MT to Travel to Tennessee State on Saturday

Saturday, November 21

Nashville, TN

7:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

Tennessee State

11/20/2015 12:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Tip-off time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO – The Middle Tennessee men's basketball team will look for its first win of the season on Saturday when the team travels to Tennessee State. Tip-off time for the game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
(FULL GAME NOTES)

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Date: Saturday, Nov. 21
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Teams: Middle Tennessee (0-1) at Tennessee State (2-1)
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Stadium: The Gentry Center (10,500)
TV: OVCDigitalNetwork.com
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:
Have We Met?
The Blue Raiders will take on their second Ohio Valley Conference foe of the season when they travel to Tennessee State on Saturday. MT is 0-1 against the OVC this year and still play Belmont on Dec. 17. MT used to call the OVC home from 1952-2000, winning 10 league titles and earning six berths in the NCAA Tournament. MT dominated TSU when they were both members, posting a 21-9 record.

Championship Pedigree
Since 2010, Middle Tennessee has been one of the best teams in their respective conference. In fact, the Blue Raiders have won four league championships in six years. MT went 13-5 in conference games during the 2009-10 season and were crowned champion of the Sun Belt. The Blue Raiders followed that feat with a 14-2 mark in 2011-12 and a 19-1 record in 2012-13 – their least in the SBC. MT transferred its success over to C-USA and won the league in its first year as a member.

Won't Get Fooled Again
MT's loss on Tuesday night, was the first opening night defeat for the team since 2007's one-point loss to San Jose State and only the third of the Kermit Davis era. MT is 2-1 in the games following Davis' three losses to begin the year and an astounding 15-1 in the category since 1955. The only team to put Middle Tennessee at 0-2 to start a season was No. 4 Alabama in 2002.

Upping His Game
In MT's last game, Reggie Upshaw had a tough first half and was just 3-of-6 from the floor. Upshaw turned it around at the break, leading MT with 10 points and added a three, steal and block in 19 second half minutes.

Less Than Bare
Despite losing four players from last year's squad, MT brings back most of its production from last year. 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
Saturday, Middle Tennessee will take on Tennessee State for the 54th time since the teams first met in 1973. The Blue Raiders are 37-16 all-time against the Tigers and have won nine-straight in the series dating back to 2000. A win for MT today would match the longest winning streak in the rivalry when the Blue Raiders won 10 straight from 1984-89.