Men's Basketball heads south to play Jax State

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee men's basketball is set to hit the road once more, traveling to Jacksonville, Ala. to take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. The game is set to tip off Friday at 6 p.m. from the Pete Mathews Coliseum and will stream on ESPN+ and Blue Raider Network.

Series History
Middle Tennessee holds a 5-4 edge over Jax State in the all-time series, though the Gamecocks have taken both recorded contests in Jacksonville. Last season, the two split the regular season series, with the home team winning in both games. The last time the teams faced off was in the Conference USA Championship semifinals, where Jax State narrowly won 70-68.

Blue Raider Notes

In the first contest against Missouri State as conference opponents, the Blue Raiders downed the Bears in a thrilling double overtime battle in the Murphy Center, 90-87. The points total represents the most scored against a league foe since Feb. 21, 2024, when MTSU scored 96 in another 2OT game against UTEP.
Torey Alston put up 22 points with nine rebounds and three blocks, while Kamari Lands scored 21 on seven made triples with three blocks as well. The two combined as the second duo to each score 20+ in the same contest this season.
Against Missouri State, the team shot 52.7% from the field, the second-best FG% for MTSU this season, and 50% from three, tying the best 3FG% for the Blue Raiders this campaign. The 10 blocks by Middle Tennessee players also marked the second-most team total for the group this season and the second-most of any league team.
MTSU's three-point percentage defense continues to thrive, ranking 15^th in the nation at just 28.9%.
With a 2.50 assist-to-turnover ratio, Sean Smith sits third in the conference rankings, with Jahvin Carter just behind him at 2.21 to sit eighth.
The Blue Raiders rank 32^nd in the country, averaging 4.9 blocks per game.
Averaging 9.9 made threes per contest, Middle Tennessee is 49^th in Division I and second in the league.
Kamari Lands leads the squad with 13.1 points per game and has tallied double figures in 12 of the 18 contests this season.

Gamecock Notes

Jacksonville State enters Friday's contest at 9-9 overall and 4-3 in league play. The team boasts a 7-4 record in the Pete Mathews Coliseum.
JSU buried 10 three-pointers against Louisiana Tech, the most it has hit in a game during conference play this season. The performance from beyond the arc was the fourth time this season that the Gamecocks have buried 10 or more three-pointers in a game.
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil leads the team with 18.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest. The senior is new to the Jax State lineup, spending last season at Louisiana.
The Gamecocks won their second game of a three-game homestand last Saturday, holding the Bulldogs to just 60 points, which marks the lowest any CUSA team has scored against the team all season and the fourth lowest any opponent has scored against JSU.

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Torey Alston

Jahvin Carter

Kamari Lands

Sean Smith

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