Men's Basketball prepped for in-state matchup with Belmont

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee men's basketball program is set to take on its first in-state rival of the 2024-25 season when it travels to Nashville, Tenn., to play Belmont. The head-to-head will tip off at 2:30 p.m. at the Curb Event Center and will be streamed on ESPN+ and Blue Raider Network.

Series History
Saturday will mark the 44th contest between the Blue Raiders and the Bruins.
Middle Tennessee holds a 24-19 lead over Belmont in the all-time series record.
Belmont won the last meeting between the teams with a 75-65 decision in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Blue Raider Notes
• Middle Tennessee swiftly defeated Rhodes College at home Wednesday with the first 100+ point victory since 2019, winning 103-55.
• Five players scored in double figures, with Essam Mostafa and Camryn Weston leading the way with 14.
• Mostafa and Torey Alston tallied double-doubles as well, the second time this season that two players have earned double-doubles in the same contest.
• Scoring 749 points nine games into the season, the 2024-25 Blue Raiders are the highest scoring roster of any Middle Tennessee team coached by Nick McDevitt. The team averages 83.2 points per game, the highest in the conference.
• The Blue Raiders have spread their scoring efforts across the roster, with five different players leading the team in scoring in the nine games played thus far.
• In more than half of the games played this season, four or more players have scored in double digits, including numerous 20+ point games.
• Four players have set new career highs in scoring already this season: Torey Alston, Kamari Lands, Chris Loofe and Justin Bufford.
• The Blue Raiders are undefeated in away games this season, soundly defeating both Abilene Christian and UAB in their home arenas.
• With a 7-2 record thus far, Middle Tennessee is off to its best start since the 2021-22 season, matching the best start for head coach Nick McDevitt at Middle Tennessee.
• The Blue Raiders have outscored opponents 749-631 in the opening nine games of the campaign.
• Middle Tennessee ranks fifth in the nation in three-point percentage defense, only allowing opponents to score on 24.9 percent of their three-point shots, good for the conference lead.

Bruin Notes
• Belmont is 7-2 on the season, falling only to Furman and Loyola Marymount
• In their last contest Wednesday, the Bruins put up 99 points in a 99-97 overtime victory over Illinois State at home.
• Carter Whitt nearly posted a triple-double against Illinois State, with 10 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
• Jonathan Pierre and Tyler Lundblade are tied for the team lead in points per game, averaging 12.4 per contest.
• Pierre also leads the team in rebounds per game, averaging 7.2 boards per competition.
• The Bruins rank 21st in the country in three pointers per game, tallying 10.7 made threes per contest.
• Belmont owns a 1.58 assist-to-turnover ratio, good for 30th in the nation.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Torey Alston

Justin Bufford

Kamari Lands

Chris Loofe

Essam Mostafa

Camryn Weston

Middle Tennesee State University Athletics