GAME NOTES: The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and Auburn Tigers close out the 2014 portion of their respective seasons as they meet up in a non-conference matchup at Auburn Arena on Monday evening.

Kermit Davis' Blue Raiders enter with a 7-5 overall record. Middle Tennessee has won two straight and four of its last five games, including a 65-47 rout of Tennessee State last time out. The Blue Raiders have averaged 26.3 wins over the last three seasons, so Davis' squad is not one to overlook.

Bruce Pearl isn't about to let that happen. In his first season at the helm at Auburn, his team is hovering just over the .500 mark at 6-5. That has been possible thanks to wins in each of the team's last three games, including a narrow 61-60 decision over Texas Southern back on Dec. 23. The team is currently playing its fourth game of a five-game homestand that ends on Jan. 3 against North Alabama.

Auburn has won both previous meetings with Middle Tennessee, the last of which was a hard-fought 68-66 decision in 2010.

Davis has played around with his roster for much of the season as the team has used nine different starting lineups to date. What he is really looking for is some offensive consistency. That has eluded the team thus far, with Middle Tennessee averaging just 60.1 ppg on a meager 39-percent shooting. The one saving grace is the fact that the Blue Raiders have played some stingy defense, limiting foes to just 59.9 ppg. Jacquez Rozier is the only player on the roster currently in double figures in terms of scoring and that is at a modest 10.1 ppg. Reggie Upshaw isn't far behind, but just below the mark with his 9.4 ppg.

The Blue Raiders used a strong first half that saw the team convert an impressive 54.2 percent from the floor (13-of-24) to take a 13-point lead into the break. The team cooled off considerably in the second half, but TSU was unable to take advantage. Rozier was once again the only Blue Raider of note in terms of scoring, finishing with a game-high 18 points.

The Tigers haven't shot the ball much better than Middle Tennessee this season, connecting on just a 41.1-percent clip. The team's 67.5 ppg are actually negated by a scoring defense that gives up 68.3 ppg. Still, Auburn possesses a potent trio in the form of senior guards KT Harrell and Antoine Mason and junior forward Cinmeon Bowers. Harrell is averaging a strong 17.8 ppg this year, followed by Mason's 14.2 ppg. Bowers have been a monster up front with seven double-doubles already. The 6-7 forward is averaging 13.4 ppg and leads the SEC with 11.8 rpg.

Auburn has made a habit of coming from behind this season as three of the team's wins have come after trailing by 11 points or more in the second half. One of those was last time out, as the Tigers overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to edge out Texas Southern by a single point. Harrell led four Tigers in double figures with 14 points. Bowers and Mason added 13 points apiece, with Bowers grabbing a game-high 15 boards. K.C. Ross-Miller came off the bench to add 11 points to the cause.

Auburn is a solid 5-1 at home and with a more balanced roster, expect the Tigers to continue their winning ways here.