MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) Tyrik Dixon and Giddy Potts combined to score 40 points and Middle Tennessee defeated Southern Miss 72-56 on Thursday night, pushing its record to 8-0 atop Conference USA.

The freshman Dixon scored a season-best 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting with three 3-pointers, and Potts scored 19 for the Blue Raiders, who haven't lost since falling to Georgia State just before Christmas.

Southern Miss had taken a 13-9 lead after a Cortez Edwards 3-pointer, prompting a Middle Tennessee timeout. After the huddle, Potts dropped in a 3-pointer to spark the Blue Raiders (18-3, 8-0 Conference USA), and he capped the 24-9 run with a steal and a dunk. Middle Tennessee led 37-23 at the half and didn't look back.

Cortez Edwards led Southern Miss (6-14, 3-5) with a career-high 21 points while Michael Ramey and Raheem Watts scored 12 each. The Golden Eagles made 20 of 48 field goals compared to Middle Tennessee's 30 of 59.

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