Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Thursday, March 10
Frisco, TX
8:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
-239,135 CUSA
66
vs
59
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UTEP
-1913,117 CUSA
1
2
OT 1
F
UTEP
21
31
7
59
Middle Tenn.
25
27
14
66
Team Stats
UTEP
MTSU
FG%
.375
.390
3FG%
.211
.231
FT%
.700
.708
RB
38
41
TO
15
13
STL
10
8
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Blue Raiders grind through UTEP to reach C-USA Semis
3/11/2022 12:42:00 AM | Men's Basketball
It’s the Blue Raiders first C-USA Tournament win since 2017
FRISCO, Texas — Grove St. Party by Waka Flocka Flame was blaring. The Middle Tennessee bench was vibing. The referees were trying to figure out something with the clock? The Teafale Lenard block? Who cares, it didn't matter.
Because when the Ford Center at the Star sound system switched to Swag Surfin' by Fast Life Yungstaz during the prolonged delay, there was NO CHANCE Middle Tennessee was going to drop this game in overtime.
It was a moment that, in so many ways, encapsulated a season for MT, as the Blue Raiders took the four-point lead out of the timeout to go on to a 66-59 win in overtime over UTEP in the C-USA quarterfinals.
"You can feel the difference in postseason play," head coach Nick McDevitt said. "The intensity of every possession, there's just a different feel. As soon as our guys walked into the arena tonight, you could feel it."
The Blue Raiders (23-9, 13-5 C-USA) gritted and grinded their way to their first C-USA Tournament win since 2017, holding the Miners (19-13, 11-7 C-USA) to 21 percent shooting from beyond the arc (4-for-19) while getting to the free throw line 24 times, including eight times in OT to help ice the game down the stretch.
DeAndre Dishman was huge down the stretch, scoring 18 points and hauling in seven boards to help exploit a UTEP team known far more for its guard play than its post presence.
"It's very satisfying, especially when you're missing your leading scorer like Josh Jefferson," Dishman said. "To be able to come out here and step up, I took a few more shots than I usually take and I was able to knock them in. It was very uplifting for the team and myself."
Eli Lawrence was a critical cog for MT on both ends of the court, leading all scorers with 19 points, the only player to check in tonight to make more than one three. His defensive pressure was crucial to keeping UTEP's trio of guards (Souley Boum, Keonte Kennedy and Jamal Bienemy) to a combined 15-for-50 from the field on Thursday.
"Huge, huge," McDevitt said of Lawrence's play. "He made a three at the top of the key and the one right in front of our bench, those were two huge momentum baskets. That's what you need this time of year, somebody that has been in a tournament. He's been in college basketball for three or four years and looked like it out there."
Middle found its identity early in the game on defense, turning UTEP over 15 times during the game and scoring 17 points off of those Miner turnovers. The bench, particularly with leading scorer Josh Jefferson out, stepped up in a big way, combining for 17 points, led by nine from the hands of Camryn Weston. Weston also added three assists to lead the Blue Raiders.
Middle Tennessee took a 25-21 lead into the locker room at halftime thanks to some defensive stops in the game's first 20 minutes. MT turned UTEP over seven times, scoring six points off of those mistakes. The Blue Raiders also crashed the offensive glass, scoring five points on second chances on six offensive boards. DeAndre Dishman led all scorers at the break with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting, with Eli Lawrence added seven points on 3-of-5 shooting in the first half.
The second half would seesaw far more in UTEP's favor, with the Miners going on runs of 7-0 twice, at one point leading by as many as four points with 4:46 to play. A 6-0 run capped off with a Justin Bufford layup gave MT a two-point lead with 3:14 lead, but Jamari Sibley was able to give UTEP the lead back with a three with 1:21 left. Some Lawrence free throws, a Keonte Kennedy layup and a Dishman free throw got us tied, where MT got a crucial shot and Dishman's 70-foot heave was just off, forcing overtime.
The Blue Raiders quickly jumped out to a two-point lead with a Dishman layup on their first possession of overtime, never trailing in the final five minutes as MT kept getting stops in crucial points to keep the Miners at bay.
"I thought our guys stuck together," McDevitt said. "There wasn't panic plays defensively, gambling to get steals, taking flyers on the offensive end as far as shots go. I thought we just continued to execute and found a way to get a big stop."
With the win, Middle Tennessee moves on to the C-USA semifinals, where it will face UAB tomorrow afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Game Notes
The Blue Raiders improved to 11-5 all-time in C-USA Tournament play and 3-0 against UTEP in the conference tournament.
Middle Tennessee's 23rd win of the year ties for the seventh-most in a season in program history and for the highest win total of McDevitt's coaching career.
