MONROE, La. -- Middle
Tennessee survived a second-half comeback by ULM to pick up a 66-57 victory on
Saturday in Sun Belt action inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
Middle Tennessee (14-4, 6-1 SBC) used its size and quickness to
out-rebound ULM 40-22 and took advantage with a 12-3 edge in second-chance
points to hold off an inspired second-half rally by the Warhawks, who trailed 34-19 at halftime.
Junior guard Amos Olatayo
paced the Warhawks (3-10, 2-5 SBC) with a career-high 24 points - 17 in the second half - on 9-of-15
shooting. The Alief, Texas, native finished 9-of-15 from the field, 3-of-6 from
3-point range and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line to record his third 20-point
game of the season.
Olatayo scored seven points and had a pair of blocks during a 12-2 run
that brought ULM within two at 48-46 with 11:14 remaining. Olatayo capped the
run with six straight points in transition, including a high-flying dunk that
brought the home crowd to its feet.
That is as close as the Warhawks would get as Middle Tennessee answered
with seven straight points and held on late to improve to conference-leading 6-1
in Sun Belt play. The Blue Raiders shot 43.1 percent for the game while ULM finished at 40 percent for the game.
Junior forward Jayon James
chipped in 10 points and five assists, while junior guard R.J. McCray added 10 points and two steals for the Warhawks.
Marcos Knight had 17 points,
nine rebounds, five assists and three steals to lead Middle Tennessee. Bruce Massey was the only other Blue
Raider to finish in double-figure scoring with 12 points, including an 8-of-8
effort from the free-throw line.
ULM shot just 25.9 percent (7-of-27) from the field and 40 percent
(4-of-10) from the free-throw line in the first half as Middle Tennessee rolled
to a 34-19 lead at the break.
ULM travels to South Alabama on Thursday for a 7:05 p.m. tipoff inside
the Mitchell Center.
