MT to battle UAB in home-and-home

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The first leg of this week's home-and-home is Thursday in Murfreesboro, as Middle Tennessee men's basketball takes on Conference USA's top west division team, UAB.

This week's games are part of the annual Coaches vs. Cancer week. The coaching staffs on both end of the sideline will lace up sneakers instead of dress shoes this week to show their support for the American Cancer Society's lifesaving mission.

Due to the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, fans will not be allowed entry to watch Thursday's game in Murphy Center.

However, Thursday's game will be nationally broadcast on CBSSN, and Sunday's road game can be seen on ESPN+. Also, fans are encouraged to tune into the radio broadcasts of both games by Chip Walters and Kyle Turnham on the following stations: WGNS 1450 AM/100.5 FM/101.9 FM; The Game 2 94.9 FM/95.1 FM.

Game 13: Middle Tennessee (3-9, 1-5 C-USA) vs. UAB (12-2, 5-1 C-USA)
» Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021 – 8 p.m. CT
» Murphy Center – Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Game 14: Middle Tennessee at UAB
» Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 – 2 p.m. CT
» Bartow Arena – Birmingham, Ala.

About the Blue Raiders
» MT dropped both games to C-USA's east division leader, Western Kentucky, in Murphy Center last weekend.
» Two Blue Raiders have started all 12 games of the 2020-21 season: Jordan Davis and DeAndre Dishman.
» Dontrell Shuler upped his scoring average to a team-leading 12.1 points per game to go with his team-leading 2.1 assists per game and 83.3% free throw shooting.
» Davis comes in second for MT with 10.7 points per game along with 4.0 rebounds and a team-leading 1.9 steals per contest.
» Forward Jo'Vontae Millner-Criss has 7.5 points per game on 40.7% shooting along with a team-leading 5.5 rebounds per game.
» Nick McDevitt's team has seen a great defensive improvement so far this season, as the Blue Raiders are first in Conference USA and 17th nationally in three-point field goal defense (28.2%). MT is also third in C-USA in turnovers forced per game (16.25).

All-Time vs. UAB
» The Blazers lead the all-time series over MT, 13-9.
» UAB took both games of the home-and-home last season.

Scouting the Blazers
» UAB enters the week with a 5-1 mark in C-USA play
» The Blazers swept home series against Southern Miss and Rice but split the road series at Charlotte.
» Four Blazers are in double figures for scoring entering this week, with 6-foot-2 graduate student guard Michael Ertel leading the way with 13.4 points per game.
» 6-foot-4 graduate student guard Quan Jackson also is an impact player for UAB, averaging 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest.
» 7-foot junior center Trey Jemison is currently 17th nationally and second in C-USA with 33 total blocks to go with his 7.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

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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Players Mentioned

Jordan Davis

DeAndre Dishman

Jo'Vontae Millner-Criss

Dontrell Shuler

Middle Tennesee State University Athletics