Yates registers first career double double

MONROE, La. - Desmond Yates supplied his first career double double with 24 points and 10 rebounds but it wasn't enough as Middle Tennessee dropped an 82-69 decision at UL-Monroe Thursday.

ULM (8-12, 2-4) had four players in double figures, led by Tony Hooper's 24 points, Jonas Brown added 19 and Lance Brasher finished with a double double (13 points and 17 rebounds).

Yates continued his splendid season and remained on a recent tear that has seen him average 26 points, seven rebounds and shoot 61 percent from the field over the last three games and his superlative play was complimented by junior guard Kevin Kanaskie, who finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes of action. Demetrius Green also tallied double figures for the Blue Raiders, who lost their second straight after winning three in succession.

"You have to give ULM a lot of credit. Tonight they looked like the team everyone thought they would be when they were picked to win the (Sun Belt's) West Division and they caught us on one of our worst nights of the season," Middle Tennessee coach Kermit Davis said. "We did not play well and our guards did not have a good night collectively, which will hurt you against this team."

ULM separated itself from 3-point range where the Warhawks were 15-of-33 for 46 percent but it was more of when they connected on the long-range shots than how many they hit.

The Blue Raiders (7-11, 4-4) led 18-15 with 11:18 remaining when ULM unloaded a barrage of 3-point shots. In fact, nine of the last 10 field goals the Warhawks attempted to close the first half were 3-pointers and they connected on eight of them to storm into the half with a 46-32 advantage that Middle Tennessee could not overcome.

Middle Tennessee will return to action Sunday when it plays host to North Texas at 2 p.m. It is Legends Weekend at Middle Tennessee and the 1988 Blue Raiders will be the featured team at halftime of Sunday's contest. That team won 23 games and beat Tennessee and Georgia in the NIT before falling to Boston College in the quarterfinals.

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