Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Tuesday, November 9
Murfreesboro, TN
5:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
-10,00 CUSA
98
vs
59
Brescia University (KY)
0-1
1
2
F
Brescia
22
37
59
Middle Tenn.
49
49
98
Team Stats
BRE
MTSU
FG%
.423
.574
3FG%
.364
.321
FT%
.700
.786
RB
29
31
TO
28
12
STL
6
13
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
Blue Raiders roll in season opening win over Brescia
11/9/2021 8:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Middle Tennessee scored 47 points off of turnovers to overpower the Bearcats
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The Middle Tennessee men's basketball team started the 2021-22 season in dominant fashion, taking a 27-point lead at halftime and never looking back, as the Blue Raiders rolled over Brescia University, 98-59 on Tuesday night in the Murphy Center.
"It's great to be back in front of fans," head coach Nick McDevitt said after the win over the NAIA program. "Having people back here in the Murphy Center is really something our players had been waiting on. It's just different having people out there."
Josh Jefferson led all scorers in his Blue Raider debut, scoring 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting in just 18 minutes of action. The Green Bay transfer also added four steals to MT's effort to lead the team, securing many with active hands at the top of the Blue Raiders press.
Middle Tennessee turned over the Bearcats 28 times with their high pressure, full court press, scoring 47 points off Brescia turnovers in their season opening win. McDevitt rotated all twelve available players through the lineup throughout the night, giving the press, and an active offensive rebounding operation (11 offensive rebounds for MT), fresh legs to keep the system rolling.
"It's exciting," Jefferson said of the Blue Raiders' press. "Strength in numbers, like Coach (McDevitt) said. We have length, we have depth, it's just very exciting, and I can't wait to keep it going."
Four Blue Raiders finished the night in double digits for scoring, as all twelve Blue Raiders who checked into the game scored on Tuesday night. Isaiah Turner led the bench with 13 points, part of 49 points off the bench for the Blue Raiders. The junior college signee from Odessa College displayed great touch around the glass, shooting sixty percent from the field, while also adding in a three from the corner.
"Most of my life, I was kind of an undersized big man," the 6-9 Turner said of his versatility. "But going into playing with teams on the circuit and playing with guys that are bigger, it helped me develop a lot of guard skills, so it worked out very well."
Eli Lawrence (12) and Christian Fussell (10) each tallied double digit nights scoring for the Blue Raiders. Freshman Teafale Lenard Jr. led the Blue Raiders with seven rebounds, while Camryn Weston dished out five assists to lead the team.
"We've talked all summer and all preseason that one of our strengths is going to be in our numbers," McDevitt said. "The fact that we're going to have a lot of players that can go into the game and contribute in different ways. That's going to continue to be something we lean on all year, that wasn't just a thing tonight."
The Blue Raiders set the tone early in the game's proceedings, pressing after nearly every made basket to help force 17 Bearcat turnovers in the first half alone. Middle Tennessee scored 28 points off of turnovers in the opening 20 minutes to build a 49-22 lead at halftime.
McDevitt showcased his roster's depth, playing 12 players in the first half, with ten scoring points, including six who scored at least five points. MT entered the locker room on a 16-0 run to end the half, powered by a 5-for-7 clip from beyond the arc after starting the first half 1-for-11.
The second half would see MT jump out to a lead as large as 44 points, as Middle Tennessee continued to get easy buckets at the rim, shooting 19-for-30 (63.3 percent) from the field in the final 20 minutes. But a three point barrage from the Bearcats (7-for-15 in the second half), kept the lead from growing further as McDevitt let his bench finish out the game. No player on MT played more than 21 minutes.
Blue Raider notes...
"It's great to be back in front of fans," head coach Nick McDevitt said after the win over the NAIA program. "Having people back here in the Murphy Center is really something our players had been waiting on. It's just different having people out there."
Josh Jefferson led all scorers in his Blue Raider debut, scoring 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting in just 18 minutes of action. The Green Bay transfer also added four steals to MT's effort to lead the team, securing many with active hands at the top of the Blue Raiders press.
Middle Tennessee turned over the Bearcats 28 times with their high pressure, full court press, scoring 47 points off Brescia turnovers in their season opening win. McDevitt rotated all twelve available players through the lineup throughout the night, giving the press, and an active offensive rebounding operation (11 offensive rebounds for MT), fresh legs to keep the system rolling.
"It's exciting," Jefferson said of the Blue Raiders' press. "Strength in numbers, like Coach (McDevitt) said. We have length, we have depth, it's just very exciting, and I can't wait to keep it going."
Four Blue Raiders finished the night in double digits for scoring, as all twelve Blue Raiders who checked into the game scored on Tuesday night. Isaiah Turner led the bench with 13 points, part of 49 points off the bench for the Blue Raiders. The junior college signee from Odessa College displayed great touch around the glass, shooting sixty percent from the field, while also adding in a three from the corner.
"Most of my life, I was kind of an undersized big man," the 6-9 Turner said of his versatility. "But going into playing with teams on the circuit and playing with guys that are bigger, it helped me develop a lot of guard skills, so it worked out very well."
Eli Lawrence (12) and Christian Fussell (10) each tallied double digit nights scoring for the Blue Raiders. Freshman Teafale Lenard Jr. led the Blue Raiders with seven rebounds, while Camryn Weston dished out five assists to lead the team.
"We've talked all summer and all preseason that one of our strengths is going to be in our numbers," McDevitt said. "The fact that we're going to have a lot of players that can go into the game and contribute in different ways. That's going to continue to be something we lean on all year, that wasn't just a thing tonight."
The Blue Raiders set the tone early in the game's proceedings, pressing after nearly every made basket to help force 17 Bearcat turnovers in the first half alone. Middle Tennessee scored 28 points off of turnovers in the opening 20 minutes to build a 49-22 lead at halftime.
McDevitt showcased his roster's depth, playing 12 players in the first half, with ten scoring points, including six who scored at least five points. MT entered the locker room on a 16-0 run to end the half, powered by a 5-for-7 clip from beyond the arc after starting the first half 1-for-11.
The second half would see MT jump out to a lead as large as 44 points, as Middle Tennessee continued to get easy buckets at the rim, shooting 19-for-30 (63.3 percent) from the field in the final 20 minutes. But a three point barrage from the Bearcats (7-for-15 in the second half), kept the lead from growing further as McDevitt let his bench finish out the game. No player on MT played more than 21 minutes.
Blue Raider notes...
- The Blue Raiders are 4-0 in home openers and 3-1 in season openers under Nick McDevitt
- Six players made their Middle Tennessee debuts Tuesday – Josh Jefferson made his first appearance after stops at Illinois State and Green Bay, Justin Bufford, Isaiah Turner, Camryn Weston and Jaellan White made their NCAA debuts after junior college stops, and Teafale Lenard Jr. made his collegiate debut
- Christian Fussell's 10 points and five rebounds were both career-highs
- Lenard's seven rebounds were the most by a Blue Raider true freshman since Tyson Jackson pulled down eight on February 1, 2020
- Four Blue Raiders – Jefferson (16), Turner (13), Eli Lawrence (12) and Fussell (10) – each scored in double figures Tuesday
- Weston recorded a game-high five assists in his NCAA debut
- MT outscored Brescia 56-22 in the paint
- Tuesday's game was the Blue Raiders' first at Murphy Center without attendance restrictions since March 7, 2020
2025 MTSU Basketball tickets on sale now - October 1st
Wednesday, October 01
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
