MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- — Kamari Lands scored 24 points to help Middle Tennessee hold off Kennesaw State 68-67 on Wednesday night in a Conference USA opener.

Neither team scored after Frankquon Sherman made the second of two free throws to pull Kennesaw State within a point with 1:07 left to play.

Lands added nine rebounds for the Blue Raiders (6-4, 1-0). Torey Alston and Jahvin Carter both scored 10 points with Alston adding nine rebounds and six blocks.

The Owls (8-3, 0-1) were led by Braedan Lue with 20 points and three blocks. Simeon Cottle added 12 points and Sherman finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Lands scored 12 points in the first half and Middle Tennessee led 40-31 at the break.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.