HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — JaCorey Williams scored 25 points and Giddy Potts 19 as Middle Tennessee weathered a late Marshall rally to hang on for a 97-86 win, its fourth in a row.
Williams made 9 of 17 shots and has scored 20 or more points in nine games this season. Potts made five 3-pointers, matching his season best from beyond the arc. Middle Tennessee (24-4, 14-1) shot 52 percent (34 of 65) and led for all but a minute en route to its school-record 14th win in Conference USA play.
The victory also gave Coach Kermit Davis his 300th win.
Led by 27 points from C.J.Burks, the Thundering Herd (15-12, 8-6) came thundering back from 24 points down in the final six minutes to come as close as nine with three seconds left. Ryan Taylor added 20 points and 13 rebounds, Jon Elmore 18 points and five assists.
Marshall remains among five teams behind Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech. The top four teams receive a first-round bye.
Middle Tennessee’s Reggie Upshaw, 12 points, and Marshall’s Taylor are two of only three players in the country with 1,000 points, 50 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals in their careers.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE (24-4)
Upshaw 4-6 4-4 12, Jac.Williams 9-17 7-8 25, Dixon 4-10 1-2 10, Potts 6-11 5-6 19, Simpson 0-1 0-0 0, Habersham 3-6 2-2 10, Walters 4-5 2-2 10, Gamble 1-4 0-0 2, Johnson 3-5 2-2 9, Copeland 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-65 23-26 97.
MARSHALL (15-12)
Taylor 5-9 10-13 20, Thompson 0-2 4-4 4, Browning 3-10 2-3 8, Loop 1-6 1-2 4, J.Elmore 7-18 3-3 18, Penava 1-2 0-0 2, Mijovic 0-0 0-0 0, Allison 1-2 0-0 3, Burks 11-15 1-1 27. Totals 29-64 21-26 86.
Halftime—Middle Tennessee 47-26. 3-Point Goals—Middle Tennessee 6-16 (Habersham 2-5, Potts 2-5, Johnson 1-1, Dixon 1-3, Upshaw 0-1, Simpson 0-1), Marshall 7-24 (Burks 4-7, Allison 1-1, J.Elmore 1-5, Loop 1-6, Taylor 0-1, Browning 0-4). Fouled Out—Allison, Penava. Rebounds—Middle Tennessee 33 (Jac.Williams 8), Marshall 29 (Taylor 13). Assists—Middle Tennessee 12 (Upshaw, Dixon, Potts 3), Marshall 14 (Taylor, J.Elmore 5). Total Fouls—Middle Tennessee 22, Marshall 19. A—7,620 (9,048).