HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—In a thrilling quarterfinal match of the Conference USA Tournament on Thursday night, Middle Tennessee’s Jestin Porter recorded 20 points, and Essam Mostafa clinched the win with a decisive shot 16 seconds before the end of the second overtime. This effort led the Blue Raiders to a narrow 77-75 victory over Louisiana Tech.
The critical play came after AL Green blocked a shot attempt by Porter, allowing Mostafa to seize the rebound and secure the win for the Blue Raiders, who hold a current season record of 22-10. In a dramatic finish, Louisiana Tech’s sixth-seed team, standing at 20-12, saw their final hopes dashed as Sean Newman Jr. and Green were unable to convert in the last five seconds.
The stage is now set for Middle Tennessee to face the number 2 seed, Jacksonville State, in the upcoming semifinal on Friday. Meanwhile, top seed Liberty will compete against fourth-seeded Kennesaw State in the second semifinal matchup.
The game oscillated with intensity, as Green forced overtime at 62 all with a layup 32 seconds from the last regulation buzzer. His consistency continued as he sank two crucial free throws with 21 seconds to go, leveling the score at 66 and pushing the contest into a second overtime.
Porter delivered a solid performance, shooting 8 out of 17 from the field, although having a tougher time behind the arc, converting 2 out of 8 attempts. His teammates supported ably; Jlynn Counter added to the score with 16 points and offered five assists, while Torey Alston put up 11 points.
On the other side, Green led the way for Louisiana Tech with an impressive 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds to keep the Bulldogs in contention. Amaree Abram contributed 13 points, while Sean Newman provided 10 points coupled with seven assists.
