Middle Tennessee shakes up Maryville, extends home win streak to 20

Saturday, December 3

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

2 PM

Middle Tennessee

-63,10 CUSA

Maryville

2-5,0-0CCS

Maryville (TN)

Middle Tenn.

12/3/2022 5:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Game Book Photo Gallery

Blue Raiders hold Scots under 36 percent from the field on Saturday

By: Sam Doughton, MT Athletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Dominating defensively from tipoff to the final whistle, Middle Tennessee men's basketball grinded its way past Maryville, defeating the Scots 69-46 on Saturday afternoon at the Murphy Center.

Jumping out to a 17-0 lead to open the game, the Blue Raiders took a 41-25 advantage into the locker room at halftime, dominating the Scots 27-9 on the glass in the game's first 20 minutes. The Blue Raiders did not allow a single offensive rebound the entire first half and got plenty of opportunities to score in the paint, outpacing Maryville 20-4 in points inside.

The Blue Raiders (6-3, 1-0 C-USA) held the Scots (2-5) to just 35.3 percent shooting on the night, utilizing their defensive length to make shots difficult, while also turning Maryville over 19 times, scoring 21 points off of turnovers despite a slow night shooting from the outside.

Camryn Weston led MTSU with 12 points, dropping five times with no turnovers at the point guard position, while hauling in eight rebounds. Eli Lawrence was the only other Blue Raider to score in double digits (10 points), but eight Blue Raiders recorded at least five points. Jared Coleman-Jones was essential to ice the game late, dominating the post to score seven points and record a plus/minus of +19 in just 10 minutes played.

By the Numbers

20: Number of home games won in-a-row by the Blue Raiders, dating back to the final two home games of the 2020-21 season against Charlotte.

45-26: The rebound advantage for MTSU against Maryville. The Blue Raiders possessed a distinct height advantage, with the Scots starting only one player taller than 6-foot-3. Tyler Millin led the Blue Raiders with nine rebounds, a career high for the wing, including five offensive rebounds in the first half.

1: Number of missed shots for Camryn Weston, a single free throw. The junior guard shot 4-for-4 from the field, including 1-for-1 from three, while scoring 12 points, recording eight rebounds, dishing out five assists and taking away five steals.

Blue Raider Notes

With their 20^th straight home win, the Blue Raiders are win short of tying the 21-gamer put together by the 2012-13 and 13-14 squads for third-longest home win streak in program history.
Teafale Lenard tied Theryn Hudson for seventh in career blocks at MTSU with his 69^th career rejection.
Justin Bufford made his first start of the season.
Middle Tennessee entered the day 37^th in the nation in turnovers forced per game at 17.12 before forcing 19 turnovers Saturday.
MTSU's 45 rebounds were one short of its season high.
The 19 total fouls called were the fewest of any of the Blue Raiders' games this season.

Thoughts from Head Coach Nick McDevitt

" I thought we started the game with the right respect level for Maryville. They've got a good team. I believe we were up 17-0 to start the game. I thought we did a nice job rebounding the ball and using our size.

"I thought we settled for a few too many early-clock threes versus their zone. We anticipated they would play a lot of zone given our height and length advantage, size advantage, athleticism advantage, to slow the game down, keep up off balance a little bit. I thought they did a pretty good job switching up D's, I thought we attacked it well at times. But over the course of the game, I thought we took a few too many early-clock threes. At halftime, it was 18 threes and 18 twos. I thought we could've done a better job of playing at the rim.

"Too many turnovers, 18 turnovers when the other team is playing all zone is being careless with the ball. But happy with the win."

Player's Perspective – Camryn Weston

"I felt like coming in, we knew it was an afternoon type game, so we knew we had to bring a lot of energy. I just wanted to bring that energy for my team, get all my teammates involved. So throwing it inside, playing that inside-outside game, that's what I wanted to do for my team.

Up Next

Middle Tennessee will stay in the mid-state, but head just up the road next weekend, taking on Belmont in Nashville on Saturday, December 10. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPN+ and the Blue Raider Radio Network.

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