Final: MTSU 81 Liberty 86 

Middle Tennessee (20-10, 11-6 CUSA) fell at the hands of Liberty (24-6, 12-5 CUSA) in its penultimate home game of the regular season. Essam Mostafa led the Blue Raiders on the night, scoring 30 points and grabbing 20 rebounds.  

The loss takes MTSU out of the race for the regular season Conference USA title ahead of next week’s conference tournament. Middle Tennessee will be back in the Murphy Center on Saturday, March 8 for senior day against FIU (9-21, 3-14 CUSA).  

MTSU stat leaders 

Points: Essam Mostafa – 30 

Rebounds: Essam Mostafa – 20 

Assists: Camryn Weston – 3 

Liberty stat leaders 

Points: Taelon Peter – 33 

Rebounds: Owen Aquino – 7 

Assists: Zach Cleveland, Colin Porter – 6 

0:18 2H: Essam Mostafa drains a three-pointer to keep MTSU in it, Liberty leads 82-79. Timeout MTSU.

1:49 2H: A second-chance three-pointer from Jestin Porter gives the Murphy Center life. Liberty’s lead is cut to 80-76.

3:28 2H: Media timeout. Liberty leads MTSU 77-69. Essam Mostafa leads the Blue Raiders with 23 points and 17 rebounds. Taelon Peter leads the Flames with 29 points thus far.

5:49 2H: Timeout Middle Tennessee. Camryn Weston hits a tough two to cut into the Liberty lead. The Flames lead 71-67.

7:52 2H: Media timeout. Liberty leads MTSU 65-61. Essam Mostafa still leads the Blue Raiders with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

11:53 2H: Media timeout. Liberty leads 55-54. Essam Mostafa leads the Blue Raiders in scoring with 19 points, nine of which were scored in the second half alone. Taelon Peter leads the Flames in points with 17.

12:31 2H: Timeout Liberty. The Flames lead the Blue Raiders 55-53, but Essam Mostafa will have two free throws coming out of the stoppage. Mostafa leads MTSU with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

15:25 2H: Essam Mostafa draws a foul on Zander Yates while converting a layup. Mostafa leads MTSU in points with 14 before the free throw.

20:00 2H: Second half is underway. Liberty possession.

Halftime: MTSU 37 Liberty 42

Midway through this critical Conference USA matchup, the Flames lead the Blue Raiders by five. In just his third game back from injury, junior MTSU guard Kamari Lands leads the team in scoring with 13 points.

With three seconds to go in the half Jlynn Counter appeared shaken up after an on-court collision.

MTSU stat leaders

Points: Kamari Lands – 13

Rebounds: Essam Mostafa – 4

Assists: Jestin Porter – 2

Liberty stat leaders

Points: Taelon Peter – 13

Rebounds: Owen Aquino, Zach Cleveland, Kaden Metheny – 3

Assists: Colin Porter – 4

0:50 1H: Things getting chippy after Zach Cleveland slams Tre Green to the court while going up for a layup.

2:36 1H: Media timeout. Colin Porter drives past Camryn Weston for a bucket and draws an and-one foul. Porter will shoot a free throw following the break. Liberty leads 41-34.

5:57 1H: Timeout Middle Tennessee. Liberty’s Taelon Peter throws down a dunk, and MTSU head coach Nick McDevitt spends a timeout.

7:23 1H: After a 9-0 run gave the Blue Raiders their first lead of the game, MTSU leads 25-22 at the media break. Kamari Lands is 2/3 from three-point range and leads the team in scoring with eight.

9:40 1H: Chris Loofe ties things up at 20 after two made free throws.

11:59 1H: Media timeout. Liberty leads MTSU 17-13. Essam Mostafa and Justin Bufford still lead the Blue Raiders with four points each. Zach Cleveland leads the Flames in scoring with six.

15:15 1H: Media timeout. Liberty leads MTSU 11-8 through the first five here in the Murphy Center. Essam Mostafa and Justin Bufford have combined for all eight of MTSU’s points with four apiece.

20:00 1H: MTSU controls the opening tip, and the game is underway in Murphy Center.