Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
11-11,5-6CUSA
FIU
11-11,4-7CUSA
Blue Raiders drop back-and-forth contest in overtime to FIU, 88-84
2/4/2026 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball (11-11, 5-6 CUSA) came up just short against Conference USA foe FIU (11-11, 4-7 CUSA) Wednesday night in the Murphy Center 88-84 in overtime.
The game started in favor of FIU, the Panthers pushing a 9-0 scoring run from the opening tip. The Blue Raiders scored their first points of the game from the free throw line, Kamari Lands with the buckets, sparking a 7-0 scoring run to answer the Panthers. Alec Oglesby put Middle Tennessee on top for the first time in the game at the 10:36 minute mark with athree-pointer. The Blue Raiders and Panthers continued to trade blows, entering the locker room at halftime with a score of 39-38 in favor of FIU.
Marcus Whitlock Jr. caught fire, shooting 75 percent from the field and leading Middle Tennessee with 11 points at the half. The Blue Raiders totaled six steals and forced eight Panther turnovers after 20 minutes, scoring 12 points on fast breaks.
Lands struck first again in the second half, making himself the second Blue Raider in double-figure scoring. The game continued to go back and forth, while Middle Tennessee reclaimed the lead for the first time in the half off of a Whitlock Jr. free throw before the game went back to a shot for shot thriller.
The Panthers took a seven point lead into the final five minutes of the game, the Blue Raiders holding the lead for just under five and a half minutes all game. A Whitlock Jr. three-pointer tied the game with just under two minutes to go, setting up Jahvin Carter to take a two-point lead from the free throw line. The Blue Raiders would go on to send the Panthers to the free throw line for three shots, where FIU's Brit Harris would make two to send the game into overtime.
Torey Alston was sent to the line for an opportunity score the first points in the overtime period, where he put the Blue Raiders up 76-75. The Panthers took a four point lead with aminute and a half to go, where Whitlock would bring the game within one with his seventh three-pointer of the night. After two FIU scores, Alston was sent to the line to sink two shots, bringing the score to 85-82 in favor of the Panthers. The Blue Raiders were ultimately outscored, falling by a four-point margin to the Panthers.
Whitlock Jr. led Middle Tennessee in scoring with a career-high 25 points, just one point shy of the most by a Blue Raider this season. Lands, Alston and Chris Loofe also totaled double-figure scoring. The Blue Raiders were beat off the glass, with FIU outrebounding Middle Tennessee 45 to 40.
"It's obviously a disappointing loss," said head coach Nick McDevitt. "I thought the end of the first half hurt us, we have to understand that there's not a big margin of error and details matter."
By the Numbers
- 5: Marcus Whitlock surpassed his career high figure in points in just five minutes on the floor.
- 8: Jahvin Carter tied his career high with eight assists tonight against the Panthers.
- 18: Middle Tennessee scored 18 fast break points against the Panthers, the most the Blue Raiders have scored this season.
