Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Thursday, January 2
Norfolk, VA
6:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
4-10 (0-1CUSA)
60
at
70
Old Dominion
5-9 (1-0CUSA)
1
2
F
MT
17
43
60
Old Dominion
35
35
70
Team Stats
MT
ODU
FG%
.328
.412
3FG%
.343
.308
FT%
.476
.750
RB
29
50
TO
9
13
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
Raiders can't overcome ice-cold start in Norfolk
1/2/2020 8:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Lawrence provides career-high 19 in comeback attempt
NORFOLK, Va. – Middle Tennessee may very well have been the team with the most heart inside Ted Constant Convocation Center Thursday evening, but first half shooting woes like never seen before this season proved too much to overcome as the Blue Raiders fell to Old Dominion, 70-60.
MT shot 33 percent (19 for 58) from the field and 34 percent (12 for 35) from 3-point range on the evening but hit 13 of their field goals and eight of their 3-pointers after the break in a comeback attempt.
The Raiders did limit their turnovers to just nine after a season-high 21 last time out and collected six steals and five blocks in the loss.
"I really thought we played a pretty good game tonight," Head Coach Nick McDevitt said. "I don't think the halftime score was at all indicative of the way we played, we just couldn't get a shot to go early on.
"Our freshmen were really good tonight, particularly Eli (Lawrence) and Tyler (Millin). They bring a lot of energy and athleticism to the defensive end and both have the ability to hit shots for us. They sparked our team tonight."
Lawrence provided much of the firepower in a career night with 19 points on 5 of 8 shooting from downtown. Millin was very active on the night as well, adding seven points and four boards and swatting one of MT's five blocked shots.
Blue Raider leading scorer C.J. Jones (16.8 ppg) got his team on the scoreboard early with a triple from the wing that put MT on top 3-2.
It was the only field goal Middle Tennessee would have for quite a while to start the evening, however, as a scoreless drought of over five minutes and a 1 for 10 start from the field put Old Dominion up by seven early.
Junior Donovan Sims ended the drought just inside the 14-minute mark as he got a floater in the lane to drop, but the Raiders couldn't get a stop on the other end and quickly found themselves trailing 21-8 with foul trouble mounting.
Forced to sit starters Jones and Reggie Scurry as well as key reserves Jayce Johnson and Jo'Vontae Millner – each with two fouls apiece – for the final 7:56 of the half, things wouldn't get any better for the Blue Raiders before the half.
A frustrating opening frame in which numerous 3-point attempts appeared halfway in before popping back out led to Middle Tennessee's lowest scoring half of the season as they trailed the Monarchs 35-17 entering the locker room.
The Blue Raiders shot a paltry 20 percent (6 for 30) from the field and nearly as dismal 21.1 percent (4 for 19) from beyond the arc while converting on just one of their six free throw attempts before the break.
Despite the deficit, Middle Tennessee came out determined to make a game of it in the second 20 minutes. The defense buckled down early in the frame, holding the Monarchs without a field goal for the first 4:48 of the second half to cut the ODU lead to 12 after a 7-1 run.
Having failed to get within single digits, however, the Blue Raiders also failed to quiet the Monarch crowd and soon surrendered the six points they recovered.
By the 10-minute mark in Norfolk, Old Dominion had opened a 25-point lead over the Blue Raiders that their always stout defense wouldn't soon yield.
Just as quickly as it started to look dire for MT, however, the shots finally began to fall and a 25-7 surge fueled by six trifectas in a six and a half minute span made the score 60-53 in favor of ODU.
"We just started making shots," McDevitt said on the hot stretch. "We were executing offense in the first half and we were getting all the same shots in the second half. I told our team that if we keep executing like that the percentages would even out and for the most part they did for us.
The heart and fight shown by the Raiders in the final 10 minutes was as admirable as one might imagine and would show what they are truly made of, but it came up just short in the end as ODU sealed it at the free throw line to protect its home court in the league opener.
