Regional Gameday: Thursday’s college basketball games

CHARLOTTE (5-17, 2-9 Conference USA) at MIDDLE TENNESSEE (7-16, 4-6)

Murphy Athletic Center, Murfreeesboro, Tenn., 7:30 p.m.

49ers’ statistic: Ignore the losses of 45 points to UTSA and 18 to Western Kentucky. In the other seven conference losses, the 49ers’ average deficit is only four points. The Blue Raiders have gone 4-2 since mid-January and are coming off a home-and-home sweep of UAB. Antonio Green scored 28 points in the second of those games.

APPALACHIAN STATE (8-14, 3-6 Sun Belt) at TEXAS STATE (17-5, 6-3)

Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos, Texas, 8 p.m.

App State is the Sun Belt’s hottest team, with three straight victories. These teams met Jan. 12 in Boone, with Texas State winning 70-69 and the Bobcats’ tough defense making nine steals. The Mountaineers’ Isaac Johnson had 16 points and 12 rebounds in that game.

GARDNER-WEBB (14-9, 4-4 Big South) at LONGWOOD (13-12, 3-7)

Willett Hall, Farmville, Va., 7 p.m.

The league’s top two defensive teams square off, as each club is holding opponents to between 40 and 42 percent field-goal shooting. The host Lancers’ defense will be tested by Gardner-Webb’s D.J. Laster, whose 52 percent field-goal shooting average leads the league.

WINTHROP (14-8, 6-3 Big South) at CHARLESTON SOUTHERN (10-11, 4-4)

CSU Field House, Charleston, 7:30 p.m.

The Eagles have hit a bit of a rough patch, losing two in a row. They were badly outrebounded in Saturday’s home loss to league-leading Radford. The Big South has six of the nation’s 32 leading teams in 3-point field goal attempts. Winthrop ranks third (33 shots per game) and Charleston Southern is 32nd (27 per game).

Steve Lyttle