Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Clash with Saint Mary's Gaels at University Credit Union Pavilion in Men's Basketball Showdown

As the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders prepare to face off against the Saint Mary's Gaels at the University Credit Union Pavilion, fans are eager to see if their team can bounce back from a recent defeat. The upcoming game, scheduled for December 20th, is an opportunity for MTU to prove their resilience and skill on the court.

In their last outing on December 10th against Belmont Bruins, MTU fell short by ten points in a game that ended 65-75. Despite this loss, there were positive takeaways for the Blue Raiders. They demonstrated a solid defensive effort with five blocks and managed to secure more rebounds than in previous games. However, shooting was an area of concern as they only converted 40 percent of field goals and struggled from beyond the arc with a mere 30 percent success rate.

Comparing this performance to their thrilling overtime victory over Missouri State Bears on December 6th shows that MTU has what it takes to overcome adversity. In that game, they improved their shooting percentage slightly and showcased better ball distribution which resulted in a win with a score of 77-73.

The key for MTU will be consistency; maintaining strong defense while improving shot selection and execution on offense. The team needs to capitalize on turnovers as they did against Missouri State where they scored nine points off turnovers compared to sixteen against Belmont.

Saint Mary's Gaels will not make it easy for them though. As hosts, they'll have home-court advantage and will look to exploit any weaknesses shown by MTU in past games.

For Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders fans looking forward to this matchup, it is clear that your team has potential but must address inconsistencies seen in recent performances. With focused preparation and execution come game day, there is every chance that MTU can leave Moraga with a win under their belt.

Remember Blue Raider fans; mark your calendars for December 20th at University Credit Union Pavilion where you can catch all the action live starting at 10:00 PM ET via ESPN+.