Preview: Middle Tennessee at Sam Houston HUNTSVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — A surging Sam Houston squad looks to solidify its standing near the top of Conference USA when it hosts a struggling Middle Tennessee team on Wednesday afternoon at Johnson Coliseum. The Bearkats (17-8) enter with momentum, having won six of their last seven games, including an 83-79 road victory at Kennesaw State on Saturday. They sit in stark contrast to the Blue Raiders (12-13), who have lost five of their last six, most recently falling 82-80 at Western Kentucky. Sam Houston’s balanced attack is led by guard Damon Nicholas, who is coming off a 21-point performance. He has averaged 15.4 points over his last five contests. He is supported by a strong frontcourt presence in Kashie Natt, who posted an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double in the last outing. For Middle Tennessee, guard Sean Smith has been a bright spot amid the skid. He is averaging 16.7 points and 4.7 assists over his last three games, including a 19-point, 7-assist effort in the narrow loss to Western Kentucky. The Blue Raiders will need similar production from him and forward Kamari Lands, who scored 20 points last game, to keep pace. The teams met earlier this season in Murfreesboro, with Middle Tennessee escaping with a 68-67 win on Jan. 4. That result guarantees a motivated Bearkats team seeking revenge on their home floor, where they are 10-2 this season. Sam Houston currently holds the second-best record in Conference USA, while Middle Tennessee sits in the bottom half of the standings. A win for the Bearkats would bolster their case for a top conference tournament seed, while the Blue Raiders are in desperate need of a quality road victory to halt their slide and improve their postseason positioning. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Wednesday.