Middle Tennessee's upset bid falls short against No. 1 Tennessee, 82-64

Monday, December 23

Knoxville, TN

6 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

9-4,0-0CUSA

Tennessee

12-0,0-0SEC

Middle Tenn.

Tennessee

12/23/2024 9:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Game Book

By: Jayce Standridge

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee's historic upset bid came up just short on the road on Rocky Top, falling 82-64 to No. 1 Tennessee to close non-conference play and wrap up the 2024 calendar year.

Both teams started hot, combining for 18 points in the first five minutes. The Volunteers held early control, leading 11-7 at the first media timeout. The Blue Raiders then limited Tennessee's high-powered offense to just three points in the next few minutes, heading into the under-12-minute timeout down 14-12.

After the break, UT went on a 7-0 run over the next minute and a half, but MTSU was not going down without a fight. The Blue Raiders forced five turnovers in two minutes, capping a 7-0 run of their own. Camryn Weston scored six straight points, accompanied by Justin Bufford and Jestin Porter long-range shots, giving MTSU a 32-30 lead. It was the first time all season the Vols trailed at the half.

The teams traded baskets before Tre Green, Torey Alston, and Weston hit key shots to give MTSU a 40-34 advantage at the break. The score marked the first time all season that the Vols had trailed at half and given up 36-plus points in the first 20 minutes. Weston led all scorers with 17 points, followed by Porter (8) and Lands (7).

Tennessee came out strong in the second half, scoring eight points in the first three minutes to pull within one. Both teams tightened up defensively but traded three-pointers — one from UT and another deep shot from Weston — making it a 49-46 game.

The Blue Raiders began getting into foul trouble, putting Tennessee in the bonus with 14 minutes remaining. The Vols regained control, taking the lead for the first time in over 12 minutes. After trading scores and fouls, Tennessee held a 61-58 lead heading into the under-8 media timeout.

The Vols then went on an 11-1 run over five minutes, putting the game out of reach. Tennessee finished strong, winning 82-64 and ending MTSU's historic upset bid.

By the Numbers:

6: MTSU held a 40-34 lead at halftime, marking the first time this season Tennessee trailed at the break.
24: Cam Weston led MTSU with 24 points, his second-highest career total.
1: Monday marked the first time MTSU faced the No. 1 team in the nation in its history.
6: The Blue Raiders made six three-pointers in the first half.
9: Weston shot 9-12 in the first 26 minutes of the contest, setting a new top mark for the most made field goals in a full game by a single player against Tennessee in 2024-25.
17: Weston's 17 first-half points tied for the most in a frame by a Tennessee foe this season, matching the mark by Baylor's Norchad Omier.

McDevitt's Mic
"They are the number one team in the country for a reason, but I was proud of our team," said head coach Nick McDevitt. "There were a couple of breaks that didn't go our way, but they challenge you in a good way with being super physical. You don't have to play perfect, but you need a ton of things to go your way and they didn't. We wanted to play fast and score through transition, because I feel we had the advantage with speed and did not want them to get set up in their defense."

What's Next?
The Blue Raiders are on the road to Miami, Fla., January 2 to start Conference USA play against the FIU Panthers. The Panthers are 5-7 on the season and will play one final non-conference matchup before beginning league play.