MT to Hold Home Opener Against VCU, Wednesday

Wednesday, December 2

Murfreesboro, TN

8:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

VCU (FSN)

12/1/2015 12:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Tip-off time is scheduled for 8 p.m.

By: @MTAthletics

MURFREESBORO – The Middle Tennessee men's basketball team will look to win its fifth game in a row on Wednesday when the squad hosts VCU at 8 p.m. in its home opener.

GAME INFORMATION
(FULL GAME NOTES)

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Date: Wednesday, Dec. 2
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Teams: VCU (4-2) at Middle Tennessee (4-1)
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Stadium: The Murphy Center (11,520)
TV: Fox Sports South (DirecTV 646, Dish Network 420, Comcast 1676 HD)
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:
A League of Their Own
Over the last five seasons, VCU and MT have been two of the most successful programs in the country in any level. VCU has received a lot of well-deserved attention, but some might not realize just how close the two have been. VCU has 112 wins, two conference tournament titles and four postseason appearances dating back to 2011-12. MT has 102 wins, one title and three postseason appearances.

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 last in the SBC. MT transferred its success over to C-USA and won the league in its first year as a member.

Lights, Camera, Action!
MT has been a hot commodity in the past few seasons are now reaping the benefits. This week's game against VCU will be broadcast on FSN, bringing the number of TV games for MT this year up to 16. The Blue Raiders will have four games on CBSSN, eight on ASN, one on FCS and three on FSN.

Start Me Up
At 4-1, MT has matched the best start of the Kermit Davis era and it is the best since the 1986-87 season when the team was 5-0. In 2011-12, MT started 4-0 and then lost its fifth game of the season. The squad won its next four to wind up 8-1 through its first nine – its top mark under Davis.

Sophomore Stud
Sophomore Giddy Potts is currently leading the team at 15.4 points per game. He has also scored at least 10 points in all five of MT's games this season. He is currently shooting 60.5 percent from the field, while the rest of the team is at 42.7 percent. The Alabama native is currently ranked 19th nationally with a 53.8 three-point shooting percentage.

Series History
The Blue Raiders will square off against VCU for only the fifth time in school history on Wednesday. MT holds a 3-1 record against the Rams and won the last meeting, 59-55, in 2005. VCU clipped the Blue Raiders in 2004 and MT claimed the first two meetings in the mid-seventies. MT is also just 4-3 all-time against teams currently in the A-10.

Home Sweet Home
The Blue Raiders are a solid 11-2 in home openers in the Davis era. MT has won its last seven home openers by a combined 192 points, or an average of 27.4 points per game. The last time that MT lost a home opener was in 2007 to San Jose State, 78-77. However, Wednesday's matchup with VCU should be the best opponent that MT has faced in a home opener in the Davis era.

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 in 2014-15 was 187-143. In addition, MT will face nine teams that reached the postseason a year ago.

Great Alaskan Champs
On Nov. 26-28, MT traveled to the Great Alaska Shootout for a trio of games and came away with a championship. The three-game sweep was just the second regular-season tournament title of the 14-year Kermit Davis era. Following the game, Perrin Buford, Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw were all named to the All-Tournament Team.

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.