RUSTON, La. — Middle Tennessee (9-8, CUSA 4-1) suffered its first conference loss of the season Thursday night, falling 61–48 to Louisiana Tech (10-5, CUSA 3-1) at the Thomas Assembly Center. 

Middle Tennessee struggled to find an offensive rhythm early, shooting just 20% in the opening quarter as Louisiana Tech built a 15-5 lead after one. The Blue Raiders closed the gap with a 6-0 run before halftime. 

Freshman Yu Han Lin led Middle Tennessee with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while freshman Macie Phifer added 10 points and six rebounds. The Blue Raiders shot 40% from the field but went just 5-for-11 from the free throw line and committed 20 turnovers, which Louisiana Tech converted into 19 points. 

Coach's Comments:  
"We played hard, but we didn't play smart. We had too many turnovers and didn't hit our free throws. You can't win on the road when you do that. We'll look at the film tonight, see what we need to work on, and take it from there." 

By The Numbers:
2: Blue Raiders scored two players in double figures 
30: Middle Tennessee grabbed 30 rebounds, including 22 on the defensive end 
20: The Blue Raider bench contributed 20 points 

UP NEXT: 
Middle Tennessee remains on the road to face Sam Houston on Saturday, Jan. 17, inside Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. The game will air on the Blue Raider Network and broadcast on ESPN+. 

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