"We really fought hard today," Lawrence stated. "We knew after halftime we just had to forget the score and keep fighting until the clock hit zero and that's what we did.
"We know we aren't going to shoot like we did in the first half probably ever again. Now we have to continue to shoot the ball will with confidence moving forward and keep having the will to win and it'll all come together."
Middle Tennessee looks to turn its fortunes Saturday afternoon as they conclude the first road swing of the Conference USA slate at Charlotte.
MT shot 33 percent (19 for 58) from the field and 34 percent (12 for 35) from 3-point range on the evening but hit 13 of their field goals and eight of their 3-pointers after the break in a comeback attempt.
The Raiders did limit their turnovers to just nine after a season-high 21 last time out and collected six steals and five blocks in the loss.
"I really thought we played a pretty good game tonight," Head Coach Nick McDevitt said. "I don't think the halftime score was at all indicative of the way we played, we just couldn't get a shot to go early on.
"Our freshmen were really good tonight, particularly Eli (Lawrence) and Tyler (Millin). They bring a lot of energy and athleticism to the defensive end and both have the ability to hit shots for us. They sparked our team tonight."
Lawrence provided much of the firepower in a career night with 19 points on 5 of 8 shooting from downtown. Millin was very active on the night as well, adding seven points and four boards and swatting one of MT's five blocked shots.
Blue Raider leading scorer C.J. Jones (16.8 ppg) got his team on the scoreboard early with a triple from the wing that put MT on top 3-2.
It was the only field goal Middle Tennessee would have for quite a while to start the evening, however, as a scoreless drought of over five minutes and a 1 for 10 start from the field put Old Dominion up by seven early.
Junior Donovan Sims ended the drought just inside the 14-minute mark as he got a floater in the lane to drop, but the Raiders couldn't get a stop on the other end and quickly found themselves trailing 21-8 with foul trouble mounting.
Forced to sit starters Jones and Reggie Scurry as well as key reserves Jayce Johnson and Jo'Vontae Millner – each with two fouls apiece – for the final 7:56 of the half, things wouldn't get any better for the Blue Raiders before the half.
A frustrating opening frame in which numerous 3-point attempts appeared halfway in before popping back out led to Middle Tennessee's lowest scoring half of the season as they trailed the Monarchs 35-17 entering the locker room.
The Blue Raiders shot a paltry 20 percent (6 for 30) from the field and nearly as dismal 21.1 percent (4 for 19) from beyond the arc while converting on just one of their six free throw attempts before the break.
Despite the deficit, Middle Tennessee came out determined to make a game of it in the second 20 minutes. The defense buckled down early in the frame, holding the Monarchs without a field goal for the first 4:48 of the second half to cut the ODU lead to 12 after a 7-1 run.
Having failed to get within single digits, however, the Blue Raiders also failed to quiet the Monarch crowd and soon surrendered the six points they recovered.
By the 10-minute mark in Norfolk, Old Dominion had opened a 25-point lead over the Blue Raiders that their always stout defense wouldn't soon yield.
Just as quickly as it started to look dire for MT, however, the shots finally began to fall and a 25-7 surge fueled by six trifectas in a six and a half minute span made the score 60-53 in favor of ODU.
"We just started making shots," McDevitt said on the hot stretch. "We were executing offense in the first half and we were getting all the same shots in the second half. I told our team that if we keep executing like that the percentages would even out and for the most part they did for us.
The heart and fight shown by the Raiders in the final 10 minutes was as admirable as one might imagine and would show what they are truly made of, but it came up just short in the end as ODU sealed it at the free throw line to protect its home court in the league opener.
"We really fought hard today," Lawrence stated. "We knew after halftime we just had to forget the score and keep fighting until the clock hit zero and that's what we did.
"We know we aren't going to shoot like we did in the first half probably ever again. Now we have to continue to shoot the ball will with confidence moving forward and keep having the will to win and it'll all come together."
Middle Tennessee looks to turn its fortunes Saturday afternoon as they conclude the first road swing of the Conference USA slate at Charlotte.
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
