BASKETBALL Middle Tennessee (4-8) vs Rhode Island (7-3), 3:30PM, Sunday, 12/29/2019

[SpaceRaider]

University of Rhode Island
Location: Kingston, RI
Enrollment: 18,072
Arena: Ryan Center (7,657)
Series: URI leads 1-0
Website: gorhody.com Colors: Keaney Blue, White & Navy Blue Nickname: Rams
Head Coach: David Cox 2018-19 Record: 18-15 (1 Season) Career Record: 18-15 (1 Season)
2018-19 Record: 18-15, 9-9 2018-19 Finish: 8th A-10 2018-19 Postseason: N/A
Starters R/L: 5/0 Letterwinners R/L: 6/3
Twitter: @RhodyMBB

Watch

Listen

Stats

MT Game Notes / URI Game Notes




Date: December 29, 2019
Time: 3:30 PM CT
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Arena: Murphy Center (11,520)
Series Record: URI leads 1-0
TV: C-USA TV Talent: N/A
Radio: Blue Raider Network (Game2/WGNS/TuneIn) Talent: Chip Walters (PxP), Kyle Turnham (Analyst)
Twitter: @MT_MBB, #BlueRaiders

pulled from the MT game notes

• Saturday's contest is the 13th meeting of the season between the Atlantic 10 and Conference USA, with the A-10 currently holding a 9-3 record over C-USA

• The Blue Raiders are back to a full squad as Reggie Scurry returned to the rotation after missing the first 11 contests while JV Millner also returned from a knee injury that held him out nine of the first 11 outings

• Junior G C.J. Jones leads the Blue Raiders in 3-point field goal percentage (.463) and free throw percentage (.960), and his team-leading 10 blocks are 20th nationally and third in C-USA among guards

• Among active D-I players, senior G Antonio Green currently ranks second nationally in career 3-pointers made (306) and 28th nationally in career points (1,563)

• Jones and Green are the second best scoring duo (31.5) in Conference USA in 2019-20 and currently rank third and 14th, respectively, in C-USA in scoring and are tied for third in C-USA in 3-point field goals made

• Over his last three games, Jones is averaging 21.3 points on 51.1 percent (24 of 47) shooting from the field and has averaged eight field goals per game in that stretch

• While Jones has gotten hot, Green has hit a rut, hitting just 2 of his last 22 3-point attempts and converting on only 14 of 65 3-point attempts against Division I opponents

• Freshman F Tyson Jackson is now converting on 60.0 percent of his field goal attempts, tops among C-USA freshmen and eighth nationally among D-I rookies

 

[SpaceRaider]

This game is part of a rare Murphy Center double header, Lady Raiders game at 1PM hosting TCU preceding the men's game against Rhode Island.

Rhode Island in its last game, struggled with wku before beating them in Kingston OT 86-82

 

[SpaceRaider]

espn matchup predictor has MT chances at 31.2%

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401170205

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

Would love to see us take this and start strong in conference play. It’s possible.

 

[SpaceRaider]

goblueraiders.com:

Men’s Hoops to host non-conference finale

 

[sWiley]

Lines 8.5

For some reason, my book has MT listed as the home team.

 

[SpaceRaider]

Lines 8.5

For some reason, my book has MT listed as the home team.

Middle is the home team. This is a return game of a two game deal.

 

[SpaceRaider]

gorhody.com

Rams Close Out December at Middle Tennessee Sunday

 

[MTLynn]

Jones and Green are the second best scoring duo (31.5) in Conference USA in 2019-20 and currently rank third and 14th, respectively, in C-USA in scoring and are tied for third in C-USA in 3-point field goals made. Over his last three games, Jones is averaging 21.3 points on 51.1 percent (24 of 47) shooting from the field and has averaged eight field goals per game in that stretch. While Jones has gotten hot, Green has hit a rut, hitting just 2 of his last 22 3-point attempts and converting on only 14 of 65 3-point attempts against Division I opponents. Freshman F Tyson Jackson is now converting on 60.0 percent of his field goal attempts, tops among C-USA freshmen and eighth nationally among D-I rookies

If/when Green starts hitting shots again, the Raiders should win games as long as Jones and Jackson continue their strong play

 

[SpaceRaider]

just a note on cusa mbb, wky got beat by belmont in BG worse (17 pts) than MT lost to them

 

[Raiders_55]

Anyone going? Wish it wasn't at the same time as the Titans game.

