Josh Jefferson led the Blue Raiders with 17 points on the afternoon, tying a career high with five made three-pointers, one of five MT players scoring in double digits against the Chanticleers. Donovan Sims was clutch at the free throw line, draining four free throws late in the game to help put away CCU, while every single Blue Raider that checked into the game scored at least one point and hauled in at least one rebound. Justin Bufford tied his career high with 12 points and set a new career high with eight made free throws.
"It was probably the most complete win we had all season," head coach Nick McDevitt said. "It took everybody's best effort. Any time you play a Cliff Ellis coached team, you're going to face a team that's tough. They're physical around the basket, they're one of the best teams in the country at offensive rebounds.
"They're going to throw the book at you defensively, they switch up defenses a lot, try to trip you up, get your mind working fast, and slow your feet down. I thought our guys did a nice job of playing physical and being alert mentally to what they were throwing at us."
Points off turnovers were once again critical for Middle Tennessee (8-3), as the Blue Raiders outscored the Chanticleers 23-13 in that category. They also led Coastal Carolina (6-4) in points in the paint (26-24), fast break points (13-11) and points off the bench (26-5).
"We all want the best for each other, everybody in the program from the coaches to the players," Jefferson said. "So we're playing our hearts out for each other, making the right decisions, and so far so good."
Middle Tennessee entered the locker room at halftime trailing by just two points, 37-35, after a late rainbow three-pointer attempt from Coastal Carolina found the net to give the Chanticleers the lead at the break. Eight different Blue Raiders scored in the first 20 minutes, led by nine points from Jefferson, who scored all nine points on three-pointers.
Middle Tennessee will play their final non-conference game on the road against Chattanooga on Wednesday, December 22, with a tipoff at 6 pm central. After a quick holiday break, the Blue Raiders will then open up C-USA play in the Glass House against UTSA on Thursday, December 30. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 pm.
"I like everything that I've seen from our team so far," McDevitt said. "We've shown the ability to win our home games, win neutral site games, now we've got to continue sneaking more wins on the road. I like the fact that we're 6-0 at the Murphy Center, you have to do that to be towards the top of the conference. You have to win all your home games, and you have find a way to sneak some out on the road.
Game Notes
- The Blue Raiders extended their win streak at Murphy Center to eight games, dating back to February 6, 2021
- Jefferson's five made 3-pointers tied a career high.
- Bufford's 12 points and eight rebounds were both career highs
- Nick McDevitt improved to 131-130 for his head coaching career, going above .500 for his career for the first time this season.
- The game's 15 lead changes were the most in any of Middle Tennessee's games this season.
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December 20, 2021 at 06:28AM
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Middle Tennessee Wins Tight Contest over Coastal Carolina - GoBlueRaiders.com
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