Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Narrowly Edged Out by Catamounts at Murphy Athletic Center

In a closely contested matchup at the Murphy Athletic Center, the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders fell just short against the Western Carolina Catamounts with a final score of 66-64. The home team's record now stands at 0-1, while the visitors improved to 1-0.

The game was characterized by its competitive nature, with the lead changing hands four times and the score tied on eleven occasions. Despite a valiant effort from the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, they were unable to secure victory in front of an attendance of 2,806 fans. The Blue Raiders matched their opponents in field goal percentage at 41 percent but struggled from the free-throw line, converting only 52 percent of their attempts compared to Western Carolina's more efficient rate of 73 percent.

The Middle Tennessee team showcased resilience throughout the game. They outrebounded their opponents with a total rebound count of 40 compared to Western Carolina's tally of 39. This included securing more offensive rebounds (11) than Western Carolina (8), which provided additional scoring opportunities for Middle Tennessee.

However, turnovers proved costly for Middle Tennessee as they committed seven in total; this was slightly higher than Western Carolina's five turnovers. Points off turnovers were also lower for Middle Tennessee at five points versus eleven points for Western Carolina.

Defensively, both teams showed prowess around the rim; however, it was Middle Tennessee that led in blocks with four compared to two from their counterparts. Yet this defensive effort wasn't enough as they allowed forty-two points in paint against them while managing twenty-eight themselves.

From beyond the arc, neither team excelled; however, it was again an area where Western Carolina held a slight edge making two three-pointers on ten attempts (20 percent), whereas Middle Tennessee made three out of thirteen attempts (23 percent).

Looking ahead after this narrow defeat, fans can mark their calendars for when The Blue Raiders will take on Milligan Buffaloes next time on November 18th at Murphy Athletic Center located in Murfreesboro TN zip code:37132 . This upcoming game is scheduled for broadcast over ESPN+ network starting at 5:00 PM Central Time allowing fans not able to attend another chance to support their team from afar.