 

[SpaceRaider]

Anyone going? Wish it wasn't at the same time as the Titans game.

I'm an MT fan first, so yeah with season tickets to both wbb and mbb I'll be there for both games.

 

[MTFNBY5]

I agree Space; under normal conditions I would go to a MT BkB game before staying home for the Titans or any other TV game. I was looking forward to seeing our game with Rhode Island but what with the expected inclement weather along with the fact that the women's game is on ESPN+ I imagine I won't make the drive to The Boro.

I wish I could watch but IMHO the CUSA TV package just isn't worth the expense. Poor production values and few games I want to watch.

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[RandallThomason]

Anyone going? Wish it wasn't at the same time as the Titans game.

I’ll be there

 

[MTOleBlue]

Well the ladies curb stomped TCU (final score 82-70) who was 9-1. Now can the men pull off the upset win?

 

[MTFNBY5]

I got nothing, absolutely nothing, sheeeee

D--n sure glad I didn't drive to The Boro in this mess to watch this mess.

 

[MTOleBlue]

Well, at least the ladies are good again.

 

[Raiders_55]

So glad I didn't go to the game. Sad to see what has happened to the team over the past few seasons.

 

[MTOleBlue]

So glad I didn't go to the game. Sad to see what has happened to the team over the past few seasons.

Miserable. 70% of the crowd left at halftime. Maybe a few hundred left here. It is painful how bad they are.

 

[sWiley]

Forgot they were even playing to be honest. Predictable result. For the 100th time, they are a bad team playing bad basketball. No point even finishing the season, and we will need major roster turnover next year to even be competitive. These guys, outside of maybe 2 or 3, ain’t it y’all.

 

[sWiley]

Mcdevitt hire looking pretty damn bad and worse with each passing game.

 

[MTFNBY5]

Was it "fools' gold" last year when, after the 13 game losing streak, we became somewhat competitive winning 8 of the last 15 games?
Were Hawthorne and Gamble that impactful?
Would Dishman have made that much of a difference so far this year?
We played more competitively last year at Rhode Island than this year at home in this staff's 2nd year. What does this indicate?
Since Rhode Island was picked 4th in the A-10 and St. Bonaventure 5th there is either huge drop-off from 4th to 5th, the poll was obviously wrong, or we regressed in the week between games even with another week to plan and practice with Scurry and Millner available. Which?
How many players on the current roster (along with the one current signee) can be expected to play winning basketball next year?
Should we expect several players to transfer out giving the staff room for additional signings other than the one currently available?
Do we have faith that this staff can sign enough quality players to field a significantly better squad next year?

If we had more and better media coverage those are some of the questions I would like to see addressed. I'm still not calling for McDevitt's head but yesterday was a real eye opener. I expected a much better effort with an additional week to practice after a good game against the Bonnies. I wouldn't expect us to lose to Duke that unacceptably at home, ever. IMHO yesterday was worse than the 69 pt. beatdown a Davis led team had in Knoxville (at least UT-K was ranked in the Top 10 at the time and the game was on the road). It appears it's going to get worse before it gets better. Wrong trajectory.

 

[MTLynn]

Gotta hit shots to win... Scurry, Sims and Millin were the most effective on offense but Sims was the only one who scored 20+ points.

Need at least one other guy score 20+ to have a chance, IMO,

Green is still MIA and now Jones has disappeared...

 

[MTBig Blue]

Gotta hit shots to win... Scurry, Sims and Millin were the most effective on offense but Sims was the only one who scored 20+ points.

Need at least one other guy score 20+ to have a chance, IMO,

Green is still MIA and now Jones has disappeared...

I believe that was the main complaint Arkansas fans had with Jones. He would look like the best player on the team for 2-3 games and then he would completely disappear for 2-3 games.

 

[MT01]

You all continue to miss the most important problems.

1. This team does not play defense. We continually give up early leads because we are either allowing uncontested perimeter shooting or trying to defend those which results in the opponent getting layups. There is simply no defense to be found. It’s why decent teams like RI consistently shoot better than 50%.

