BASKETBALL Middle Tennessee @ Rice, 2PM, Sunday, March 1, 2020

[SpaceRaider]

RICE
Location: Houston, Texas
Enrollment: 6,628
Arena: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Website: riceowls.com
Nickname: Owls Colors: Blue & Gray
Head Coach: Scott Pera
Record at School:20-43 (2 Seasons)Career Record: 20-43 (2 Seasons)
2018-19 Record: 13-19, 8-10 2018-19 Finish: T-11th C-USA 2018-19 Postseason: N/A
Starters R/L: 4/2 Letterwinners R/L: 9/4

Twitter: @RiceBasketball

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Date: March 1, 2020 Time: 2:00 PM CT
Location: Houston, Texas
Arena: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Series Record: MT leads 6-5
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

 

[SpaceRaider]

espn matchup predictor 23.1%

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401212067

MT lost at home in early February by 8 points to Rice...

 

[SpaceRaider]

from the MT Game Notes:

• In order to advance to the Conference USA Championship, Middle Tennessee must win out their final three games while also avoiding a 12th place tie with Rice, which would result in MT finishing 13th

• A 12th place tie with either UTEP or Southern Miss would result in the Blue Raiders sneaking in as the No. 12 seed while a four-way tie in Group 3 would give MT the No. 11 seed in Frisco

 

[MT01]

There are more games? Geez, I thought this nightmare was over. Didn’t realize there were still more games to lose.

 

[sWiley]

Why the heck are we playing on a Sunday ????????? Should be playing today

 

[SpaceRaider]

Why the heck are we playing on a Sunday ????????? Should be playing today

Not sure, not for TV purposes, that's for sure...

 

[RandallThomason]

Why the heck are we playing on a Sunday ????????? Should be playing today

My guess is the conference built in an extra day for travel in bonus play since some teams are playing back to back road games against teams that are not regional travel partners. That would seem to not matter for pod 3 since pod 3 teams were off on Thursday. I wish we played today also.

this coming week we play on Wednesday-Saturday so once again an extra travel day is built in.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

All I hear is Jim Jones (Powers Booth) all over the loudspeaker: “it’s all over .. it’s all over children”

this season has been woefully bad

 

[sWiley]

Rice -7.5

Over/Under 154.5

 

[FranklinRaider315]

Thankfully, no major TV outlet broadcast.

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

on this date two years ago...

 

[TrueBlue147]

on this date two years ago...

View embedded media

Seems like so long ago now...

 

[SpaceRaider]

Rice -7.5

Over/Under 154.5

excerpt:

The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (7-21, CONF 3-12) and Rice Owls (13-15, CONF 5-10) face off in a Conference USA showdown at Tudor Fieldhouse. Rice knocked off Middle Tennessee earlier this season 91-83.

Middle Tennessee has had all kinds of struggles this season but they are coming off a win in their last game. The Blue Raiders were four-point underdogs against Southern Miss but the defense locked down giving up only 53 points and that led to a victory.

Away from home this season Middle Tennessee has struggled winning only three of their 12 games on the road. The offense has been fine for Middle Tennessee but the defense has let them down big time giving up 77.6 points per game on the road. The Blue Raiders are led by C.J Jones who is averaging 16.5 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the field.

In the last game against Southern Miss Jones played 33 minutes and shot 50 percent from the field putting up 18 points. If the Blue Raiders want to win this game, Jones is going to need to have a big game.

Rice has been up and down this season but they come into this game having lost two of the last three games. In the Owls last game against UTEP they only scored 62 points and that wasn’t enough to get the job done.

At home this season has a 7-6 record and they like to push the pace. Rice is averaging 79.1 points per game while the defense is giving up 76.4 points at home.

In Rice’s last game it was forward Drew Peterson who put up 18 points, but that wasn’t enough to get the job done. If Rice can push the pace, they should be in good shape to come away with a win.

The under is 7-2 in the Blue Raiders last nine Sunday games.

Rice already beat Middle Tennessee once this year and it’s going to happen again. Look for Rice to run up the score.....

 

[SpaceRaider]

15:29

MT 9
rice 5

 

[SpaceRaider]

7:55

MT 18
rice 15

 

[SpaceRaider]

rice timeout 5:31

MT 25
rice 15

 

[SpaceRaider]

3:58

MT leads 27-17

 

[SpaceRaider]

Halftime

MT leads 29-24

 

[SpaceRaider]

MT gives up the lead

11:51

Rice leads 42-40

 

[SpaceRaider]

7:56

Rice 55
MT 45

 

[SpaceRaider]

When you are hemorrhaging blood, you use a tourniquet, timeouts are useless if you're NOT using them.

