Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Player Profile: Eli Lawrence ready to provide spark for Blue Raiders
11/17/2021 11:49:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Murfreesboro, Tenn.- Just over a week into the NCAA basketball season, Middle Tennessee has been one of the top defensive teams in the country, forcing turnovers and keeping points off the board with the best of them. What has allowed the Blue Raiders to do this has been both the length of its lineup and of its players themselves, and the energy those players bring to the floor.
One player who contributes in those areas is Eli Lawrence, a left-handed guard out of Atlanta, Georgia. The lanky sophomore is 6-foot-5 with a wingspan catered towards helping him become an elite defender and shot blocker.
Lawrence is coming off a night in which he scored eight points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds while providing lockdown defense in a win over Big South favorite Winthrop at the Murphy Center on Tuesday.
"Eli's an energy guy," head coach Nick McDevitt said after the 76-65 victory. "He's an athlete, and when he's alive, you know it when you see him on the floor. I thought he was active and not wild. His drives were at the right time. He got a couple of big boards and a couple of big deflections."
Granted an extra season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawrence gets an extra season to morph himself into a more complete player. He explained how his game has become more efficient since his true freshman year.
"I've most definitely simplified my game, taking easier shots, making less moves in order to get shots in easier ways, getting to my spots in easier ways, moving a lot more without the ball compared to my freshman year, just making the game easier for me," said Lawrence.
Lawrence has been busy in the gym this offseason to get ready for season number three.
"I've just been focused on sharpening my overall skills as a player," Lawrence said.
Lawrence has started each of MT's first three games and is one of eight players averaging between 15.0 and 27.0 minutes per game in a deep lineup with several effective combinations.
"The lineup could, you also want to find ways to get the best groupings together," McDevitt said. "That may not mean that the five best quote, unquote players are the five starters. It's if this group plays best together. When we sub it lends itself to keep five guys that play well together. I think our team, up to this point, we've been mixing and matching our lineups since the beginning of the summer. The guys have a decent feel for each other at his point. Our strength is in our numbers and our depth so each member of the team's got to be ready to play."
The sophomore guard plans to help atone for last season's disappointing record when speaking on his goals for the season.
"We want to be a lot better than last year; we want to show people that we're not the same team and bring a different energy to Murfreesboro, and to the fans," Lawrence said. "These last few years that I've been in Murfreesboro haven't been what we're traditionally used to, so we're trying to change it."
With an overall record of 5-18 last year, the team was unable to win a single game of the nine they played on the road. Lawrence commented on why the team struggled to win games away from the Murphy Center last season.
"It's hard to win on the road as is, but I feel like we weren't working as a team at times, and it hurt us in the end," said Lawrence. "So that's what the biggest thing was, the chemistry."
Both Conference USA competition and the Blue Raiders' non-conference schedules over the past few years have allowed Lawrence a firsthand look at NBA prospects such as Villanova's Saddiq Bey in 2019-20, Lawrence's true freshman season in Myrtle Beach. When Lawrence matches up with these types of players, he's not idolizing. He's looking to compete.
"At the end of the day it's just basketball and when I see them on the floor, there's nothing that I see that they can do that I can't," Lawrence stated." The only difference I see is the platform that they're on. You know, the work takes care of itself and hopefully I can put myself in the same position as them one day."
Lawrence is a leisure sports and tourism major here at MTSU, and he already has plans to stay connected to the game of basketball after he graduates.
"In a couple years if basketball doesn't work out, I'd love to coach AAU or college," Lawrence remarked. "My knowledge of the game along with my love of basketball could really help the up-and-coming generation."
The third-year guard is going to be critical in the late parts of the season. Lawrence's responsibilities will be to keep guys motivated, provide a boost in energy for the team, and help the team on both sides of the floor.
One player who contributes in those areas is Eli Lawrence, a left-handed guard out of Atlanta, Georgia. The lanky sophomore is 6-foot-5 with a wingspan catered towards helping him become an elite defender and shot blocker.
Lawrence is coming off a night in which he scored eight points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds while providing lockdown defense in a win over Big South favorite Winthrop at the Murphy Center on Tuesday.
"Eli's an energy guy," head coach Nick McDevitt said after the 76-65 victory. "He's an athlete, and when he's alive, you know it when you see him on the floor. I thought he was active and not wild. His drives were at the right time. He got a couple of big boards and a couple of big deflections."
Granted an extra season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawrence gets an extra season to morph himself into a more complete player. He explained how his game has become more efficient since his true freshman year.
"I've most definitely simplified my game, taking easier shots, making less moves in order to get shots in easier ways, getting to my spots in easier ways, moving a lot more without the ball compared to my freshman year, just making the game easier for me," said Lawrence.
Lawrence has been busy in the gym this offseason to get ready for season number three.
"I've just been focused on sharpening my overall skills as a player," Lawrence said.
Lawrence has started each of MT's first three games and is one of eight players averaging between 15.0 and 27.0 minutes per game in a deep lineup with several effective combinations.
"The lineup could, you also want to find ways to get the best groupings together," McDevitt said. "That may not mean that the five best quote, unquote players are the five starters. It's if this group plays best together. When we sub it lends itself to keep five guys that play well together. I think our team, up to this point, we've been mixing and matching our lineups since the beginning of the summer. The guys have a decent feel for each other at his point. Our strength is in our numbers and our depth so each member of the team's got to be ready to play."
The sophomore guard plans to help atone for last season's disappointing record when speaking on his goals for the season.
"We want to be a lot better than last year; we want to show people that we're not the same team and bring a different energy to Murfreesboro, and to the fans," Lawrence said. "These last few years that I've been in Murfreesboro haven't been what we're traditionally used to, so we're trying to change it."
With an overall record of 5-18 last year, the team was unable to win a single game of the nine they played on the road. Lawrence commented on why the team struggled to win games away from the Murphy Center last season.
"It's hard to win on the road as is, but I feel like we weren't working as a team at times, and it hurt us in the end," said Lawrence. "So that's what the biggest thing was, the chemistry."
Both Conference USA competition and the Blue Raiders' non-conference schedules over the past few years have allowed Lawrence a firsthand look at NBA prospects such as Villanova's Saddiq Bey in 2019-20, Lawrence's true freshman season in Myrtle Beach. When Lawrence matches up with these types of players, he's not idolizing. He's looking to compete.
"At the end of the day it's just basketball and when I see them on the floor, there's nothing that I see that they can do that I can't," Lawrence stated." The only difference I see is the platform that they're on. You know, the work takes care of itself and hopefully I can put myself in the same position as them one day."
Lawrence is a leisure sports and tourism major here at MTSU, and he already has plans to stay connected to the game of basketball after he graduates.
"In a couple years if basketball doesn't work out, I'd love to coach AAU or college," Lawrence remarked. "My knowledge of the game along with my love of basketball could really help the up-and-coming generation."
The third-year guard is going to be critical in the late parts of the season. Lawrence's responsibilities will be to keep guys motivated, provide a boost in energy for the team, and help the team on both sides of the floor.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballFacility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
2025 Blue Raider Blitz Media Panel
Thursday, July 03
MTSU Men's Basketball Coach Nick McDevitt interview at 2025 Blue Raider Blitz
Monday, June 30
MTSU Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs Chattanooga NIT 3/18/25
Tuesday, March 18