2. This team has propensity to turn the ball over at alarming rates. We had 19 shots and 17 turnovers in the first half. By then the game was over. The second half was nothing but a scrimmage for RI at that point.

3. The team does not rebound unless the ball comes right to someone. There is no passion, no desire. This team and the staff teaching them has not instilled the toughness to play hard nosed defense and rebound the basketball. This is also due to the fact that CNM wants to recruit nothing but 6’5” guards who are more adept at having the ball stolen than they are rebound. I told y’all when this all started you cannot win at the higher end of the mid level if you don’t have the bigs down low that can muscle for rebounds. But CNM has refused to making recruiting power forwards or centers a priority. He thinks he can win games with a bunch of rangy players who are getting beat by smaller quicker guards and then getting beat up by stronger forwards. We are getting dominated on the boards by everyone we play because we are soft and have no front court size.

And the thing that should really be validating these points is the only guy on the floor who played minutes when Kermit was here is Sims. Everyone else is McDevitts guys. This does not work at this level. And if he doesn’t change there won’t be any winning seasons in years 3 or 4 either.

 

[MTsumner92]

I am not throwing McDevitt under the bus yet. I didn't expect to come close to beating Rhode Island. Our best inside guy is a true freshman and is a future stud so he knows how to recruit the right talent. I am more concerned about conference play. That is where I will be able to make an honest evaluation.

 

[TrueBlue147]

First off, Rhode Island has an excellent coach. They played defense like we used to with Kermit. We didn't have a shot. They were suffocating us on offense and we're not good on offense against bad teams much less good defensive teams like this. Rhode Island is a good A 10 team. but we should have not been beat like that at home. Western loss to them in OT at Rhode Island without Bassey, so should we expect the same beat down from Western at home in a couple weeks?

McDevitt has to do something with our offense. It is horrible. It may run great if you have the right players but obviously we don't have them. Rhode Island was able to get open threes and easy baskets underneath with their offense. The constant ball screens at the top of the key with a desperation three befdore the shot clock is not getting it done. We seem to rarely use our post players except for setting screens. I would like to see some shots from Scurry and Jackson at the high post position. If we get the ball in the post more it can ope up shots on the perimeter.

I beginning to think McDevitt is in over his head and we are paying him $700,000 plus a year to learn on the job. I hope he pulls it together but its looking bad. What players will we have coming next year that will be able to make us improve drastically? Fussel a (freshmen)? Dishman? He wasn't a dominant player at Eastern Kentucky. The other transfers? Is Johnson, Sims, or any of the others going to improve enough to overcome the beat downs we have taken? I don't think so. I think the improvement needs to come from coaching if there is any hope. Otherwise its going to be a rough 3 1/2 years and we will be starting over again at rock bottom not on top like we were this time. If that's the case lets hope Mcphee and Masarro are not here to pick his replacement.

 

[sWiley]

RIP Middle Tennessee athletics

Anyone know where to get a good deal on tombstones ?

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

This falls on McPhee and massorrry.

 

[abarnett]

Saw my first game in person yesterday. Quiet a disappointment. 17 turnovers in first half along with too many easy baskets for RI Not a good recipe Not giving up yet Need quick turnaround. Don’t need transfers sitting out we need players now. We also need to remember last year roster wa depleted when nick got here recruits released and had to scramble for anyone at the end. This is truly
His first class. But right not we are a disaster. Next year we will need to see significant improvement. Got to hang with him for a little bit. Go blue

 

[SpaceRaider]

This falls on McPhee and massorrry.

I'm ready for warmer weather and some bat and ball action...

 

[SpaceRaider]

wgns

Podcast: MT MBB vs Rhode Island 12-29-19

 

[SpaceRaider]

After seeing the Lady Raiders play probably the best I've seen them play in several years in their win over TCU, the contrast in play by the men and the absolute lack of competitiveness was stark. I don't know what's wrong with Green but he is nowhere near the player he was last season. He really needs to get out of the funk he has been in the seven or eight games. Not sure if the coaches know the buttons to push or if there's anything they can do. Until he shows hes out of the funk he's in, he needs more time on the bench. Our defense is bad, but our offense is worse. Not a good combination

I was disgusted by the whole pathetic performance. Rhode Island is a talented team, tall, great length, and skilled. The consolation is that we haven't seen a team like that in conference while I've been watching us play in cusa. Hopefully we can get a few wins in conference and develop some confidence, but I'm not seeing anything to indicate this team is going reach the record they managed last year.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

If we lose against ODU, also 4-9, I am going to be really concerned for the rest of the season. Nothing right now indicates improvement.

