MT Looks to Rebound in South Dakota

Sunday, December 27

Sioux Falls, SD

4:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

South Dakota State (FSN)

Photo by: Sam Sheffer

12/26/2015 12:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball

MT will play SDSU Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO – After a non-conference road loss at Georgia State on Dec. 22, the Middle Tennessee men's basketball team looks to get back on the right track when the squad travels to the Sanford Pentagon for a neutral site game against South Dakota State on Dec. 27.

GAME INFORMATION
(FULL GAME NOTES)

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Date: Sunday, Dec. 27
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Teams: Middle Tennessee (7-3) vs South Dakota State (10-3)
Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Stadium: Sanford Pentagon (3,250)
TV: Fox Sports North
Radio: WMOT-FM (89.5), WGNS (1450 AM/100.5 FM/101.9 FM), Game 2 (102.5/94.9/95.1)
Play-by-Play: Chip Walters
Analysis: Kyle Turnham

Live Audio/Live Streaming | Live Stats

GAME NOTES:
Lights, Camera, Action!
The Middle Tennessee men's basketball team has been a hot commodity in the past few seasons are now reaping the benefits. This week's game against South Dakota State will be broadcast on FSN, bringing the number of televised games for the Blue Raiders this year up to 16. The Blue Raiders will have four games on CBSSN, eight on ASN, one on FCS and three on FSN.

Going to the Glass
Head Coach Kermit Davis has stayed true to his roots and his players are embracing his rebounding-first mantra. The Blue Raiders currently average 29.6 defensive rebounds per game, a mark that ranks them 19th among Div. I teams and 1st in C-USA. Guard Giddy Potts has been leading the way in the category and his 5.67 per game are pacing the team. Oddly enough, MT ranks 316th in offensive rebounds per game, averaging only 8.7 per game.

That Was Offensive
Heading into their last game, the Blue Raiders were only allowing opponents to shoot 39.2 percent from the field. Against Georgia State, the Panthers shot 50 percent despite only holding a 1-for-9 mark from beyond the arc. GSU's shooting output was the highest of any MT opponent this season and gave the Panthers the win.

Hail Harris
Darnell Harris has been on a tear as of late averaging a team-high 16.2 points and scoring over 10 points in each of his last five games. The big-man set a new career-high with three blocks against VCU and then eclipsed that with four stuffs versus South Alabama and Belmont. Harris has 12 of the team's 26 blocks over the stretch.

Fantastic Four
Just last season, Middle Tennessee did not have a single player average over 10 points per game. Reggie Upshaw was close at 9.9, but this season MT has four players in double-figures in Giddy Potts (14.8), Darnell Harris (12.9), Upshaw (12.1) and Perrin Buford (10.6ppg).

Series History
On Sunday, Middle Tennessee will square off against South Dakota State for only the third time in school history. The Blue Raiders defeated the Jackrabbits, 89-82, in overtime in their first meeting in 2006 at the Murphy Center. MT went to SDSU the following season and pulled out a, 57-56, win. MT is 19-11 against current Summit League members including a 9-7 mark against Denver, which was in the Sun with MT.

Last Time Out
Reggie Upshaw and Darnell Harris each had 18 points, but Jacob Ivory's game-tying buzzer beater missed the mark as the Middle Tennessee men's basketball team fell at Georgia State, 64-62. Upshaw was six-of-nine from the floor and hauled in 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Harris had 11 points in the second half and canned three-pointers for the Blue Raiders. MT beat Georgia State on the boards, 35-28, but the Panthers shot 50 percent (23-of-46) from the floor – the highest mark an MT opponent had this season. GSU's Isaiah Dennis hit a pair of free throws on the other end and MT had one final chance at the buzzer, but Ivory's only shot attempt of the game missed the mark to give GSU the, 64-62, win.