MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Perrin Buford scored 21 points, Darnell Harris added 18 and Middle Tennessee survived a second half Marshall rally to win 83-74 on Saturday.

Reggie Upshaw contributed 14 points with nine rebounds for Middle Tennessee (19-9, 11-5 Conference USA) and Aldonis Foote had 10 points. The Blue Raiders were without leading scorer Giddy Potts, out indefinitely with a concussion, but still shot 49 percent from the field and controlled the glass 36-27 to snap their two-game skid.

Marshall (15-14, 11-5) used a 16-0 run to tie the game at 56-all midway through the second half. A 3-pointer from James Kelly put the Thundering Herd on top 61-59 with 8:23 left before Middle Tennessee retook the lead for good with a pair of free throws from Harris to make it 65-63 with 6:57 to go and later padded it with an 8-0 run.

Kelly led Marshall with 21 points and 14 rebounds.