Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Positional Previews: Centers
11/1/2024 12:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Rounding out the Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball position preview series is the group that has seen the most change in the offseason: the centers. The fives for head coach Nick McDevitt retained sophomore Chris Loofe and added two big transfers in Essam Mostafa and Christian Fussell. With over 1,100 rebounds between the three of them, the centers bring a tough rebounding presence to the court. Along with their rebounding abilities, all three of the centers are dangerous with the ball with the ability to shoot from just about any spot on the court.
One of the most experienced members of the team with five seasons on Division I rosters, Mostafa brings a large veteran presence to this year's center group. Most recently at TCU, Mostafa enters his final season of collegiate basketball with over 1000 points and is just shy of 1000 career rebounds. His 6-foot-9 frame provides an unorthodox post presence to the hardwood with the ability to be crafty around the rim. During his final season at Coastal Carolina in 2022-23, he averaged a double-double with 12.4 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game, reaching double-digits in scoring in 20 contests.
Mostafa is a tenacious rebounder, always using his length to grab boards, both offensive and defensive, currently sitting at 897 total rebounds in his career. With the Horned Frogs, he led the team in rebounds on three occasions, earning nine games with five or more boards. As the oldest member of the position group, he brings a strong leadership ability to both the centers and the team overall.
A 2024 CUSA All-Freshman Team honoree, Loofe is the youngest center on the roster, but boasts a lot of experience with McDevitt and has continued to improve with each day on the court. Coming in at 6-foot-11, he is the best big athlete on the court, not only wingspan-wise, but in his ability to move up and down the court quickly with ease. He put in quite a bit of work in the weight room this summer, which has helped him become more of a presence on the block and in the paint on defense. Loofe has also put in a lot of time working on his shooting and has become an even better pick-and-pop player. Hitting his career high of 12 points on two occasions last year, the Leander, Texas, native will look to put more points on the board after setting his screens and jumping out to take shots. In the paint, he is a fierce rim protector, finishing second on the team last year with 28 blocked shots.
While technically a new transfer this season, Fussell is no stranger to Coach McDevitt and the Murphy Center floor. He spent a year at UT Martin last season but was a three-year member of the Blue Raider squad from 2020-23 before that. He averaged 2.3 rebounds as a Skyhawk, pulling down a career-high eight boards against Ecclesia. On the court, the Decatur, Ga., native is a big energy player and is a loud vocal leader. Consistently communicating on both offense and defense, the team and the ball move better when he is on the floor. As such a strong communicator, he tends to be a defensive anchor when he is on the court, greatly enhancing the Blue Raiders' defensive efficiency. Offensively, he tends to be a catch-and-shoot big who excels in finding space and getting his shot off quickly, complimenting the Middle Tennessee fast-paced offense.
One of the most experienced members of the team with five seasons on Division I rosters, Mostafa brings a large veteran presence to this year's center group. Most recently at TCU, Mostafa enters his final season of collegiate basketball with over 1000 points and is just shy of 1000 career rebounds. His 6-foot-9 frame provides an unorthodox post presence to the hardwood with the ability to be crafty around the rim. During his final season at Coastal Carolina in 2022-23, he averaged a double-double with 12.4 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game, reaching double-digits in scoring in 20 contests.
Mostafa is a tenacious rebounder, always using his length to grab boards, both offensive and defensive, currently sitting at 897 total rebounds in his career. With the Horned Frogs, he led the team in rebounds on three occasions, earning nine games with five or more boards. As the oldest member of the position group, he brings a strong leadership ability to both the centers and the team overall.
A 2024 CUSA All-Freshman Team honoree, Loofe is the youngest center on the roster, but boasts a lot of experience with McDevitt and has continued to improve with each day on the court. Coming in at 6-foot-11, he is the best big athlete on the court, not only wingspan-wise, but in his ability to move up and down the court quickly with ease. He put in quite a bit of work in the weight room this summer, which has helped him become more of a presence on the block and in the paint on defense. Loofe has also put in a lot of time working on his shooting and has become an even better pick-and-pop player. Hitting his career high of 12 points on two occasions last year, the Leander, Texas, native will look to put more points on the board after setting his screens and jumping out to take shots. In the paint, he is a fierce rim protector, finishing second on the team last year with 28 blocked shots.
While technically a new transfer this season, Fussell is no stranger to Coach McDevitt and the Murphy Center floor. He spent a year at UT Martin last season but was a three-year member of the Blue Raider squad from 2020-23 before that. He averaged 2.3 rebounds as a Skyhawk, pulling down a career-high eight boards against Ecclesia. On the court, the Decatur, Ga., native is a big energy player and is a loud vocal leader. Consistently communicating on both offense and defense, the team and the ball move better when he is on the floor. As such a strong communicator, he tends to be a defensive anchor when he is on the court, greatly enhancing the Blue Raiders' defensive efficiency. Offensively, he tends to be a catch-and-shoot big who excels in finding space and getting his shot off quickly, complimenting the Middle Tennessee fast-paced offense.
Players Mentioned
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