Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Thursday, November 2
Murfreesboro, TN
7:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
vs
Arkansas Fort Smith
Men's hoops eager to continue success
11/1/2017 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Raiders host UAFS in exhibition Thursday at 7:30
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Another basketball season at Middle Tennessee brings the same expectations head coach Kermit Davis has instilled in the program over his 16 years at the helm.
His goals and anticipations are that the Blue Raiders will not only compete for a Conference USA championship, but also be in position to win games in the NCAA Tournament, all while proving to be upstanding students and community members.
Those expectations will undoubtedly be tough, but Davis and his team are ready to take them on.
"I think people work every day and night in our business to create expectations," he said at the Blue Raiders' season-opening press conference. "I think our expectations are high, and I love that.
"I got brought up kind of with almost a fear of failure. It drives me, and hopefully it will drive our team. We love the expectations … and I think that's a great thing for Middle Tennessee basketball."
Sustaining the success
Last season was the epitome of the success Davis and Middle Tennessee are striving to sustain.
The Blue Raiders finished with a 31-5 record, including a 17-1 mark in Conference USA play, setting a school record for overall wins and a C-USA record for league wins.
They followed a C-USA Tournament victory with a win in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 against Minnesota, becoming the first program in tournament history to win games against Power 5 programs in back-to-back seasons as a 12 seed or lower.
In 2017-18, MT will hope to carry over the momentum that last year took the Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 for the second year in a row. They'll have to do it without some of their key leaders from last season's squad, but Davis is excited about what his new leaders are bringing and the opportunities his team has.
"I think whenever you're trying to push forward, obviously the strength of the team is going to be with the experienced players," he said. "We've experienced the success that we've had over the last six or seven years … and the push towards the excellence and moving forward are becoming tougher and tougher, but it is something we are excited to be a part of."
Replacing Upshaw and Williams
Last season, seniors Reggie Upshaw and JaCorey Williams were the two clear senior leaders for the Blue Raiders.
This year, new guys will have to step up to help fill the voids they left both on and off the court.
In the leadership department, seniors Giddy Potts (C-USA Preseason All-Conference) and Ed Simpson seem to have taken over for Upshaw and Williams.
"I think if you ask anybody on our team, from a leadership standpoint and having the loudest voice in the gym, it's Giddy Potts," Davis said. "Ed is not as vocal, but his leadership by example is phenomenal with what he does every day and how he handles his business."
At the forward position, role players from last year's team and some new faces will have to mix to replace the lost production from Upshaw and Williams. The two combined to score 31.7 points per game last season, and they were the team's top two rebounders, pulling down a combined 14 per contest.
Returning redshirt senior Brandon Walters, junior Karl Gamble and redshirt freshman Davion Thomas will add experience along with newcomers Nick King (R-Sr.), James Hawthorne (Jr.) and TJ Massenburg (Fr.).
Walters, who averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in just 11 minutes per game last year, will likely slot into the starting lineup along with King, who transferred to MT this year from Alabama. Gamble, who played just 5.2 minutes per game last season, is also being looked upon to make a big jump in his third year in the program.
The growth of the big men will be one of the biggest keys to the Blue Raiders sustaining success this season.
"Really, we're just focusing on stepping up and playing bigger roles … just being productive overall," Gamble said. "Obviously, we lost a lot with JaCorey and Reggie, but I feel like we're going to grow up a lot this year."
Guard-heavy Raiders
The question marks down low for the Blue Raiders could create a lot of guard-heavy lineups, something Middle Tennessee is prepared to do with a wealth of guard depth.
Potts, Simpson and sophomore Tyrik Dixon started alongside each other in 22 of MT's 36 games last season and bring back a combined 24.4 points per game and 2.34:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. They'll be joined by junior Antwain Johnson and newcomers James Hawthorne (junior), David Simmons (junior) and Therren Shelton-Szmidt (freshman).
Having good guard depth means the Blue Raiders could look a little different than in year's past under Davis. They could utilize four-guard lineups at times, likely slotting Johnson in for one of the big men.
While they usually like having two bigs for rebounding purposes, the Blue Raiders are encouraged by the dynamics the four-guard lineup gives them.
"I think it will be great," Simpson said. "It'll give defenses a different look out there, too. We could switch up some things, run some different defenses and some different offenses, maybe keep the other team on their toes. I think it's a great lineup if we have to go to it."
Another strong schedule to work through
As has become the norm at Middle Tennessee, the Blue Raiders will again play a difficult non-conference schedule in 2017-18.
Before getting into C-USA action, MT will take on the likes of NCAA Tournament or National Invitation Tournament (NIT) teams Belmont, Florida Gulf Coast, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. The Raiders will also travel to the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic from Dec. 22-25, where they'll play against Princeton in the first round then have the chance at seeing Southern Cal, Miami (FL), Davidson, Hawaii, Akron and New Mexico State.
"It could be in the top 10 of non-conference schedules in college basketball," Davis said. "When you look at Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Auburn, then you got Murray State, Belmont, Florida Gulf Coast twice – and they may be as good as any team on our schedule – then you go to the (Diamond Head) Classic in Hawaii with a chance to play Princeton … USC, Miami, Akron, Davidson, New Mexico State – I mean, it just goes on and on. So, our team will be very tested."
Davis thinks C-USA could be better
Conference USA struggled as a whole behind Middle Tennessee last season.
The Blue Raiders' 17-1 record and three-game sweep through the league tournament showed the depth in the conference wasn't there, and as is generally the case, it received only one bid to the NCAA Tournament.
This year, Davis expects the conference to be better all around. MT was named the title favorite on Oct. 27, receiving eight first-place votes, but UAB (four first-place votes) and LA Tech (two first-place votes) also garnered attention.
