BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The WKU men's tennis team will open the 2012 Sun Belt Conference Championship against defending champion and second-seeded Middle Tennessee on Thursday in Denton, Texas, the league announced on Tuesday. The seventh-seeded Hilltoppers will meet the Blue Raiders in the tournament for the second time in the last four years, with the last meeting coming in 2009 — a 4-0 Middle Tennessee win.

WKU (7-10) and Middle Tennessee (14-6) are scheduled to get underway from the University of North Texas at 3:00 on Thursday, with the winner to advance to Friday's semifinal match against the winner of third-seeded Louisiana-Lafayette and sixth-seeded Troy.

The Hilltoppers closed out the regular season winning each of their final two matches, including a 5-2 win over North Alabama in the regular season finale at home. 

WKU has improved in nearly every statistical category in 2012, including improving overall singles marks in four of the six singles spots and improving doubles records in two of the three doubles spots from last year. The Hilltoppers have already surpassed their 2011 win total, despite having half of its singles wins coming from newcomers. 

Middle Tennessee (14-6) dropped its final regular season match to conference opponent North Texas, after picking up a win over Troy the day prior. The Blue Raiders closed the regular season winning nine of 11, including an eight-match winning streak from March 5 to April 6. 

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