MURFREESBORO, Tenn. Middle Tennessee shot a blistering 58.7 percent from the field, as the University of Denver men’s basketball team fell to the Blue Raiders 68-50 at the Murphy Center on Saturday night.

 

“We’re still young,” head coach Joe Scott said. “Winning on the road takes a certain passion and desire, and we need to get that mentality. Of course, you have to give Middle Tennessee credit for playing a good game and hitting their shots.”

 

Senior center Adam Tanner (Melbourne, Australia) led the Pioneers (6-8, 2-1 SBC)  with 15 points, while senior forward David Kummer (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) added 12 points, and sophomore forward Nate Rohnert (Parker, Colo.) had 10 points and a team-high five rebounds.

 

The first half was filled with runs, as Middle Tennessee opened the game on a 6-0 burst, but Denver stormed back on a 16-2 run of its own. The Blue Raiders responded with a 15-3 run and headed to halftime with a 27-24 lead.

 

The Blue Raiders (5-9, 2-2 SBC) stretched their lead to 10 after opening the second half on a 12-5 run, as the Pioneers did not score a field goal until the 14:03 mark, when Rohnert hit a backdoor layup.

 

Middle Tennessee shot 72.7 percent (16-for-22) from the field in the second half, including 80.0 percent (4-for-5) from three-point range.

 

Blue Raiders forward Desmond Yates led all scorers with 23 points.

 

The Pioneers’ road swing continues, as the team heads New Orleans to face the Privateers on Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. MT. The game can be heard on www.DenverPioneers.com and Mile High Sports Radio AM 1510.