Blue Raiders continue league play against FIU, Delaware

Wednesday, February 4

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

FIU

2/3/2026 4:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Logan Hasselbach

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee men's basketball team (11-10, 5-5) will look to bounce back after a difficult week when it plays FIU and Delaware. The team will first host the Panthers Wednesday in the Murphy Center before making its first trip to The First State to visit the Blue Hens Saturday. The contests will tip off at 6:30 p.m. and 12 p.m., respectively, with both streaming on ESPN+ and Blue Raider Network.

Blue Raider Notes

MTSU dropped back-to-back contests at home last week, falling to Liberty and WKU in tough matchups. The team held both the Flames and the Hilltoppers to below their season scoring average, but found difficulty scoring the ball themselves.
Torey Alston put up his fourth double-double of the season against Liberty with a strong 20-point, 12-rebound performance. The redshirt sophomore followed up that performance with another against Western Kentucky with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Alston's five double-doubles on the season are the second-most of any individual in Conference USA and it marks the second time this season he has notched double-doubles in back-to-back games (prev. vs. Cumberland and at Houston).
The Blue Raiders are 8-0 when they tally seven or more steals in a game.
Middle Tennessee ranks 47^th in the country, averaging 4.6 blocks per game.
Averaging 5.86 defensive boards per contest, Torey Alston sits 48^th in the nation and third in the conference.
Kamari Lands tallied a career-high 25 points against WKU Saturday, making eight field goals and seven free throws. MTSU is 4-1 when Lands scores 20+ points and he leads the team with 14 double-digit scoring contests.

Series History
The Blue Raiders hold a 38-12 advantage in the all-time series over FIU and boast a five-game win streak in the series. The last time the two played, Middle Tennessee downed the Panthers 78-56 on Senior Night in the Murphy Center.

Panther Notes

FIU is 10-11 on the season and 3-7 in league play, most recently dropping a 78-74 contest to Jacksonville State at home.
Corey Stephenson leads the Panthers with 17.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He has tallied six 20+ point games this season.
FIU is 1-7 on the road during the 2025-26 campaign, picking up its lone road win at New Mexico State, 81-78.

Series History
Middle Tennessee and Delaware have met just once before, a contest that the Blue Raiders won in the 2004 San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico.

Blue Hen Notes

Delaware enters the week 6-15 overall and 2-8 in league play. The program will face Liberty Wednesday before welcoming Middle Tennessee to Newark.
The Fightin' Blue Hens are a tough, physical team, averaging the 11^th most fouls per game in the nation at 14.3.
Christian Bliss leads the team with 15.7 points per game, while leading the nation with 39:10 minute per game.