Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Raiders claim electrifying win in Costa Rica
8/11/2019 9:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Millner drops in game winner at the buzzer
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Middle Tennessee's 2019-20 men's basketball squad started things off with a bang Sunday evening, charging back from a double-digit deficit to claim the 81-79 victory on a buzzer-beating floater by Jo'Vontae Millner.
C.J. Jones was the star on the offensive end with a sizzling 27-point performance on 10 of 17 shooting, but it was a stellar defensive showing from leading returner Antonio Green that sparked the second half comeback.
Joining Jones in double digits were fellow transfer DeAndre Dishman, sophomore Jayce Johnson, and freshman Tyler Millin.
McDevitt rolled out a deep rotation early and often as the Blue Raiders struggled to find a rhythm on either end after junior Donovan Sims provided five of MT's first nine points to get things started.
Jones poured in 17 of his 27 points before the break, but stood as the lone bright spot on offense before the break.
As Green's lockdown defense began to spread to his teammates in the third period, the Blue Raiders also began to create better looks on the offensive end and eventually won the third quarter scoring to swing the momentum.
Middle Tennessee then got off to a hot start in the fourth and climbed within single digits as the clock rolled under the 7-minute mark, trailing 71-62.
Despite a tough individual shooting night, Green continued to get the job done on defense as a steal and pitch ahead to C.J. Jones for a fast break slam pulled MT within a possession with 3 minutes remaining.
With score now 74-72, the Panama All-Stars were assessed a technical foul, granting Jones a free throw to make it a 1-point game.
The Raiders took their first lead in over 35 minutes at the 54-second mark, as a fast break runner by Green rattled in to put MT ahead 79-78.
A Panama free throw tied the game seconds later and after the teams traded a pair of untimely turnovers, the ball went back to MT with nine seconds on the clock and a chance to steal away a win.
As another loose ball made the contest look primed for overtime, Millner picked the ball up off the floor, spun, and floated it in as the buzzer sounded to trigger a bench-clearing celebration inside BN Arena.
While the contest came down to one electrifying moment, it was the flipping of the script in the second half that made all the difference as the Blue Raiders shot the ball at nearly 55 percent from the field and held their opponents well under 40 percent after the break.
Middle Tennessee returns to the court Monday afternoon for a re-match with the Panama All-Stars to conclude their court time in Costa Rica.
For all the latest information on Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball, follow the #BlueRaiders on Facebook (@MTMensBasketball), Twitter (@MT_MBB) and Instagram (MT_MBB).
C.J. Jones was the star on the offensive end with a sizzling 27-point performance on 10 of 17 shooting, but it was a stellar defensive showing from leading returner Antonio Green that sparked the second half comeback.
Joining Jones in double digits were fellow transfer DeAndre Dishman, sophomore Jayce Johnson, and freshman Tyler Millin.
McDevitt rolled out a deep rotation early and often as the Blue Raiders struggled to find a rhythm on either end after junior Donovan Sims provided five of MT's first nine points to get things started.
Jones poured in 17 of his 27 points before the break, but stood as the lone bright spot on offense before the break.
As Green's lockdown defense began to spread to his teammates in the third period, the Blue Raiders also began to create better looks on the offensive end and eventually won the third quarter scoring to swing the momentum.
Middle Tennessee then got off to a hot start in the fourth and climbed within single digits as the clock rolled under the 7-minute mark, trailing 71-62.
Despite a tough individual shooting night, Green continued to get the job done on defense as a steal and pitch ahead to C.J. Jones for a fast break slam pulled MT within a possession with 3 minutes remaining.
With score now 74-72, the Panama All-Stars were assessed a technical foul, granting Jones a free throw to make it a 1-point game.
The Raiders took their first lead in over 35 minutes at the 54-second mark, as a fast break runner by Green rattled in to put MT ahead 79-78.
A Panama free throw tied the game seconds later and after the teams traded a pair of untimely turnovers, the ball went back to MT with nine seconds on the clock and a chance to steal away a win.
As another loose ball made the contest look primed for overtime, Millner picked the ball up off the floor, spun, and floated it in as the buzzer sounded to trigger a bench-clearing celebration inside BN Arena.
While the contest came down to one electrifying moment, it was the flipping of the script in the second half that made all the difference as the Blue Raiders shot the ball at nearly 55 percent from the field and held their opponents well under 40 percent after the break.
Middle Tennessee returns to the court Monday afternoon for a re-match with the Panama All-Stars to conclude their court time in Costa Rica.
For all the latest information on Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball, follow the #BlueRaiders on Facebook (@MTMensBasketball), Twitter (@MT_MBB) and Instagram (MT_MBB).
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