Bearkats Claw Past Blue Raiders in a Hard-Fought Battle at Murphy Athletic Center
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders faced a challenging contest against the Bearkats, culminating in a 60-51 defeat. The Blue Raiders' season record now stands at an even keel, with the same number of victories as setbacks. The Bearkats improved their standing with this win, adding to their tally of successes this season.
At the Murphy Athletic Center, fans witnessed a game where defense took center stage. The home team, Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, showcased their defensive capabilities by registering five blocks and four steals during the game. However, it was not enough to secure victory over the visiting Bearkats who managed two blocks and three steals themselves.
The offensive efforts of the Middle Tennessee were led by their attempts from beyond the arc; they launched 23 three-point shots and successfully made six of them, translating to an accuracy rate of 26 percent from long range. Inside the paint was another story as they struggled to convert opportunities into points with only 18 points scored in that critical area.
Free throws were also a significant part of Middle Tennessee's scoring strategy as they took 18 shots from the line and made 13 for a respectable free throw percentage of 72 percent. Despite these efforts from free throws and three-pointers combined with fast break points totaling eleven for Middle Tennessee, it was not sufficient to outpace Sam Houston's offense.
Sam Houston's performance on offense was marked by high efficiency at the free-throw line where they shot an impressive 94 percent making fifteen out of sixteen attempts. Their field goal percentage stood at 35 percent which included making three out of eighteen attempts from beyond the arc resulting in an overall lower three-point shooting percentage than Middle Tennessee at just seventeen percent.
Rebounding played a pivotal role in this encounter; Sam Houston dominated with forty-three total rebounds compared to thirty-three by Middle Tennessee. This advantage helped Sam Houston maintain control throughout much of the game despite both teams committing eleven turnovers each.
Looking ahead for fans eager to support their team: The next challenge for Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will be on January 18th against UTEP Miners at Don Haskins Center located in El Paso. This upcoming match is scheduled for an evening tip-off time and will be broadcasted nationally on CBS Sports Network channel two hundred twenty-one ensuring fans won't miss any action regardless if they are cheering from home or elsewhere.