Blue Raiders to face Ohio in Myrtle Beach Invitational Opening Round

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee men's basketball team is set to kick off the Myrtle Beach Invitational Thursday morning. The Blue Raiders open the tournament at the HTC Center in Conway S.C., against Ohio at 11 a.m. CT, with the contest streaming on ESPNU and Blue Raider Network.

Series History
Ohio leads the all-time series, 4-0.
The Bobcats won the last contest between the two at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship by a score of 80-68.

Blue Raider Notes
• Kamari Lands set numerous career-highs in the contest against Murray State, most notably a new high of 19 points, besting his previous record by four. He also recorded a new high in field goals made and field goals attempted with his 8-for-15 shooting. The mark was his second contest in double-digit scoring this season and his 16th overall.
• The Blue Raiders rank T-11 in the country in three-point percentage defense, only allowing opponents to score on 23.5 percent of their three-point shots, good for the conference lead.
• With an average of 3.75 offensive rebounds per game, Essam Mostafa is ranked 30th in the nation in offensive boards per game, leading the conference.
• For the second time in program history, the Blue Raiders will compete in ESPN Events' Myrtle Beach Invitational regular season tournament. The team last took part in the tournament in the 2019-20 season and competed against Villanova, Tulane and Ohio.
• Amassing six blocks so far in the season, Chris Loofe sits third in the league in total blocks, as well as third in blocks per game with 1.50.
• Essam Mostafa sits third in the conference in field goal percentage, shooting 58.3 percent from the field.
• Jestin Porter continues to lead the Blue Raiders in scoring, averaging 14.8 points per game while shooting .500 from the field and .33 from three. He earned back-to-back 20-point games to open the season against Oglethorpe and Abilene Christian.
• The Blue Raiders continue to dominate scoring in the paint, scoring 50+ points in the paint in two games – versus Oglethorpe and Evansville.
• Middle Tennessee has outscored opponents 323-258 through the opening four contests of the season, averaging 80.8 points per game and holding competitors to just 64.5

Bobcat Notes
• Junior Ajay Sheldon had a career night on November 15 at Memphis, scoring a career-high 20 points and hitting a career-high six three pointers.
• Redshirt sophomore guard AJ Brown led the Bobcats on the road Nov. 12 at Illinois State, scoring 20 points and going 4-of-8 from three.
• AJ Brown leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.0 points per game on 48.6 percent shooting from the field and 47.4 percent from deep. Shereef Mitchell is not far behind, picking up 13.5 points per game on 66.7 percent shooting from the floor.
• Forward AJ Clayton leads the Bobcats in rebounds per game, pulling down 4.8 boards per game in 30.8 minutes per contest.
• The Bobcats average 76.6 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting from the field while allowing opponents to score 85.8 points per contest, shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.
• Ohio was picked to finish first in the MAC in the preseason poll, earning 11 out of the 12 first-place votes. Senior forward AJ Clayton earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC first team and the MAC Blue Ribbon Forecast Preseason All-Conference Team. Graduate student Shereef Mitchell and redshirt sophomore AJ Brown both earned a spot on the Preseason All-MAC second team.

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Players Mentioned

Kamari Lands

Chris Loofe

Essam Mostafa

Jestin Porter

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics