MT to Tip-Off Season at Murray State on Tuesday

Tuesday, November 17

Murray, KY

7:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

Murray State (ASN)

11/16/2015 12:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball

The game will be broadcast on ASN at 7 p.m.

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO – The Middle Tennessee men's basketball team will officially start the 2015-16 season on Tuesday night at Murray State. The game will be broadcast on American Sports Network with a tip-off time of 7 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
(FULL GAME NOTES)

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Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Teams: Middle Tennessee (0-0) at Murray State (1-0)
Location: Murray, Ky.
Stadium: CFSB Center (8,500)
TV: American Sports Network (locally on WNAB 58)
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

NOTES:
Surf's Up!
In August, MT traveled to the Bahamas and went 3-0 against a trio of Bahamian professional teams, outscoring their opponents by a combined 72 points. Giddy Potts led the team with 17 points per game and Reggie Upshaw was the top rebounder at 7.7 boards per game. The NCAA allows Div-I basketball teams to take one preseason overseas trip every four years. The provision also calls for an additional 10 practices.

Buford's Best
Perrin Buford was at his best last season when it mattered. Through the month of January, Buford was averaging just 13.6 minutes per game but from Feb. 5 onward, Buford was playing over 24 minutes per game and his 160 points were tops on the team. MT benefited from Buford's success and the Blue Raiders won three games in the C-USA Tournament, just one away from the NCAA Tournament. Fittingly, Buford was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 13 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Who's Back?
MT shuffled its starting lineup for most of 2014-15. However, coach Kermit Davis eventually settled on Jaqawn Raymond, Perrin Buford, Reggie Upshaw, Giddy Potts and Jacquez Rozier for the final six games. Heading into this season, MT returns four of the five starters with the only omission being Rozier who was a senior.

Keeping Pace
Entering the 2015-16 season, MT has 43 total wins over the last two years that the team has been in the league. That mark trails only La Tech (52) and UTEP (45) among C-USA schools.

Less Than Bare
Despite losing four players from last year's squad, MT brings back most of its production. The departure of seniors Marcus Tarrance and Jacquez Rozier definitely hurt, but the Blue Raiders welcome back 70 percent of its points from a year ago. MT will also have 66 percent of its rebounds back, 65 percent of its assists and 68 percent of its total minutes.

Series History
MT will take on Murray State for the 137th time since the 1929-30 season. The Racers hold the series lead at 102-35 and won 22 straight meetings from 1963-73. They also won last season, 68-49.

Openers in Davis Era
Entering the MSU game, head coach Kermit Davis is 10-3 in season openers at MT and has won his last seven in a row.

Stiff Competition
This season, the Blue Raiders scheduled a tough non-conference schedule that features six teams that had a winning record in 2014-15. The combined record of the scheduled non-conference foes is 187-143. In addition, MT could face up to 10 teams that reached the postseason a year ago if the team meets Loyola Chicago in the CGI Great Alaska Shootout.

60 Is the Magic Number
The Blue Raiders' hallmark the last few years has been their defense and have hung their hats on limiting opposing offenses. Because of their tenacity on that side of the floor, MT has not had to put up a ton of points in order to win games. In fact, Middle Tennessee's magic number has been 60. Over the last three seasons, MT is 67-11 when scoring 60 or more points in a game.

Tennessee's Finest
Of the 11 D-I teams from the state of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee has been one of the finest since 2011-12. MT has accrued 98 wins over the last four years which is third-most in the state behind Belmont (101) and Memphis (101).

Murphy Madness
Middle Tennessee has been one of the best home teams in the country over the last four years and hold a 57-8 record in the Murphy Center. That mark includes a perfect 16-0 mark in 2012-13.

Raiders Cruise By Faulkner
With solid shooting and a dominant game on the boards, Middle Tennessee was able to cruise past Faulkner with an 84-63 win on Thursday. Giddy Potts led the Raiders in scoring with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting while going 3-for-5 from behind the arc. He added five rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Reggie Upshaw registered a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.