Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
1-0,0-0CUSA
Fisk
1-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisk | 32 | 41 | 73 |
| Middle Tenn. | 52 | 65 | 117 |
11/2/2026 3:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball (1-0) welcomed Fisk (0-1) to the Murphy Center for its season opener, taking down the Bulldogs, 117-73, in front of a raucous crowd of over 7,000 elementary students as MTSU celebrated Education Day.
Jahvin Carter scored the first basket of the 2026 season, floating a jump shot towards the paint following a steal from Ofri Naveh. The Blue Raiders continued to score as Quintero Barnett netted back-to-back field goals, building an opening 6-0 run. The junior transfer from Walsh netted two more baskets, helping Middle Tennessee to a 10-1 advantage at the first media timeout.
The following period saw both teams trade blows, with Penn State transfer Eli Rice sinking his first of three from beyond the arc, a mark he went perfect in on the day. The Bulldogs scored seven points in three minutes, cutting MTSU's lead back down to nine for a 19-10 score by the second media timeout at the 11:54 mark.
The Blue Raiders more than doubled their lead during the rest of the first half, highlighted by an eight-point run between 4:50 and 3:53 that extended their lead to 20 points. Barnett's 16 points in the first half led Middle Tennessee offensively, shooting seven-for-nine from the field as it entered the break with a 52-32 advantage.
Middle Tennessee's defense then caught fire, holding the Bulldogs scoreless between 14:25 and 11:34, as it put together a 13-0 run to extend the lead to a 76-48 score.
Throughout the half, Marcus Whitlock, Jr. shot four-for-six from three-point range, leading the team and generating a larger advantage.
As the clock wound down, the Blue Raiders continued to extend the lead over the Bulldogs as JarRed Hall put up back-to-back buckets and Carter scored on a three-point play.
Aiden Bolden made an impact late in his collegiate debut, scoring six points in the final 2:04 to wrap up the victory, 117-73.
By the Numbers
6: With the victory against Fisk today, Middle Tennessee has now won six consecutive season-opening games.
8: Freshman Landyn Colyer led the team with his eight rebounds.
18: Penn State transfer Eli Rice contributed from off the bench, scoring 18 points, the second-highest on the team.
24: Junior guard Quintero Barnett scored a team-high 24 points in his Division I debut.
39: Junior guard Jahvin Carter tallied a plus-minus of 39 in Monday's game.
Postgame Interviews
Next Up: Middle Tennessee will be back in action for its first road contest of the season this Friday, taking on No. 17 Kansas from Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas
Follow the Blue Raiders: Follow Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball on social media on Facebook (/MTMensBasketball), X (Twitter) (@MT_MBB) and Instagram (@mt_mbb).
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