Middle Tennessee downs NM State on the road, 71-66

Thursday, February 27

Las Cruces, N.M.

8 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

19-9,10-5CUSA

New Mexico State

15-13,8-7CUSA

Middle Tenn.

New Mexico St.

2/28/2025 12:03:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Game Book

By: Jayce Standridge

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – After dropping a crucial contest to New Mexico State in the Murphy Center earlier in the season, Middle Tennessee men's basketball team entered Pan American Center Thursday night with a chip on its shoulder. Despite the Aggies best efforts, the Raiders soundly defeated the New Mexico State Aggies on the road, 71-66, behind Weston's 30-point performance.

Defense was the star of the show to start the Conference USA matchup between the Raiders and Aggies, with just 10 points combined in the first five minutes of action. Redshirt freshman Torey Alston recorded a block down low, while Cam Weston and Justin Bufford collected quick steals for the Blue Raider defense.

Saturday's player of the game, Tre Green, checked into action and immediately made an impact, draining a 3-pointer to help the offense start rolling. MTSU kept pace with the Aggies, going point-for-point to tie the game at 16-16 with nine minutes remaining in the first half.

A scoring drought for both teams occurred until halftime, with only 12 points being scored in the next 8 minutes of gameplay. MTSU took a one-point deficit into the break, 28-27.

Coming out of halftime, the Aggies built upon their lead, growing it to six just two minutes after the break. The Blue Raiders wouldn't back down, however, with Bufford knocking down a 3-pointer and Essam Mostafa making a layup to give MTSU the lead for the first time, 41-40, with 15 minutes remaining.

For the next 10 minutes, the Blue Raiders struggled from beyond the arc, and NMSU built a lead of up to seven points with seven minutes remaining. Bufford was a star on the defensive end and got a friendly bounce on a 3-pointer to put the game within four with six minutes to play.

That 3-pointer from Bufford sparked the Raiders, with Weston making three 3-pointers of his own in the coming minutes to take the lead with two minutes remaining, 63-59, the biggest lead for MTSU up until that point.

Weston drained another 3-pointer to push the lead to seven, for an 8-0 run that ultimately was enough for MTSU to take the win, 71-66.

Weston led Blue Raider scoring with 30 points, tying his career high. He lit a spark for the Raiders in the final minutes, making four straight 3-pointers to give MTSU the advantage late. Mostafa, who missed the previous meeting with the Aggies, followed suit with 15 points, and Bufford who hit two huge 3-pointers.

By the Numbers:
30: Cam Weston tied a career high with 30 points for the Blue Raiders. He shot 8-for-11 from the field, with four coming from deep.
2: The Blue Raiders are now tied for second place with Jacksonville State and just one game back from first-place Liberty.
5: Torey Alston set a new career high in blocks with five tonight.
6-6: Essam Mostafa drained every shot he took from the floor, going 6-6 and 3-3 from the free throw line.

McDevitt's Mic:
"Man, I'm just really proud of our team. I thought we were mentally tough when we were not making shots. I just thought we were so tuned in on what we had to do down the stretch. We knew coming in here this is one we had to get, and I'm just proud of how we fought tonight."

Up Next: Middle Tennessee will hit the road for the final time in the regular season to take on the UTEP Miners on Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m.

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