MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (Interstat) — A dramatic overtime rematch awaits when the Delaware Blue Hens visit the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in a Conference USA men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Murphy Athletics Center. The teams met just two weeks ago in Newark, with Delaware (9-17, 4-9 CUSA) escaping with an 89-88 overtime victory on Feb. 7. That result is fresh for a Middle Tennessee (12-14, 5-8) squad seeking to level the season series and improve its positioning ahead of the conference tournament. Delaware arrives after a heartbreaking 88-87 overtime loss to Western Kentucky on Wednesday, its second consecutive OT game. The Blue Hens are led by guard Christian Bliss, who is averaging 18.4 points and 6.5 assists over his last eight games. In the first meeting against Middle Tennessee, Bliss stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The Blue Raiders have lost four of their last five, including a 78-70 defeat at Sam Houston on Wednesday. They will lean on forward Torey Alston, who scored 21 points in the earlier loss to Delaware. Alston is averaging 15.6 points over his last seven contests. Both teams have struggled for consistency in a tight conference race. Delaware’s win over the Blue Raiders is part of a 3-5 stretch, while Middle Tennessee has dropped to 2-6 in its last eight games following a 3-2 start in league play. Saturday’s contest represents a critical opportunity for each to gain momentum. For Delaware, it’s a chance to sweep the series and build on recent road wins at Missouri State and Florida International. For Middle Tennessee, protecting home court is essential to halt its slide before closing the regular season with two more home games. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon. Delaware visits Jacksonville State next Thursday, while Middle Tennessee hosts UTEP the same night.