Feature Photo by Jacob Burgess

Story by Jacob Burgess

NASHVILLE, Tenn – Middle Tennessee State University played a basketball double header against Belmont University with the Bruins winning the battle of the mid-state.

Lady Raiders fall 65-52

Middle Tennessee women’s basketball (7-3) added another negative chapter to its recent history to Belmont (5-4) with a 65-52 loss. 

MTSU is 1-5 against Belmont under head coach Rick Insell since the in-state matchup was brought back in 2018.  

Belmont brought back forward Kendal Cheesman to the starting lineup whose presence was felt from the jump. Cheesman knocked down the first shot of game, her first of six three pointers.  

They started Cheesman because she shoots threes, and they knew we weren’t going to get out there to guard, Insell said.  

“We played hard at times but games like this you can’t play hard at times, you got to play tough defense all the time,” Insell said.  

The Blue Raiders struggled once more in the first quarter on offense. Belmont brought out an intense defensive press, focused on wearing MTSU down and forcing turnovers.  

When MTSU faces a high-pressure defense, it takes them till the end of the quarter to figure out how to break down the opponent. By the end of the first quarter, Belmont had built a seven-point lead that held to the end of the game. 

Until the final few minutes of the fourth quarter, MTSU’s defense slowed the Bruins down.  

Belmont carried a three-point lead with three minutes left before hitting four three-pointers to close out the game.  

Middle Tennessee offense never figured out closing the gap offensively. The Blue Raiders scored the most points in the first quarter with turnovers and missed baskets through the rest of the game.  

Anastasiia Boldyreva scored only four points with one field goal and a set of free throws. Boldyreva averaged 15 points per game in the season and was the only player not to be near the mark against Belmont.  

Middle Tennessee travels to St. Joseph’s, Missouri, for a matchup against #13 Kansas State on Dec. 14.  

Blue Raiders lose 82-79

Middle Tennessee men’s basketball (7-3) fell to up the road rival Belmont (8-2) 82-79 as MTSU goes 0-2 against the Bruins on the day.  

In a physical match up the Blue Raiders were unable to complete the comeback as Jlynn Counter’s missed the tying three pointer.  

The first 15 minutes were back and forth between both squads with the largest gap, a seven-point Belmont lead. MTSU’s Essam Mostafa lead the Blue Raiders in getting the lead with multiple second chance buckets.  

The clock ticked under four minutes in the first half and Belmont took control scoring 10 unanswered points before MTSU scored a lay-up to send it to halftime.  

Chris Loofe dunks the ball to take a three-point lead and then they go on a 13-nothing run and now we must fight back, head coach Nick McDevitt said.  

Belmont came out of the half, set to extend the lead getting it as high as 18 points midway through the second half.  

MTSU never fully recovered from the deficit even with the strong second half. Counter, off the bench, scored all 22 of his points in the second half. Counter and fellow guard, Jestin Porter were the Blue Raider offense scoring 37 of 49 MTSU points in the half.

“First half a plus-minus of minus 12, that can’t happen,” Counter said. “I can’t just play on half of basketball, got to put two halves together.” 

The Blue Raiders cut the lead to one multiple times in the final few minutes. Every time thought Belmont answered the call to extend the lead just enough.  

Belmont’s Carter Whitt hit four free throws in the final seconds. The first set extended the Bruins lead to four before MTSU cut it to one. Whitt’s second set of free throws got the lead back to three.  

Whitt’s free throws at the line were enough to hold on as Counter attempted a deep three at the buzzer that bounced off the backboard.  

MTSU does not play again until Dec. 16 against California Baptist in Murfreesboro.  

Jacob Burgess is the lead sports reporter for MTSU Sidelines 

To contact the Sports and Assistant Sports Editor, email [email protected] 

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