Middle Tennessee guard out with broken hand

The junior transfer from Georgia will have surgery Friday morning. Dean is averaging 16.2 points a game while shooting 43.7 percent from 3-point range.

“We felt Mike Dean was playing as good as any guard in the Sun Belt Conference,” MTSU coach Kermit Davis said. “You feel so hurt for the kid. He’ll respond and come back as soon as possible.”

The Blue Raiders (16-11) will play three-time defending conference champion Western Kentucky in the first round of the tournament Sunday.