Middle Tennessee (8-2) vs. Mississippi (6-3)
The Pavilion at Ole Miss, Oxford, Mississippi; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Two guards will be on display as Eli Lawrence and Middle Tennessee will take on Jarkel Joiner and Mississippi. The sophomore Lawrence is averaging 14.4 points over the last five games. Joiner, a senior, has scored 22 percent of the team's points this season and is averaging 15.2 over his last five games.
VETERAN PRESENCE: Each team has relied heavily on their seniors this year. Joiner, Nysier Brooks and Tye Fagan have collectively accounted for 44 percent of Mississippi's scoring this season. For Middle Tennessee, Donovan Sims, Josh Jefferson and DeAndre Dishman have collectively scored 39 percent of the team's points this year, including 42 percent of all Blue Raiders points over their last five.EFFECTIVE ELI: Lawrence has connected on 36.4 percent of the 55 3-pointers he's attempted and has gone 8 for 22 over the last three games. He's also made 65.4 percent of his free throws this season.
WINNING WHEN: The Rebels are 5-0 when they score at least 73 points and 1-3 when they fall shy of that total. The Blue Raiders are 7-0 when turning the ball over 15 times or fewer and 1-2 when the team exceeds that total.
STREAK SCORING: Mississippi has won its last five home games, scoring an average of 78 points while giving up 60.2.
DID YOU KNOW: Middle Tennessee has attempted more free throws per game than any other CUSA team. The Blue Raiders have averaged 22 free throws per game.
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