 

[dukewayne]

Folks, I've been advocating for time and patience for CNM since he arrived. That is now becoming more difficult with each passing week. I would say that I have been one of CNM's more outspoken defenders. No doubt he seems like a quality human being. People who know him describe him as one of the good guys. I've seen nothing to suggest otherwise. I suspect that is why he has been known to recruit quality young men & players. It would be wonderful for one of the good guys like CNM to be able to be a successful coach for MT. Despite all his good qualities as a human being, it is looking more and more with each passing week that he is lacking the skills and abilities to successfully coach on the court at this level. Players may like him off the court and in the locker room, but that is not translating into performance and success on the court.

I deliberately did not comment immediately after the RI game. A few days later, and my view on things MT bball is not improving. I didn't expect a win vs RI, but I at least expected that MT would be somewhat competitive with the returning players. Not only are they lacking improvement, they seemed to regress after a week with Scurry and Milner. Another game over in the first 10 minutes and almost another 50 point 1st half is just unacceptable. At this point, it is an alarming trend that CNM is continuing to allow these types of performances.

Two short years ago, MT was the team that looked and played like RI. It was a punch in the gut to have to watch MT fail to compete vs a team that MT used to be like. Listening to the radio was like reliving the nightmare of the days when MT was an average team in the OVC. Every message from the program then was marveling at how good and talented an ooc opponent was when they had just demolished MT. It seemed no one from the program knew how to compete at that level. After all the success of the last 8 or 9 years, I thought those days were behind MT in basketball. Yet, here we are again.

Things have reached the point that if CNM does not drastically begin to turn things around immediately, I will in all likelihood be joining the voices calling for an urgent change in coaching at the end of this season. After the Murray St game, the thought of CNM being in over his head crossed my mind. After the RI game weeks later, this troubling theme of wondering if CNM is in over his head has returned with even more force.

Sadly, I have zero confidence that McPhee & Massaro are capable of making such big and bold decisions of replacing a HC for the sake of the program. Even if they were to make such a monumental decision, I have zero confidence in them to identify a good successful and winning coach in another hiring process.

 

[sWiley]

Like I said above.......

RIP Middle Tennessee athletics

No hyperbole either. We missed the boat in football completely and I'm not even gonna get into that because it's another convo for another day, and we fumbled and failed to capitalize on the momentum and national credibility Kermit brought to our program by failing to retain him and/or hiring the wrong coach to pick up where Kermit left off when he went to Ole Miss.

The boldest thing would have been to give Ronnie Hamilton the job, thus keeping all 3 recruits, and hoping Ronnie could hire some good X and O guys around him and keep the train rolling. Much like what Penny Hardaway is doing @ Memphis. And it seems to be working.....

By completely going away from Kermit's assistants, we effectively gave up our best signing class ever, and in the process gave away all the momentum and national credibility we had established.

Now look where we are. Year 2 of McDevitt, the wheels have fallen off, we basically can't even beat D1 competition and get blown out in the first 10 minutes half the time, etc. Going forward, if this keeps up, I have no idea how he thinks he can recruit talented players to come here.

Thanks, McPhee & Massaro. Another stellar decision to add to your track records.

 

[crposton]

Might as well pack it up and go home. Get rid of all athletics at MT and get rid of this site. After a couple bad years we just cannot recover.

 

[abarnett]

Can’t live in past We must move forward. No use second guessing. Let’s support nick and our team we will see what future holds Hopefully it gets better we must remember most of mess is not nicks fault but it is his responsibility to straighten out and I’m sure he knows that. I’m frustrated also.

 

[MTLynn]

I'm not worried about men's basketball.

You see the success of many coaches fluctuate with staff changes. Nick has the bulk of his staff from UNCA intact.

They had success there and it should be easier to sign and retain players at MT. Therefore, it's just a matter of time before the program gets back to the top of the conference.