Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Hall of Fame
Desmond "Boogie" Yates
- Induction:
- 2021
The only men's basketball player to be named All-Conference three times, Yates is the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,775 points. He also leads the program all-time in made field goals with 714, and averaged double digit scoring all four years as a Blue Raider.
His head coach, Kermit Davis, was the first of the surprise visitors during the Zoom, highlighting that Yates was his first former student athlete to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"I don't know if I've ever coached a guy who loves his school more than Boogie loves Middle Tennessee," Davis said.
Yates recalled various moments during his journey as a Blue Raider, from when he first met Davis as a freshman in high school to the time that he dominated rival Western Kentucky after his team was disrespected.
"We beat them in the Glass House in Murfreesboro, but after the game, their coach said 'They didn't win the game. We lost it. They're not a good team,'" Yates recalled, noting the first game was a defensive slugfest with scores in the 40s at the final whistle. "But that next Saturday, I came out from the first tip off and said 'we will not lose this game.'"
Yates dropped 28 points in Bowling Green to break the program's career scoring record, and sweep the Hilltoppers.
His head coach, Kermit Davis, was the first of the surprise visitors during the Zoom, highlighting that Yates was his first former student athlete to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"I don't know if I've ever coached a guy who loves his school more than Boogie loves Middle Tennessee," Davis said.
Yates recalled various moments during his journey as a Blue Raider, from when he first met Davis as a freshman in high school to the time that he dominated rival Western Kentucky after his team was disrespected.
"We beat them in the Glass House in Murfreesboro, but after the game, their coach said 'They didn't win the game. We lost it. They're not a good team,'" Yates recalled, noting the first game was a defensive slugfest with scores in the 40s at the final whistle. "But that next Saturday, I came out from the first tip off and said 'we will not lose this game.'"
Yates dropped 28 points in Bowling Green to break the program's career scoring record, and sweep the Hilltoppers.
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