Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Friday, November 10
Murfreesboro, TN
11 AM
Middle Tennessee
1-0
104
vs
52
Trevecca
0-1
1
2
F
Trevecca
28
24
52
Middle Tennessee
51
53
104
Team Stats
TNU
MT
FG%
.341
.529
3FG%
.286
.393
FT%
.625
.700
RB
27
40
TO
22
8
STL
5
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballPhoto by: David Chamberlain, MTSU Sidelines
Raiders roll past Trevecca on Education Day
11/10/2017 2:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Four Raiders post double-digit outings
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee's men's basketball season started off with a bang Friday, as the Blue Raiders took down in-state foe Trevecca 104-52 at the Murphy Center.
It was the annual Rutherford County Schools game for MT, as nearly 6,000 students from across the county were in hand to watch the Raiders (1-0) dominate the NCAA Division II Trojans (0-1).
"Our team has a long way to go," MT head coach Kermit Davis said. "I thought Trevecca hung in there good … but the depth of our bench wore them down.
"What a wonderful crowd to see all of the Rutherford County students here. The whole key to that was giving them a college experience, and hopefully they'll want to come back to a game and bring their parents back."
Things got moving quickly for the Blue Raiders, who received four votes in the season-opening AP Top 25 Poll. Conference USA Preseason Team member Giddy Potts knocked down a three from the right corner and junior Karl Gamble followed with a pair of layups after two Trevecca turnovers to bring the score to 7-0 just two minutes in.
It was all gravy from there for Middle Tennessee.
The Blue and White built as much as a 24-point lead in the first half by pouring in 59 percent (17-of-29) of their shots and limiting the Trojans to 7-of-21 shooting (33 percent). They took a 51-28 lead into the half.
After the halftime break, the Blue Raiders continued the onslaught by going on a 17-5 run over a four-minute span to cushion the lead a little more. They finished shooting 53 percent (36-for-68) while limiting Trevecca to 34 percent (14-for-41).
The big lead afforded Davis the opportunity to play some guys who need as much time early in the year as they can get to prepare for the marathon of a season.
"Having a deep bench brings a lot of quantity and quality," senior Nick King said. "Once players get in tune and in sync with one another and everything starts flowing perfectly, our depth will be crazy. We can play four guards, two bigs – mismatches will be crazy, because everybody on the team can put in work."
On the defensive end, Middle Tennessee forced Trevecca into 22 turnovers, 10 of which were Blue Raider steals.
In comparison, the Raiders gave the ball away just eight times, four in each half.
"Coach Davis talked about that in the scouting report," Potts said. "We stopped giving up drives to the basket in the first half and made them take tough twos, then we got out in transition and scored buckets."
King, who transferred to MT this season from Alabama, led the way in scoring with 17, shooting 6-for-9 from the field. He also had a team-high six rebounds.
Potts added 15 points on 4-for-8 shooting, 3-for-7 from long distance. He also had five rebounds and two assists.
The senior entered the season just 568 points shy of Desmond "Boogie" Yates' all-time MT scoring record. He scored 552 in 36 games a season ago.
While Potts has ambitions of becoming the Blue Raiders' top scorer all-time, there's another record he's more concerned about. After last season, Reggie Upshaw graduated with 99 career wins to pace MT all-time. Friday's win gives Potts 72 for his career.
"I really don't think of all that," he said. "We just go out and compete every day and go out in practice and try to get our scouting report into the game. I really don't focus on that."
Junior Antwain Johnson, who scored a career-high 19 points against Butler in Middle Tennessee's NCAA Tournament Round of 32 loss a season ago, had 16 points, three assists and three steals. Gamble rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10.
Eleven players scored at least a basket for the Blue Raiders, including the first points in the MT careers of David Simmons (eight), Davion Thomas (eight), James Hawthorne (seven), Therren Shelton-Szmidt (six) and Murfreesboro native Donovan Sims (three).
Middle Tennessee will be in action next on Monday, Nov. 13, at Murray State in a 7 p.m. contest.
It was the annual Rutherford County Schools game for MT, as nearly 6,000 students from across the county were in hand to watch the Raiders (1-0) dominate the NCAA Division II Trojans (0-1).
"Our team has a long way to go," MT head coach Kermit Davis said. "I thought Trevecca hung in there good … but the depth of our bench wore them down.
"What a wonderful crowd to see all of the Rutherford County students here. The whole key to that was giving them a college experience, and hopefully they'll want to come back to a game and bring their parents back."
Things got moving quickly for the Blue Raiders, who received four votes in the season-opening AP Top 25 Poll. Conference USA Preseason Team member Giddy Potts knocked down a three from the right corner and junior Karl Gamble followed with a pair of layups after two Trevecca turnovers to bring the score to 7-0 just two minutes in.
It was all gravy from there for Middle Tennessee.
The Blue and White built as much as a 24-point lead in the first half by pouring in 59 percent (17-of-29) of their shots and limiting the Trojans to 7-of-21 shooting (33 percent). They took a 51-28 lead into the half.
After the halftime break, the Blue Raiders continued the onslaught by going on a 17-5 run over a four-minute span to cushion the lead a little more. They finished shooting 53 percent (36-for-68) while limiting Trevecca to 34 percent (14-for-41).
The big lead afforded Davis the opportunity to play some guys who need as much time early in the year as they can get to prepare for the marathon of a season.
"Having a deep bench brings a lot of quantity and quality," senior Nick King said. "Once players get in tune and in sync with one another and everything starts flowing perfectly, our depth will be crazy. We can play four guards, two bigs – mismatches will be crazy, because everybody on the team can put in work."
On the defensive end, Middle Tennessee forced Trevecca into 22 turnovers, 10 of which were Blue Raider steals.
In comparison, the Raiders gave the ball away just eight times, four in each half.
"Coach Davis talked about that in the scouting report," Potts said. "We stopped giving up drives to the basket in the first half and made them take tough twos, then we got out in transition and scored buckets."
King, who transferred to MT this season from Alabama, led the way in scoring with 17, shooting 6-for-9 from the field. He also had a team-high six rebounds.
Potts added 15 points on 4-for-8 shooting, 3-for-7 from long distance. He also had five rebounds and two assists.
The senior entered the season just 568 points shy of Desmond "Boogie" Yates' all-time MT scoring record. He scored 552 in 36 games a season ago.
While Potts has ambitions of becoming the Blue Raiders' top scorer all-time, there's another record he's more concerned about. After last season, Reggie Upshaw graduated with 99 career wins to pace MT all-time. Friday's win gives Potts 72 for his career.
"I really don't think of all that," he said. "We just go out and compete every day and go out in practice and try to get our scouting report into the game. I really don't focus on that."
Junior Antwain Johnson, who scored a career-high 19 points against Butler in Middle Tennessee's NCAA Tournament Round of 32 loss a season ago, had 16 points, three assists and three steals. Gamble rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10.
Eleven players scored at least a basket for the Blue Raiders, including the first points in the MT careers of David Simmons (eight), Davion Thomas (eight), James Hawthorne (seven), Therren Shelton-Szmidt (six) and Murfreesboro native Donovan Sims (three).
Middle Tennessee will be in action next on Monday, Nov. 13, at Murray State in a 7 p.m. contest.
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
2025 Blue Raider Blitz Media Panel
Thursday, July 03
MTSU Men's Basketball Coach Nick McDevitt interview at 2025 Blue Raider Blitz
Monday, June 30
MTSU Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs Chattanooga NIT 3/18/25
Tuesday, March 18