 

[SpaceRaider]

3:54

Rice 63
MT 50

intentional foul whistled on Antonio Green (his 4th) Flagrant 1, two shots and the ball back to Rice

 

[SpaceRaider]

3:18

71-53

 

[SpaceRaider]

2:42

74-53

 

[SpaceRaider]

74-56

Rice has scored 50, MT 27 in 2nd half

 

[SpaceRaider]

not sure when the last time MT missed a conference tournament, but this team is missing the conference tourney

 

[SpaceRaider]

Final 77-66

 

[FranklinRaider315]

I didn’t even bother to check the score until it was a final. Seriously.

Murphy Center will be empty on Wednesday.

 

[sWiley]

It's all about the future at this point. Gotta find out who can play and who can't from these young guys McDevitt has signed.

This roster needs a serious upgrade in talent, and fast. Do we really have time to sit around and see if players like Crump can become serviceable? Hate to keep singling him out but we need to open up some roster space so we can sign better players. That's assuming we have talented players willing to sign with us after our worst 2 years in school history......

 

[crposton]

It's all about the future at this point. Gotta find out who can play and who can't from these young guys McDevitt has signed.

This roster needs a serious upgrade in talent, and fast. Do we really have time to sit around and see if players like Crump can become serviceable? Hate to keep singling him out but we need to open up some roster space so we can sign better players. That's assuming we have talented players willing to sign with us after our worst 2 years in school history......

We are in Donte Houston’s top 5. That is somewhat reassuring as far as talented players being willing to sign. Obviously need more than that one to turn this around.

 

[MTFNBY5]

If Houston is as good a prospect as some posters believe then I hope we are still in on him. Along with Fussell and Jackson we should have the inside positions taken care of for the foreseeable future.
But who would have thought we would need so much improvement on the perimeter as is obviously needed. I looked at the box store about half way through the 2nd half yesterday (when Rice was making their run) and our three starting perimeter players (Sims, Green, and Jones) each had three points. Is is coaching, leadership, conflict affecting teamwork, or just what that is making what was to be this team's strength so unproductive? (as an aside - the previous staff didn't seem to have a problem creating open shots on the perimeter with either a Potts, Cintron, or one of the many stretch 4s we had).
Apparently McDevitt recognizes the issue with guard play, realizes the solution does not lie in players currently on the roster, and wants immediate help to solve the problem otherwise why has he offered several JUCO guards in recent days?
Longtime posters will know that I abhor roster turnover but in this instance could it be the more the better?

 

[mtfblue]

Is Sim's on scholarship? if so take his to free up another one since he is a instate student.

 

[kingaling42]

I know many here beat that same drum about needing interior size/players- but until the guard play is solid nothing else matters.. at all levels of basketball your ability to be successful is dependent on guard play.

 

[MTLynn]

...until the guard play is solid nothing else matters.. at all levels of basketball your ability to be successful is dependent on guard play.

Green and Jones were big disappointments this season.

I thought Johnson improved as the season progressed

 

[kingaling42]

Green and Jones were big disappointments this season.

I thought Johnson improved as the season progressed

I'd add Sims to that list as a big disappointment as well- I wouldn't pull his scholly but he didn't perform at nearly the same level as he did the latter part of last season nor did he facilitate much in distributing the ball.. lots of errant passing.. the guards in general have had a significant lack of driving/attacking the interior and with the new rules setup as they are that should be part of the offense and get other teams in foul trouble just as they did to MT all year.. can't be passive when the rules are in your favor to attack. Or MT needs guys that are quicker off the dribble..

 

[SigmaNuBlue]

Sims had 4 TO's and zero assists. Tough to win with those numbers from your starting PG.

 

[TrueBlue147]

I'd add Sims to that list as a big disappointment as well- I wouldn't pull his scholly but he didn't perform at nearly the same level as he did the latter part of last season nor did he facilitate much in distributing the ball.. lots of errant passing.. the guards in general have had a significant lack of driving/attacking the interior and with the new rules setup as they are that should be part of the offense and get other teams in foul trouble just as they did to MT all year.. can't be passive when the rules are in your favor to attack. Or MT needs guys that are quicker off the dribble..

Sims is the only true PG and he is the best passer and ball handler on the team. You would be crazy to get rid of him.

 

[sWiley]

We started 3 guards against Rice. None of them made a 2 point shot the entire game. They chunked up plenty of 3s though and let Rice score at will.

This team is incapable of creating easy shot opportunities. Our guards suck. Our forwards suck. Our coaches suck. We need a reset on the whole operation.....

 

[kingaling42]

Sims is the only true PG and he is the best passer and ball handler on the team. You would be crazy to get rid of him.

I never said anything about getting rid of him or anyone in particular.. but he has been a disappointment this season in terms of his performance.. all 3 shooting percentages dropped this year, barely outpacing the turnovers with assists, and on defense he can't stay in front of anyone..

Typically the best passer/ball handler doesn't lead the team in turnovers..