MT won the tip for just the sixth time all season.
With two blocked shots, Teafale Lenard moved into eighth place in program history with 44 stuffs on the season.
The Blue Raiders have now increased their year-over-year win total by 18, tied with Iowa State for the second-most in the country behind Towson (21).
MT played its first overtime game since a 65-62 win over Southern Miss on March 7, 2020.
Because when the Ford Center at the Star sound system switched to Swag Surfin' by Fast Life Yungstaz during the prolonged delay, there was NO CHANCE Middle Tennessee was going to drop this game in overtime.
It was a moment that, in so many ways, encapsulated a season for MT, as the Blue Raiders took the four-point lead out of the timeout to go on to a 66-59 win in overtime over UTEP in the C-USA quarterfinals.
"You can feel the difference in postseason play," head coach Nick McDevitt said. "The intensity of every possession, there's just a different feel. As soon as our guys walked into the arena tonight, you could feel it."
The Blue Raiders (23-9, 13-5 C-USA) gritted and grinded their way to their first C-USA Tournament win since 2017, holding the Miners (19-13, 11-7 C-USA) to 21 percent shooting from beyond the arc (4-for-19) while getting to the free throw line 24 times, including eight times in OT to help ice the game down the stretch.
DeAndre Dishman was huge down the stretch, scoring 18 points and hauling in seven boards to help exploit a UTEP team known far more for its guard play than its post presence.
"It's very satisfying, especially when you're missing your leading scorer like Josh Jefferson," Dishman said. "To be able to come out here and step up, I took a few more shots than I usually take and I was able to knock them in. It was very uplifting for the team and myself."
Eli Lawrence was a critical cog for MT on both ends of the court, leading all scorers with 19 points, the only player to check in tonight to make more than one three. His defensive pressure was crucial to keeping UTEP's trio of guards (Souley Boum, Keonte Kennedy and Jamal Bienemy) to a combined 15-for-50 from the field on Thursday.
"Huge, huge," McDevitt said of Lawrence's play. "He made a three at the top of the key and the one right in front of our bench, those were two huge momentum baskets. That's what you need this time of year, somebody that has been in a tournament. He's been in college basketball for three or four years and looked like it out there."
Middle found its identity early in the game on defense, turning UTEP over 15 times during the game and scoring 17 points off of those Miner turnovers. The bench, particularly with leading scorer Josh Jefferson out, stepped up in a big way, combining for 17 points, led by nine from the hands of Camryn Weston. Weston also added three assists to lead the Blue Raiders.
Middle Tennessee took a 25-21 lead into the locker room at halftime thanks to some defensive stops in the game's first 20 minutes. MT turned UTEP over seven times, scoring six points off of those mistakes. The Blue Raiders also crashed the offensive glass, scoring five points on second chances on six offensive boards. DeAndre Dishman led all scorers at the break with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting, with Eli Lawrence added seven points on 3-of-5 shooting in the first half.
The second half would seesaw far more in UTEP's favor, with the Miners going on runs of 7-0 twice, at one point leading by as many as four points with 4:46 to play. A 6-0 run capped off with a Justin Bufford layup gave MT a two-point lead with 3:14 lead, but Jamari Sibley was able to give UTEP the lead back with a three with 1:21 left. Some Lawrence free throws, a Keonte Kennedy layup and a Dishman free throw got us tied, where MT got a crucial shot and Dishman's 70-foot heave was just off, forcing overtime.
The Blue Raiders quickly jumped out to a two-point lead with a Dishman layup on their first possession of overtime, never trailing in the final five minutes as MT kept getting stops in crucial points to keep the Miners at bay.
"I thought our guys stuck together," McDevitt said. "There wasn't panic plays defensively, gambling to get steals, taking flyers on the offensive end as far as shots go. I thought we just continued to execute and found a way to get a big stop."
With the win, Middle Tennessee moves on to the C-USA semifinals, where it will face UAB tomorrow afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Game Notes
The Blue Raiders improved to 11-5 all-time in C-USA Tournament play and 3-0 against UTEP in the conference tournament.
Middle Tennessee's 23rd win of the year ties for the seventh-most in a season in program history and for the highest win total of McDevitt's coaching career.
MT won the tip for just the sixth time all season.
With two blocked shots, Teafale Lenard moved into eighth place in program history with 44 stuffs on the season.
The Blue Raiders have now increased their year-over-year win total by 18, tied with Iowa State for the second-most in the country behind Towson (21).
MT played its first overtime game since a 65-62 win over Southern Miss on March 7, 2020.
2025 MTSU Basketball tickets on sale now - October 1st
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2025 Blue Raider Blitz Media Panel
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