LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Middle Tennessee men's basketball program dropped a heavyweight matchup with the Liberty Flames, 73-63, Saturday night in Liberty Arena.

After a stagnant start by both offenses, MTSU took a 4-0 lead three minutes into the game thanks to a jumper from Justin Bufford and an Essam Mostafa post move on the low block.

Each team found its grove and settled into the contest following the under-16 media timeout. Jlynn Counter hit two quick pull-up threes for Middle Tennessee to hit the 10-point mark first, but the Flames followed it up with an 11-0 run to put the Blue Raiders down 18-10 with 11 minutes to play in the first half.

For the next eight minutes, the lead stayed roughly the same for the Flames, but they then went on a 7-0 run to take a 17-point lead going into the break, 42-25. The 25 points scored by the Blue Raiders tied the season-low for points scored in the first half. Counter led the Blue Raiders with eight points, followed by Mostafa with six points and six rebounds at halftime.

At the start of the second half, the Flames continues to match everything the Blue Raiders put up until a 9-2 run by MTSU brought the game within 11 with 11 minutes remaining. Liberty caught fire from three-point range, shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc, and stretched the lead to 19 with six minutes to play. 

The Blue Raiders showed fight toward the end with an 8-0 run, but ultimately took their first conference loss of the season, 73-63, to the Flames.

By the Numbers
15: Offensive rebounds grabbed by the Blue Raiders.
4: Blue Raiders scored in double-digits for the second-straight game (Weston with 16, Mostafa with 14, Bufford with 13 and Counter with 12).
16: Rebounds brought down by Essam Mostafa, a season high, just one short of his career-best. The contest also marked his eighth double-double of the season.