Middle Tennessee, Rice, Square off Right Here on beIN SPORTS
Rice and Middle Tennessee enter Thursday as the only two C-USA teams with double-digit wins on the season.
By Ryan Nelson (@TheRyanNelson_)
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (11-3, 1-0) and Rice Owls (11-4, 1-1) will square off in Tudor Field House on Thursday night here on beIN SPORTS.
The Blue Raiders
MT’s defense allows 64.4 points per game, which ranks 41st in Division I. In their last performance on the hardwood, MT gave up 49 points to UAB (7-7, 0-1). The Blazers shot 34.9 percent from the field and turned the ball over 16 times.
F Reggie Upshaw is a true game changer for the Blue Raiders. In his last time on the court, Upshaw dropped 34 points on UAB and pulled down nine boards – a performance that earned him Conference USA Player of the Week honors. Upshaw became the 13th player in C-USA history with at least 1,250 career points and at least 750 career rebounds.
The Blue Raiders are led in scoring by F JaCorey Williams, who averages 17.4 points per game. Williams also leads MT in rebounding. The senior’s grabbing 5.5 defensive rebounds per game, and 7.1 total boards per game.
G Giddy Potts is another legitimate scoring threat for MT. Potts is averaging 15.9 ppg, and 41.8 percent from beyond the arc.
The Blue Raiders have two wins over SEC opponents in the 2016-17 season – Ole Miss (77-62) and Vanderbilt (71-48).
The Owls
Rice opens their C-USA home slate on Thursday as one of the best scoring teams in college basketball. The Owls average 83.3 points per game, which ranks 27th in the nation. Rice also ranks 25th in the NCAA in field goal percentage.
The Owls have one of the most skillful scorers in the nation on their roster. Rice G Egor Koulechov averages 18.2 ppg. Koulechov ranks amongst the nation’s best 3-point shooters. The junior from Russia is making 58.7 percent of his shots from three-point land, which ranks third in DI.
Koulechov isn’t the only scoring threat for the Owls MT head coach Kermit Davis and his staff are planning for. Sophomore G Marcus Evans averages 18.0 points per game, and is shooting 32.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Since opening conference play on New Year’s Eve, the Owls have split two C-USA games. Rice fell to Old Dominion 62-56 on Dec. 31, and defeated Charlotte 89-70 on Jan. 2.
Watch LIVE STREAM on Facebook
Don't have beIN SPORTS? No problem, this game will be live-streamed on Facebook Thursday January 5th, at 8PM ET. Visit beIN SPORTS USA on Facebook to learn more.