"I do think our league … has gotten a lot better," Davis said. "UTEP has four starters back, UAB gets (Nick) Norton back … Marshall is moving forward, as is Old Dominion. So, I just think our league is getting better and better."
His goals and anticipations are that the Blue Raiders will not only compete for a Conference USA championship, but also be in position to win games in the NCAA Tournament, all while proving to be upstanding students and community members.
Those expectations will undoubtedly be tough, but Davis and his team are ready to take them on.
"I think people work every day and night in our business to create expectations," he said at the Blue Raiders' season-opening press conference. "I think our expectations are high, and I love that.
"I got brought up kind of with almost a fear of failure. It drives me, and hopefully it will drive our team. We love the expectations … and I think that's a great thing for Middle Tennessee basketball."
Sustaining the success
Last season was the epitome of the success Davis and Middle Tennessee are striving to sustain.
The Blue Raiders finished with a 31-5 record, including a 17-1 mark in Conference USA play, setting a school record for overall wins and a C-USA record for league wins.
They followed a C-USA Tournament victory with a win in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 against Minnesota, becoming the first program in tournament history to win games against Power 5 programs in back-to-back seasons as a 12 seed or lower.
In 2017-18, MT will hope to carry over the momentum that last year took the Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 for the second year in a row. They'll have to do it without some of their key leaders from last season's squad, but Davis is excited about what his new leaders are bringing and the opportunities his team has.
"I think whenever you're trying to push forward, obviously the strength of the team is going to be with the experienced players," he said. "We've experienced the success that we've had over the last six or seven years … and the push towards the excellence and moving forward are becoming tougher and tougher, but it is something we are excited to be a part of."
Replacing Upshaw and Williams
Last season, seniors Reggie Upshaw and JaCorey Williams were the two clear senior leaders for the Blue Raiders.
This year, new guys will have to step up to help fill the voids they left both on and off the court.
In the leadership department, seniors Giddy Potts (C-USA Preseason All-Conference) and Ed Simpson seem to have taken over for Upshaw and Williams.
"I think if you ask anybody on our team, from a leadership standpoint and having the loudest voice in the gym, it's Giddy Potts," Davis said. "Ed is not as vocal, but his leadership by example is phenomenal with what he does every day and how he handles his business."
At the forward position, role players from last year's team and some new faces will have to mix to replace the lost production from Upshaw and Williams. The two combined to score 31.7 points per game last season, and they were the team's top two rebounders, pulling down a combined 14 per contest.
Returning redshirt senior Brandon Walters, junior Karl Gamble and redshirt freshman Davion Thomas will add experience along with newcomers Nick King (R-Sr.), James Hawthorne (Jr.) and TJ Massenburg (Fr.).
Walters, who averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in just 11 minutes per game last year, will likely slot into the starting lineup along with King, who transferred to MT this year from Alabama. Gamble, who played just 5.2 minutes per game last season, is also being looked upon to make a big jump in his third year in the program.
The growth of the big men will be one of the biggest keys to the Blue Raiders sustaining success this season.
"Really, we're just focusing on stepping up and playing bigger roles … just being productive overall," Gamble said. "Obviously, we lost a lot with JaCorey and Reggie, but I feel like we're going to grow up a lot this year."
Guard-heavy Raiders
The question marks down low for the Blue Raiders could create a lot of guard-heavy lineups, something Middle Tennessee is prepared to do with a wealth of guard depth.
Potts, Simpson and sophomore Tyrik Dixon started alongside each other in 22 of MT's 36 games last season and bring back a combined 24.4 points per game and 2.34:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. They'll be joined by junior Antwain Johnson and newcomers James Hawthorne (junior), David Simmons (junior) and Therren Shelton-Szmidt (freshman).
Having good guard depth means the Blue Raiders could look a little different than in year's past under Davis. They could utilize four-guard lineups at times, likely slotting Johnson in for one of the big men.
While they usually like having two bigs for rebounding purposes, the Blue Raiders are encouraged by the dynamics the four-guard lineup gives them.
"I think it will be great," Simpson said. "It'll give defenses a different look out there, too. We could switch up some things, run some different defenses and some different offenses, maybe keep the other team on their toes. I think it's a great lineup if we have to go to it."
Another strong schedule to work through
As has become the norm at Middle Tennessee, the Blue Raiders will again play a difficult non-conference schedule in 2017-18.
Before getting into C-USA action, MT will take on the likes of NCAA Tournament or National Invitation Tournament (NIT) teams Belmont, Florida Gulf Coast, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. The Raiders will also travel to the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic from Dec. 22-25, where they'll play against Princeton in the first round then have the chance at seeing Southern Cal, Miami (FL), Davidson, Hawaii, Akron and New Mexico State.
"It could be in the top 10 of non-conference schedules in college basketball," Davis said. "When you look at Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Auburn, then you got Murray State, Belmont, Florida Gulf Coast twice – and they may be as good as any team on our schedule – then you go to the (Diamond Head) Classic in Hawaii with a chance to play Princeton … USC, Miami, Akron, Davidson, New Mexico State – I mean, it just goes on and on. So, our team will be very tested."
Davis thinks C-USA could be better
Conference USA struggled as a whole behind Middle Tennessee last season.
The Blue Raiders' 17-1 record and three-game sweep through the league tournament showed the depth in the conference wasn't there, and as is generally the case, it received only one bid to the NCAA Tournament.
This year, Davis expects the conference to be better all around. MT was named the title favorite on Oct. 27, receiving eight first-place votes, but UAB (four first-place votes) and LA Tech (two first-place votes) also garnered attention.
"I do think our league … has gotten a lot better," Davis said. "UTEP has four starters back, UAB gets (Nick) Norton back … Marshall is moving forward, as is Old Dominion. So, I just think our league is getting better and better."
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