Photo by Darian Lindsay // Staff Photographer
Middle Tennessee (14-6, C-USA 6-2) traveled to Huntington, West Virginia, to take on Marshall (11-10, C-USA 7-1) Thursday night. The Blue Raiders came into the game on a hot streak, winning their last six games. The Thundering Herd were charging as well, winning six of their last seven. MTSU was held to 38.5 percent shooting from the field in their 82-66 loss to Marshall.
It was a rough start for both teams with only one basket scored in the first three minutes. Both teams exchanged points back and forth for most of the first half. The Blue Raiders jumped out early but slowly lost ground as the half continued, as the Herd played smart, efficient team basketball.
The Blue Raiders struggled to get into an offensive rhythm. They couldn’t get the ball into the hands of their playmakers, like Reggie Upshaw, who was limited to just one basket in the first half.
The Herd forced the Blue Raiders to commit 11 turnovers in the first half, giving them a comfortable 37-28 lead heading into the half. Coming out of the half, Middle Tennessee seemed out of sync, while the Herd was clicking on all cylinders. Marshall maintained their lead throughout the entire second half.
The biggest key for the Herd was their unselfishness. They totaled 19 assists on the night, while the Blue Raiders only managed three. Marshall was more aggressive from behind the arc tallying 36 points, opposed to Middle Tennessee’s nine. Overall, it was a dominating offensive performance by the Herd while playing excellent defense. They coasted to victory at home over the Blue Raiders, 82-66.
The Blue Raiders hope to recover from this loss and get back on track, continuing their road trip this weekend. They will be at E.A. Diddle Arena to take on Western Kentucky (11-10, 3-5 C-USA) on Saturday night at 7 p.m..
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To contact Sports Editor Connor Ulrey, email sports@mtsusidelines.com.
