Late-game run sets back Blue Raiders against Bearkats

Saturday, January 13

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

5 PM

Middle Tennessee

6-11,0-2CUSA

Sam Houston

10-8,3-0CUSA

Sam Houston

Middle Tenn.

1/13/2024 8:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Sam Houston’s 11-2 run over the final 2:34 of play gave MTSU its second CUSA loss of the season

By: Sam Doughton, MT Athletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee men's basketball fought valiantly for 40 minutes again on Saturday, but came up short once again in Conference USA play, with late-game mistakes costing the team a chance at a home win in a 60-51 loss to Sam Houston in the Murphy Center.

The Blue Raiders (6-11, 0-2 CUSA) led 25-23 after a dramatic first half, where MTSU trailed by as many as 10 before strong defense allowed the Blue Raiders to gain the advantage at the break. The Bearkats (10-8, 3-0 CUSA) shot just 29 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, having separate scoring droughts of over seven minutes and four minutes, allowing MTSU to grab the lead despite dominating on the glass, outrebounding the Blue Raiders 28-16 in the first half.

MTSU jumped out to a six-point lead shortly after halftime, but Sam Houston quickly countered with an 15-4 run to wrest back control of the game. MTSU was able to retake the lead and then tie the game with just 2:46 to play, but back-to-back buckets from Lamar Wilkerson, including a three, followed by an 8-0 Bearkat run to end the game following a pair of Jestin Porter free throws proved to be too much to overcome.

Porter provided over half of MTSU's total points on Saturday, scoring 29 points while shooting 10-for-21 from the floor, including 4-for-9 from three. He also added five free throws in six tries. Elias King was the only other Blue Raider in double figures scoring, adding 10 points including a pair of three-pointers. King also grabbed six rebounds and had two blocks. The only other Blue Raider to make a field goal was Jared Coleman-Jones, who finished the night with eight points and seven rebounds.

By the Numbers

29: Points for Jestin Porter on Saturday, a career high for the junior guard. Porter has scored 53 points in the past two games for the Blue Raiders.

16: Offensive rebounds for Sam Houston on Saturday, part of a 43-33 rebounding advantage for the Bearkats. Sam Houston scored 10 second chance points on Saturday, while the Blue Raiders only scored four second chance points.

3: Blue Raiders who made a field goal on Saturday. Six Blue Raiders scored at least one point, but Justin Bufford, Ty Mosley and Jacob Johnson only scored at the charity stripe.

Blue Raider Notes

Porter's 29 points were the most by a Blue Raider since Josh Jefferson scored 30 against Charlotte on Super Bowl Sunday in 2022.
Saturday's game was the fifth time this season MTSU had at least four players with five or more rebounds.
MTSU has blocked five shots in three straight games.

Thoughts from Head Coach Nick McDevitt

"That was tough because I was pleased with our guys' effort for 40 minutes. They played hard being shorthanded again tonight. Jestin Porter ends up playing 40 minutes. Elias (King) almost 38, 34 for Jared (Coleman-Jones), 31 for (Justin Bufford). I just thought we played hard and tough. The first few minutes of the game, they got out to a 9-0 run. (Sam Houston is) just a tough physical group. You can see how they play, you can see the bodies that they have and quickly get a sense of their style of play.

"But it came down to execution. On that side, I thought we were really good for most of the game. At halftime, we had four turnovers. We end up with 11 turnovers. Eleven is not a bad number. (Out of the seven second half turnovers) there were about three over the last three or four minutes of the game. A couple of defensive breakdowns on communication on the other end and that was really the difference. A couple of defensive lapses and a couple of empty possessions."

Up Next

The Blue Raiders hit the road for the first time in CUSA play, traveling to the conference's two schools in Mountain time for a two-game set next week, starting with Thursday night's matchup against UTEP. Tipoff against the Miners is set for 8 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network and the Blue Raider Radio Network.

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