Miami, Fla.. — Middle Tennessee men's basketball secures its first win of Conference USA play vs the FIU Panthers 73-69 on Thursday night in the first game of 2025.  

After more than a week off for the holidays, the Blue Raiders needed a few minutes to settle in and get back in their groove. A mirage of early game fouls by both teams put the Panthers up early with a 9-4 lead at the first media timeout. Jlynn Counter and Justin Bufford each with a bucket at the 16 minute mark in the first half. The Blue Raiders didn't put it into gear until eight minutes later after going on a 11-3 run to put the game within one point 22-23 with seven minutes to play in the first half. 

Each team went back and forth for the rest of the first half with the FIU taking the lead into the break 35-32. Jlynn Counter led the Blue Raiders with eight points and seven other players on the board with at least two points each, which was a major contrast to the Panthers who had two players in double-digits at the break. 

Coming out of the half, MTSU forced three turnovers in the first minute to set themselves up to take their first lead of the game 39-37 after a fast break alley-oop dunk by Torey Alston. The Blue Raiders kept the pressure up by forcing two more turnovers in the next minute of action. 

Middle Tennessee found their footing and got the lead up to 51-44 with 13 minutes to go in the game thanks to Jestin Porter's seven and Torey Alston's six points of the half. However, after the under-12 media timeout, the Panthers took control once again with a run of their own, leading 55-52 with 10 minutes to go. 

The Raiders and Panthers traded two blows each from the three point line with six minutes remaining with MTSU trailing four 65-61 at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, but Essam Mostafa took over scoring five straight points for the Blue Raiders to bounce back within one point, 67-66 with three minutes to play. 

The first possession back, Jlynn Counter hit a tough layup to regain the one point lead. The Blue Raiders got the ball back on a missed lay in to get another shot at expanding the lead. Camryn Weston then drew the foul at the rim to put MTSU in the bonus and Weston at the line where he made one. Then, after a couple of clutch defensive stands by the Blue Raiders, Jlynn Counter would draw a shooting foul on the 3-point line to shoot three from the charity stripe where he made two. MTSU was up four with just seconds to go, until the Panthers hit a quick two to make it a two point game. FIU elected to foul Cam Weston to put him on the line in hopes he would miss at least one to give them a chance at taking the tying or game-winning shot. He would ultimately knock them both down sealing the victory 73-69.

By the Numbers:

1: Torey Alston secured his first career start for the Blue Raiders. 

4: Blue Raiders scored in double digits (Counter 17, Weston 15, Porter 11, Mostafa 11)

20: MTSU forced 20 turnovers en route to the first Conference USA win of 2025. 

3: Jlynn Counter led or tied for the lead among Blue Raiders in points (17), assists (3), and rebounds (5). 

What's Next? 

MTSU heads up north to Lynchburg, Va. to face the preseason Conference USA favorite in the Liberty Flames on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT.