Conference USA foes will collide when the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (18-8) challenge the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (13-14) at Murphy Athletic Center. Action begins at 7:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 25.
The Blue Raiders are hoping to rebound after their 77-67 loss to UAB on Sunday. Darnell Harris had a good outing, recording 11 points, two steals, and one rebound for Middle Tennessee. The Hilltoppers, meanwhile, are coming off a 59-54 win against Charlotte on Saturday. Justin Johnson played well for Western Kentucky, accounting for 11 points, five rebounds, and two steals.
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Blue Raiders winning the first matchup 66-64. Fredrick Edmond had a double-double in the loss with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Notes
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders have a defensive rating of 98.6 (ranked 68th), while the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have an offensive rating of 108.8 (ranked 107th).
Middle Tennessee has an average field goal percentage of 44.4%. Western Kentucky is a poor 4-11 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders rank lower for their field goal percentage (164th) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (127th), but the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have a better FG% ranking (94th) than eFG% ranking (129th).
Western Kentucky, the 77th-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 4.3 per game. Middle Tennessee does worse, ranked 180th with 3.3.
Middle Tennessee ranks 205th in offensive rebounds, while Western Kentucky ranks 88th in defensive rebounds.
Western Kentucky makes an average of 4.7 steals per game. Middle Tennessee has a solid 12-7 record when it allows at least 4 steals.
