trifecta made the score 11-8, but Southern Miss wouldn't let Middle Tennessee run away early. A 6-0 run by the Golden Eagles put them up three before a 5-0 MT run made the score 18-16 in favor of the Blue Raiders.
USM then reeled off an 8-0 run to take control at 24-18 with 7:56 remaining. By the 4:22 mark the Eagles had opened their lead to nine at 31-22 before Davis found a lineup combination that got his team going.
The Blue Raiders went with four guards most of the final four minutes of the half to match the small Southern Miss lineup and quickly cut the Golden Eagles' lead to two with a 7-0 run.
As the clock wound down, Davis dialed up a play to get Potts a wide open look from the corner which he knocked down for his third three of the first half to put MT on top 37-36 heading into the break.
"(Southern Miss head coach) Doc Sadler has got his team playing really well and they kind of play a different style," Davis said. "They play small and really stretch the floor. We had to match that to really give us a better chance to guard."
The Blue Raiders struck first in the second half to once again go up by three and finally opened up a four-point lead at the 17:46 mark on an Antwain Johnson 3-pointer.
Southern Miss tied it right back up in the next two possessions and would hold a 1-point lead at the 10:54 mark after a stretch of nearly seven minutes that saw five lead changes and four ties. King then began to catch fire as a personal 7-0 run put the Blue Raiders up 60-54 two minutes later.
The Eagles weren't done yet as an 8-2 run tied things up at 62 with 7:15 remaining. It was at that point, however, that the Blue Raider defense clamped down.
Middle Tennessee held Southern Miss scoreless from that point on as they went 0-for-10 during the scoring drought down the stretch while MT cruised to their 11th road win of the season.
"We came in knowing this was going to be a tough game," King said "They were 10-1 at home coming into this one so we're thankful to get another road win.
"But that's just us having a tough coach and incredibly tough team. In close games we've found a way to win because of our toughness and that's what we did again tonight."
"We just hung on," Davis added. "We have great poise and great toughness in the final five minutes."
Middle Tennessee goes for its school record 12th road win on Saturday as they face LA Tech at the Thomas Assembly Center at 6:00 p.m.
Four Blue Raiders figured heavily in the scoring led by senior Nick King, who tallied game highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds to collect his ninth double-double of the season.
Senior Giddy Potts added 13 points, six rebounds and four assists while junior Antwain Johnson pitched in 13 points as well. Sophomore Tyrik Dixon had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists on the night.
After senior Brandon Walters won the tip in Reed Green Coliseum, A missed jumper on the first possession allowed Southern Miss to get on the scoreboard first. Tyrik Dixon quickly tied it up with a triple on the next possession before a Giddy Potts 3-pointer and a high-flying slam by Walters on the fast break put MT up 8-6.
Dixon gave the Raiders a 3-point lead, its largest of the half, just moments later when his second trifecta made the score 11-8, but Southern Miss wouldn't let Middle Tennessee run away early. A 6-0 run by the Golden Eagles put them up three before a 5-0 MT run made the score 18-16 in favor of the Blue Raiders.
USM then reeled off an 8-0 run to take control at 24-18 with 7:56 remaining. By the 4:22 mark the Eagles had opened their lead to nine at 31-22 before Davis found a lineup combination that got his team going.
The Blue Raiders went with four guards most of the final four minutes of the half to match the small Southern Miss lineup and quickly cut the Golden Eagles' lead to two with a 7-0 run.
As the clock wound down, Davis dialed up a play to get Potts a wide open look from the corner which he knocked down for his third three of the first half to put MT on top 37-36 heading into the break.
"(Southern Miss head coach) Doc Sadler has got his team playing really well and they kind of play a different style," Davis said. "They play small and really stretch the floor. We had to match that to really give us a better chance to guard."
The Blue Raiders struck first in the second half to once again go up by three and finally opened up a four-point lead at the 17:46 mark on an Antwain Johnson 3-pointer.
Southern Miss tied it right back up in the next two possessions and would hold a 1-point lead at the 10:54 mark after a stretch of nearly seven minutes that saw five lead changes and four ties. King then began to catch fire as a personal 7-0 run put the Blue Raiders up 60-54 two minutes later.
The Eagles weren't done yet as an 8-2 run tied things up at 62 with 7:15 remaining. It was at that point, however, that the Blue Raider defense clamped down.
Middle Tennessee held Southern Miss scoreless from that point on as they went 0-for-10 during the scoring drought down the stretch while MT cruised to their 11th road win of the season.
"We came in knowing this was going to be a tough game," King said "They were 10-1 at home coming into this one so we're thankful to get another road win.
"But that's just us having a tough coach and incredibly tough team. In close games we've found a way to win because of our toughness and that's what we did again tonight."
"We just hung on," Davis added. "We have great poise and great toughness in the final five minutes."
Middle Tennessee goes for its school record 12th road win on Saturday as they face LA Tech at the Thomas Assembly Center at 6:00 p.m.
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
