Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Season preview: Raiders eyeing improvement
11/25/2020 1:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee enters the 2020-21 basketball season with some new pieces on the roster for head coach Nick McDevitt to utilize.
McDevitt, entering his third season at MT, and his staff have revamped the roster with a handful of transfers, some who were on campus last season but sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.
Thanks to the influx of talent — not to mention simply having more bodies to choose from on game day — McDevitt is excited about what he's seen in practice.
"We're looking forward to getting this season kicked off," he said. "We have nine newcomers to this year's roster … and we're excited about our team. Meshing that group with our returning nucleus of veterans is the challenge at this point, particularly considering COVID-19."
Preseason pick in C-USA
After finishing 8-23 overall and 4-14 in Conference USA play a season ago, the Blue Raiders were picked by the league's 14 head coaches during this preseason to finish 12th.
Big crop of new faces
If Middle Tennessee is going to rise the ranks of C-USA this season, it'll likely be due to some help from its handful of newcomers. The Blue Raiders return only 50% of their scoring from last year and 55% of the minutes played.
The biggest storyline from the team this offseason was the addition of eight Division I transfers to the lineup this fall, including DeAndre Dishman, Jordan Davis, Jalen Jordan, Dontrell Shuler, Elias King, Jared Coleman-Jones, Brian Coffey II and Marcus Mitchell. That includes five players — Dishman, Davis, Jordan, Coffey and Mitchell — who were on campus but either took a redshirt or were injured last season.
Adding that many quality pieces is a welcome relief for McDevitt, who at times last season had to use the entire active roster down to the last man.
"Anytime you can go into the game with more weapons, it's a comforting feeling," he said. "It's the first time since we've been here that we've started the season with more than nine available scholarship players. This year, we have all 13, plus both of our walk-ons are available."
While the COVID-19 pandemic has made things tough from a team-building perspective, the newcomers have blended well with the team on the court. Having a year to practice together helps.
"We've really been working hard, especially on the defensive end," Davis said. "We had a lot of Zoom calls this summer too to check in on each other."
Veterans finding their roles
A few key players are returning for Middle Tennessee this season to add with the newcomers. While they might have slightly different roles, they're finding where they can most help the team.
"I've tried to be more vocal as a leader and more aggressive on offense and defense," senior Donovan Sims said. "I'm still on my way to doing that, but I'm trying every day."
Sims, a Murfreesboro native, is one of two seniors on the team along with Jo'Vontae Millner-Criss.
Sims has started 64 games in his career. He worked this offseason at pairing with the newcomers in the backcourt, Davis, Jordan, Shuler and King, to help make a deep, lethal backcourt. Millner-Criss has battled injuries his entire collegiate career, but when he's healthy, he's a force. He showed his potential with a pair of double-doubles last season in limited action.
The seniors will help provide leadership on the court, as will junior Jayce Johnson. He showed his versatility last season playing both guard and as an undersized forward.
Sophomores Tyson Jackson, Eli Lawrence and Tyler Millin round out the returning Blue Raiders. Jackson started 22 games last season and earned a nod on the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
Tough scheduling
Making a schedule for this season was tough for coaches around the country, as COVID-19 travel restrictions and other variables caused alterations, cancellations and other issues.
"It's been a hard challenge and a frustration for every scheduling coach around the country," McDevitt said. "There are certain conferences and teams that aren't on the same page … so the nonconference scheduling has been a bear this year."
Middle Tennessee is slated to start its season this week at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida. It will then play four in a row at home, starting with Murray State on Dec. 2.
The nonconference schedule, though shorter than usual, is tough. It includes the already mentioned home opener against Murray State, a Dec. 6 contest at the Murphy Center with Chattanooga and a matchup Dec. 16 at home with Ole Miss in the return of former head coach Kermit Davis.
Conference USA announced alterations to league play this season, moving games to Fridays and Saturdays instead of Thursdays and Saturdays. Teams will pay back-to-back games against the same opponent in the same location to help minimize travel.
"I think the game plan for the first game is going to be pretty consistent with what you've seen in the past, but with the quick turnaround, there's not much time for big adjustments," McDevitt said. "It's going to be unusual and a challenge, but the other team's in the same boat."
The Blue Raiders will start C-USA play on Jan. 1 at Florida Atlantic. They'll then turn right around and play the Owls again in Boca Raton, Florida on Jan. 2.
