Blue Raiders drop heartbreaker to Blazers, 58-57

Tuesday, November 21

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6:30 PM

Middle Tennessee

3-2,0-0CUSA

UAB

3-2,0-0AAC

UAB

Middle Tenn.

11/21/2023 10:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

MTSU had a chance to win the game with six seconds to go, but turned the ball over on an inbound pass

By: Sam Doughton, MT Athletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee men's basketball fell just a bit short for the second time this season in the Murphy Center, dropping their second one-score game of the season, 58-57, on Tuesday night.

The Blue Raiders (3-2) rushed out to a 15-2 lead to the start game but withstood multiple eight-point runs from the Blazers (3-2), at one point falling behind as many as eight points in the second half. In a game of punches and counterpunches, however, MTSU fought back into the game, taking the lead twice in the second half before tying the game twice when UAB found a way to retake the lead.

Stops and missed front ends of one-and-ones gave MTSU the final chance to win the game, but a inbound pass rolled harmlessly off the back of a Blazer, allowing UAB to nearly run out the clock. A final missed one-and-one would give the Blue Raiders a final heave, which fell well short of the basket to end the game.

Josh Ogundele had a career-high in both points and rebounds in just 16 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points while grabbing seven rebounds. The Englishman also dished out two assists and grabbed two steals. Jestin Porter scored 11 points, while O'zhell Jackson and Justin Bufford tied for the team lead in assists with three a piece. Elias King just missed out on a double-double, scoring 10 points while grabbing a team-leading eight rebounds.

By the Numbers

7-for-14: MTSU's performance at the free throw line on Tuesday. It's the lowest free throw percentage MTSU has had in game since also shooting 50 percent from the charity stripe (15-30) against Belmont on December 10, 2022.

10/0: Fast break points for the Blazers and Blue Raiders, respectively. MTSU was able to generate 10 points off of eight UAB turnovers, but the Blazers' ability to get out in transition after missed shots proved critical at times on Tuesday night.

14/6: Second chance points for the Blazers and Blue Raiders, respectively. Despite MTSU grabbing two more offensive rebounds than UAB, the Blazers were able to convert those chances into more points, taking advantage of their awareness following MTSU blocks for some easy buckets.

Blue Raider Notes

The Blue Raiders' nine blocks are tied for the seventh-highest single-game total in program history.
MTSU's streak of 12 straight wins in games played on Tuesdays came to an end nearly eight years after it began. The last Blue Raider loss on a Tuesday came on December 22, 2015 at Georgia State.
The Blue Raiders are headed to the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship with a five-game winning streak in games played outside the United States.

Thoughts from Head Coach Nick McDevitt

"Congrats to AK and his group. Tough, hard-fought game. It was kind of a slugfest for kind of the last 23, 24 minutes. We started the game on a run, they responded with a run of their own. I thought we did a nice job of taking care of the basketball, that's one thing that you can't do against UAB. With their length and their athleticism, when you have high turnovers, you kind of have indefensible defensive possessions. They go score the ball; they dunk it. And we were able to take care of the ball quite well.

"We were in foul trouble with our posts. But I thought Josh Ogundele did a nice job of coming in there, gave us a boost. Just gave us a chance to get easy twos. On nights where you're not shooting it well, you've got to generate some points at the rim, and that was kind of the difference in the game. We were 4-for-21 for three, they were 1-for-11. They made 13 free throws, we made seven. Fifty percent from the free throw line is not very good, bad.

"But again, we gave ourselves a chance. Some grit, some fight, some toughness, but it's hard to win with 57. Nights that we're not shooting the ball well, we've got to find ways to generate buckets."

Up Next

The Blue Raiders will catch a flight to the Bahamas after tonight's game and head to the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship. MTSU will take on UIC in their first-round matchup, with tipoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT on FloHoops and the Blue Raider Radio Network.

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