GAME NOTES: Despite being 8-1 entering the week, the Oklahoma State Cowboys are only receiving a handful of votes in the AP Top-25 as they settle in to host the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Tuesday night.

The Cowboys have an impressive record for sure, but behind those numbers are several wins against rather weak opponents (SE Louisiana, Prairie View, Northwestern Oklahoma State). There are some solid victories over more recognizable foes (Oregon State, Tulsa) and most recently Memphis, 73-55, on Saturday on the road.

The lone setback on the campaign thus far for OSU was a 75-49 blowout against South Carolina back on Dec. 6.

Meanwhile, the Blue Raiders find themselves a game over .500 thanks to a recent two-game win streak, snapping what had been a three-game slide. Following a 68-67 overtime affair versus South Alabama on the road back on Dec. 6, the team followed with another close call a week later in a 62-61 win at Akron.

This bout marks the first matchup between these two schools on the basketball court.

It wasn't pretty, but the Blue Raiders managed to get beyond Akron over the weekend by a single point, thanks in part to Reggie Upshaw who came off the bench to tally a game-high 17 points and pull down eight rebounds. Also scoring in double figures for MT were Jacquez Rozier and Edward Simpson with 13 and 10 points, respectively, as the team hit an impressive 55.0 percent from the field and a not-so-hot 61.9 percent at the free-throw line.

Over the course of nine games, of which he has started seven, Upshaw has produced a team-leading 10.3 ppg for the Blue Raiders, the only player in double figures for the program at the moment. In addition to having a nose for the basket, Upshaw has also shown the ability to clean up after others with his 6.9 rpg. Rozier, responsible for 9.7 ppg, is also pulling down better than six rebounds per contest in order to give Middle Tennessee a slight edge on the glass.

In addition to hitting on an impressive 54.2 percent from the floor in the first half of the most recent outing, the Cowboys also limited Memphis to a mere 28.6 percent, including 1-of-9 beyond the arc. In the end, the Tigers were just 35.1 percent accurate from the floor and turned the ball over 23 times. At the offensive end, OSU was paced by Le'Bryan Nash who tallied a game-high 20 points, followed by Anthony Hickey and Phil Forte with 19 points apiece. Michael Cobbins chipped in with 12 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

On a team that is posting 75.3 ppg, compared to only 58.0 ppg for the opposition, a huge chunk of the offense comes from Nash and Forte who are averaging 17.9 and 17.1 ppg, respectively. Nash is also good for a team-best 7.1 rpg, while Forte has made good on more than twice as many 3-pointers (25) as anyone else on the roster.

Already struggling to produce on offense, the Blue Raiders are entering dangerous territory at Gallagher-Iba Arena where Oklahoma State can be rather frugal with the points it gives up.