Middle Tennessee's C-USA home opener will be Jan. 8 against FIU.
McDevitt, entering his third season at MT, and his staff have revamped the roster with a handful of transfers, some who were on campus last season but sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.
Thanks to the influx of talent — not to mention simply having more bodies to choose from on game day — McDevitt is excited about what he's seen in practice.
"We're looking forward to getting this season kicked off," he said. "We have nine newcomers to this year's roster … and we're excited about our team. Meshing that group with our returning nucleus of veterans is the challenge at this point, particularly considering COVID-19."
Preseason pick in C-USA
After finishing 8-23 overall and 4-14 in Conference USA play a season ago, the Blue Raiders were picked by the league's 14 head coaches during this preseason to finish 12th.
Big crop of new faces
If Middle Tennessee is going to rise the ranks of C-USA this season, it'll likely be due to some help from its handful of newcomers. The Blue Raiders return only 50% of their scoring from last year and 55% of the minutes played.
The biggest storyline from the team this offseason was the addition of eight Division I transfers to the lineup this fall, including DeAndre Dishman, Jordan Davis, Jalen Jordan, Dontrell Shuler, Elias King, Jared Coleman-Jones, Brian Coffey II and Marcus Mitchell. That includes five players — Dishman, Davis, Jordan, Coffey and Mitchell — who were on campus but either took a redshirt or were injured last season.
Adding that many quality pieces is a welcome relief for McDevitt, who at times last season had to use the entire active roster down to the last man.
"Anytime you can go into the game with more weapons, it's a comforting feeling," he said. "It's the first time since we've been here that we've started the season with more than nine available scholarship players. This year, we have all 13, plus both of our walk-ons are available."
While the COVID-19 pandemic has made things tough from a team-building perspective, the newcomers have blended well with the team on the court. Having a year to practice together helps.
"We've really been working hard, especially on the defensive end," Davis said. "We had a lot of Zoom calls this summer too to check in on each other."
Veterans finding their roles
A few key players are returning for Middle Tennessee this season to add with the newcomers. While they might have slightly different roles, they're finding where they can most help the team.
"I've tried to be more vocal as a leader and more aggressive on offense and defense," senior Donovan Sims said. "I'm still on my way to doing that, but I'm trying every day."
Sims, a Murfreesboro native, is one of two seniors on the team along with Jo'Vontae Millner-Criss.
Sims has started 64 games in his career. He worked this offseason at pairing with the newcomers in the backcourt, Davis, Jordan, Shuler and King, to help make a deep, lethal backcourt. Millner-Criss has battled injuries his entire collegiate career, but when he's healthy, he's a force. He showed his potential with a pair of double-doubles last season in limited action.
The seniors will help provide leadership on the court, as will junior Jayce Johnson. He showed his versatility last season playing both guard and as an undersized forward.
Sophomores Tyson Jackson, Eli Lawrence and Tyler Millin round out the returning Blue Raiders. Jackson started 22 games last season and earned a nod on the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
Tough scheduling
Making a schedule for this season was tough for coaches around the country, as COVID-19 travel restrictions and other variables caused alterations, cancellations and other issues.
"It's been a hard challenge and a frustration for every scheduling coach around the country," McDevitt said. "There are certain conferences and teams that aren't on the same page … so the nonconference scheduling has been a bear this year."
Middle Tennessee is slated to start its season this week at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida. It will then play four in a row at home, starting with Murray State on Dec. 2.
The nonconference schedule, though shorter than usual, is tough. It includes the already mentioned home opener against Murray State, a Dec. 6 contest at the Murphy Center with Chattanooga and a matchup Dec. 16 at home with Ole Miss in the return of former head coach Kermit Davis.
Conference USA announced alterations to league play this season, moving games to Fridays and Saturdays instead of Thursdays and Saturdays. Teams will pay back-to-back games against the same opponent in the same location to help minimize travel.
"I think the game plan for the first game is going to be pretty consistent with what you've seen in the past, but with the quick turnaround, there's not much time for big adjustments," McDevitt said. "It's going to be unusual and a challenge, but the other team's in the same boat."
The Blue Raiders will start C-USA play on Jan. 1 at Florida Atlantic. They'll then turn right around and play the Owls again in Boca Raton, Florida on Jan. 2.
Middle Tennessee's C-USA home opener will be Jan. 8 against FIU.
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