Middle Tennessee holds off South Florida to advance to MBI championship game

CONWAY, S.C. (November 22, 2024) – For a game that did not have a single second-half lead change, the Myrtle Beach Invitational semifinal contest between Middle Tennessee and South Florida sure was filled with high-energy excitement.

After building a 51-33 halftime lead, Middle Tennessee staved off repeated comeback attempts by USF and never relinquished the lead, finally emerging with a 95-88 victory to advance to Sunday’s MBI championship game.

“We were shooting the ball really well, and I looked up, and we led by only six,” Middle Tennessee coach Nick McDevitt said. “Both teams were getting tough rebounds, getting to the free-throw line. It speaks to the aggression of the game. I’m proud of the toughness that we showed.”

Both teams made more than half their shots in each half. South Florida connected at a 50 percent rate in the first half (11-of-22) and 52 percent in the second (16-of-31). But the Raiders were even better, sinking 57 percent in the first half (20-of-35) and 58 in the second (14-of-24).

“Every time we thought we got back in the game, they did a great job of jumping up and making one,” USF interim coach Ben Fletcher said. “We played well enough offensively to win the game. But we didn’t get timely stops. We had some possessions late that could have helped us win, but we gave up some big offensive rebounds after doing a great job of guarding.”

The Bulls trailed 58-39 early in the second half, then quickly started making a comeback with a 12-0 run in barely two minutes. By the half’s midpoint, the Blue Raiders’ lead was down to a single possession at 65-62.

“We knew they would make a run,” McDevitt said. “With their pace of play, they can get back in a game quickly. Their guards are really fast, and they have good athletes on the wings. When you push it that hard in transition, you can go on a run in a hurry.”

Despite the flurry, USF never got closer than three points. Middle Tennessee largely maintained the lead the rest of the way thanks to guard Jestin Porter, who scored a game-high 26 points, and forward Essam Mostafa, who finished with 20 points and ten rebounds.

“We were all in, mentally and physically,” said Middle Tennessee guard Justin Bufford, the only player to play all 40 minutes. “That’s what our approach was like, just getting after it and getting it done. We had a lot of stuff thrown at us, but we just stuck together and executed.”

Bradley 77, Wright State 74 – The Bradley Braves went from desperation to celebration in the flick of a wrist. And in the process, the Braves advanced to the championship of the Myrtle Beach Invitational.

Near the end of a tight game in which neither team ever led by more than six points, Bradley senior guard Zek Montgomery stepped up and – with the shot clock about to expire and two players guarding him tightly – drained a 3-pointer to give the Braves a 74-71 lead. Bradley held on from there to earn a spot in Sunday’s MBI championship game against Middle Tennessee State.

“He has made some big shots for us in his career,” Bradley coach Brian Wardle said of Montgomery, who finished with 19 points. “When we find a way to get him the ball, he has the ability to get the shot off. I’m very proud of Zek. He came up huge for us.

The Raiders led 69-66 with 3:45 remaining but scored only two points over the next three minutes.

“We had three straight empty possessions,” lamented Wright State coach Clint Sargent. “If we execute there, it might not get to that point (where Montgomery’s shot could win the game). But I’m very proud of our effort and the scrappiness to stay in there.”

The loss overshadowed a strong performance from Wright State forward Brandon Noel, who scored 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting.