Alex Johnson
Although the men’s team has not enjoyed the success that the Lady Raiders have so far in the 2018–19 season, both MTSU basketball squads opened February play with wins against the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers.
A wild night in Birmingham on Feb. 2 ended with a 1-point win for the MTSU Blue Raiders. The MTSU men fought hard to earn their sixth straight win in the series against UAB by a final score of 79–78.
“This was a really great team win for us,” MTSU head coach Nick McDevitt said after that game. “I really liked how we won. . . . The things we had to do late to win that game required a tough and together team and that’s what we were.”
Coming off of a win in Murfreesboro against the Blazers just three days prior, MTSU hit five of their first seven shots in the opening minutes to go up 12–4. UAB would then open up a 22–2 run, interrupted only by a Junior Farquhar runner.
MTSU responded with a layup and a 3-pointer by Antonio Green to cut the deficit back to single digits at 28–19. The remainder of the first half proved to be a dogfight on both ends.
Reggie Scurry came up big for the Blue Raiders in the second half, scoring 10 straight points for the team.
The teams would continue to battle it out and exchange leads up until the final seconds.
UAB senior Jalen Perry hit a basket with four seconds left to give his team a 1-point lead, but the team would foul Donovan Sims, whose two free throws were the final points of the game, giving MTSU the victory.
Murfreesboro native Sims finished the game with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Green tallied 28 points on the night and notched his fourth double-double of the season.
“Tonight was a great game with great pace and intensity,” Sims said. “We knew down the stretch we just had to be the toughest team.”
The Blue Raiders brought their season record to 7–16 following the game.
That same night in Murfreesboro, the Lady Raiders improved their record to 17–5 with a dominant defensive performance.
A talented UAB team went into the Murphy Center averaging 75.3 points scored, but found itself down 16–6 at the end of the first quarter.
“We’ve been playing pretty good defense the whole year . . . anytime you get off to a quick start, it kind of puts pressure on the other team,” MTSU coach Rick Insell said.
The Lady Raiders ripped down eight offensive rebounds in the first half, leading to seven critical second-chance first-half points, deflating some of the Blazers’ spirit.
UAB found some footing offensively in the second half, but it was too late, as MTSU came out on top, 60–44.
A’Queen Hayes finished with her sixth double-double of the season, scoring 21 points to go with a career-high 14 rebounds. Fellow senior Alex Johnson and freshman Taylor Sutton were also in double-figure scoring with 11 apiece.
One more win will make MT the 32nd NCAA Division I women’s college basketball program to reach 900 wins all-time.
Coming up for MTSU basketball:
The men face Charlotte at home on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 6:30 p.m.
They will then take on Old Dominion in Murfreesboro on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. before heading on the road to Western Kentucky and Marshall.
The women play Charlotte and Old Dominion on the road, but will return to Murfreesboro on Thursday, Feb. 14, to play Western Kentucky at 6:30 p.m.
The Lady Raiders will then face Marshall on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 5 p.m. in home action, and Florida Atlantic on Saturday, March 2, at 5 p.m. in Murfreesboro.
For more on Blue Raider athletics, visit goblueraiders.com.
