Mike Osborne

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)   --  A team of researchers from Middle Tennessee State University are attempting to drive cross-country this week on less than 10 gallons of gasoline.

MTSU Professor Cliff Ricketts, six students, and a couple of alumni volunteers were on schedule to pass through Oklahoma City at noon Tuesday on their way to Long Beach California.  They’re driving experimental hybrid vehicles that run on a variety of energy sources, including solar, hydrogen gas, ethanol and gasoline.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  A shocking loss Sunday for the Middle Tennessee State men’s basketball team. The number-one seeded Blue Raiders fell to number-nine seed Arkansas State 64 to 61.

The MT men will now have to wait till March 11 to hear about a spot on the NCAA tournament bracket. 

The Lady Raiders faired much better in Sun Belt Tournament action over the weekend. Middle Tennessee beat back a late rally by Western Kentucky to defeat the Lady Toppers 65-57 in Hot Springs, Ark.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  Tennessee joins 9 other states for Super Tuesday presidential primary voting tomorrow. As you’ve heard John and Celeste mention, Santorum and Romney are running neck-and-neck in several states.

The vote appears to be shaping up differently here in Tennessee. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum held a two-to-one lead over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in polls conducted recently by both the Survey Group at Middle Tennessee State University and the Vanderbilt Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — No deaths were reported in Tennessee after a series of strong storms pushed through the state Friday afternoon and evening. Three counties reported injuries and several reported light to moderate damage.

The Associated Press reported that six to eight people were hospitalized in Chattanooga and at least 20 homes destroyed after a possible tornado swept through the area early in the afternoon.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  Tennesseans are sticking to a surprisingly center-of-the-road public policy line in spite of  this election season’s heated political rhetoric.

WMOT will be looking at the results of the latest Middle Tennessee University Survey Group poll over the next few days. The twice-yearly phone survey was released Wednesday.

The poll shows that Tennesseans are generally approving of first term Republican Governor Bill Haslam and the newly Republican dominated legislature. But voters are not happy with all the majority party’s policy initiatives.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn (WMOT)  --  Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Middle Tennessee State basketball standout Tina Stewart.  Stewart was stabbed to death by her roommate March 2, 2011.

MTSU Atheletic Director Chris Massaro said Stewart is still a very real presence for her team mates.

"She's with her teammates every day in their thoughts and in their prayers and so she's never really left in their minds. I think it's a very difficult day for her teammates and the coaching staff," Massaro said.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT)  Presidential candidate Rick Santorum says he’s undaunted that most Tennessee Republican leaders have chosen not to endorse him for the nomination. 

The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania told reporters after a speech at the Temple Baptist Church in Powell Wednesday that as the "insurgent candidate," he doesn't expect to draw the support of GOP establishment.

But Santorum expressed confidence he will carry Tennessee and other states holding their primaries on Super Tuesday.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT)  --  The Tennessean announced an online initiative this morning designed to build on the outpouring of community involvement following the 2010 floods.

The newspaper is now beta testing a website that it’s calling Brainstorm Nashville (brainstormnashville.com). The site will use social media tools to explore community problems and build consensus around a solution.

The Tennessean is hoping ideas generated by the site will move beyond conversation to action.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn  (WMOT)  --  Blue Raider Basketball picked up some top honors Wednesday.

The Sun Belt Conference named MT women’s coach Rick Insell and men’s Coach Kermit Davis as coaches of the year in their respective leagues.

Middle Tennessee State men’s basketball standout LaRon Dendy was named the Sun Belt "Player of the Year" and also named to the conference first team.

Davis says Dendy has been a pleasure to coach.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) --  There's a Tennessee connection to Sunday night’s Oscars.  A documentary shot in Memphis won in the "Best Documentary Feature" category.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal says the inspirational football film “Undefeated” fairly accurately portrays the real-life experiences of Memphis businessman Bill Cortney as he leads the inner city Manassas High School football team to a winning season in 2009 and 10.

The film is also a hit with critics. It has an 83 percent favorable rating on the review site RottenTomatoes.com.