Middle Tennessee lost both games in their series with UAB this past week, losing 70-59 Thursday and 63-52 Sunday. The Blue Raiders' losing streak extends to six games and they fall to 3-11 overall, as well as 1-7 in the conference. 1-7 ties last year as their worst Conference USA start since the program joined in 2014.

Both games had very similar themes:

-Stay competitive in the first half

-Acquire a close lead at halftime

-Build a decent lead in the first ten minutes of the second half

-Completely fall apart in the final ten minutes

Going into a little further detail, MTSU led at halftime on Thursday night, 34-29. At the 9:54 mark of the second half, they went up 51-41. Two minutes later, it was tied at 51. Four and a half minutes later, UAB had a 63-53 lead. MTSU had scored zero field goals in that near 7-minute span.

Dontrell Shuler led the Raiders in points with 16. Jo'Vontae Millner-Criss notched the first double-double of the season for any Blue Raider, going 11 and 11.

On Sunday, Middle had a 32--27 lead at halftime and a 36-27 minute lead two minutes into the second half. Jordan Davis hit a jumper at the 13:04 mark to make the score 40-34. The Raiders would not score another field goal in over eight minutes. The Blazers outscored them 22-1 in that stretch.

Jordan Davis scored a team-high 14 points, 12 in the first half. Jayce Johnson was right behind his with 13, but also had a team-high 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

If you combine the first 30 minutes of each game, MTSU outscored UAB 89-81, turned it over 18 times (equivalent to 12 turnovers ins a 40-minute stretch), and shot 35-82 from the field (43% shooting). Not bad numbers against the best defensive team in the conference.

This team can be good. They displayed such the past two weeks against the two top teams in C-USA. They can also have a six and a half minute span of zero field goals and an eight minute span with a single field goal in consecutive games. Droughts like this simply cannot happen as consistently as they do if the Blue Raiders want to be competitive at any level of college basketball, regardless of any tough circumstances.

MTSU will host UNC-Charlotte next weekend. The 49ers are 5-3 in C-USA's east division and have won four of their last five. Friday's game will start at 6 pm, Saturday's at 4 pm, both games being broadcasted on ESPN+.