Blue Raiders Face Spartans Today: What You Need To Know

By
Clark Shelton
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March Madness is officially underway as Middle Tennessee looks to add some madness of its own to the mix in the Midwest Regional. The No. 15 seeded Blue Raiders take on the No. 2 seeded Michigan State Spartans Friday at approximately 1:45 p.m. inside the Scottrade Center.

The Raiders are led into their first trip to the big dance since 2013 by Conference USA Tournament MVP Reggie Upshaw and his 13.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Perrin Buford will look to stay hot after being named to the C-USA All-Tournament Team for the second consecutive season while leading scorer Giddy Potts (15.0) will hope to spark the MT offensive attack with his nation-leading 50.3 percent success rate from beyond the arc.

Head coach Kermit Davis boasts a team that has a history of excelling in tournament settings and will look to continue that trend in St. Louis.

“Our team has played 10 tournament games over the last two years and are 9-1, so they have a good tournament feel,” Davis said. “They have the confidence.”

Middle Tennessee is looking to extend its season by winning its third NCAA Tournament game in school history, having defeated Florida State in 1989 and Kentucky in 1982.

Scouting Sparty

Michigan State enters the NCAA Tournament at 29-5 and went 13-5 in the Big Ten.
The Spartans won the Big Ten Tournament with wins over Ohio State (81-54), Maryland
(64-61) and Purdue (66-62).
Michigan State boasts the No. 1 spot in the country in four statistical categories: assists per
game (20.6), defensive rebounds per game (29.56), rebound margin (+11.7) and three-point field
goal percentage (.434).
MSU’s Bryn Forbes is the second-ranked three-point shooter in the country (.484), behind
only Middle Tennessee’s Giddy Potts (.503).

For More Stats and Facts on the Blue Raiders Click Here

Kermit Quotes: (from NCAA Pressor)

Q. As you prep for the game, do you stay away from the whole 15-2, the upset thing, and do you just try and focus on what’s happening on the court and just prepping like you would any other opponent and stay away from all that shock the world type of stuff?

KERMIT DAVIS: We have. I just said guys you gotta be who we are. We understand who we’re playing. And we’ve scouted Michigan State like we would scout every other team. Obviously their talent level is extremely high and so well coached. I used a typical analogy, I said, if we just show up in Nashville, nobody had their colors on, and you go to a park and play a pickup game, every college player thinks you’re going to win the pickup game, and you kind of pick guys. And that’s the way you approach it. You can’t worry about Michigan State. You just gotta go and play and be who we are. And over the last four or five years, our team has beaten UCLA, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Ole Miss a couple of times. I do think they have a quiet confidence, but they also understand the challenge

Q. As a coach you guys are obviously champions, they deserve to be here. How do you transition as the head coach from that euphoria of being in the tournament to the reality of facing a Michigan State?

KERMIT DAVIS: I really haven’t thought a lot about it like that. And I don’t think our players really have. I mean, I think they expected to win our tournament championship, our team’s been through a lot of adversity with injuries. Like I said, I think they do have a quiet confidence. We understand Michigan State’s a team that can win the national championship. But I just think our guys have just prepped like we have all year long, and I think they’re looking forward to playing well tomorrow.

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Where To Watch The Game

BLUE RAIDER PARTNERS WATCH PARTIES
SAM’S SPORTS GRILL (MURFREESBORO)
1720 Old Fort Parkway
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
615.904.6464

SPECIAL FOR THIS LOCATION ONLY
For Friday and Saturday, Sam’s Sports Grill will be the only location where raffle prizes (signed basketball, signed poster, and other MT items) will be given out during the game.

TOOT’S RESTAURANTS
860 NW Broad St.
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
615.898.1301

2992 S. Church St.
Murfreesboro, TN 37127
615.410.3335

301 Sam Ridley Pkwy W.
Smyrna, TN 37167
615.223.8858

BLUE RAIDER GRILL (STUDENTS ONLY – FRIDAY ONLY)
Student Union Bldg
1768 MTSU Blvd
Murfreesboro, TN 37132

SPECIAL FOR THIS LOCATION ONLY
The first 100 MTSU students to the Blue Raider Grill will receive a $7 food voucher. Also, the Blue Raider Grill will be the only location on campus where raffle prizes (signed poster and MT items) will be given out during the games.

OFFICIAL WATCH SITE IN SHELBYVILLE, TN
LEGENDS STEAKHOUSE
1609 N. Main St.
Shelbyville, TN 37160
931.680.7473

ADDITIONAL WATCH SITE LOCATIONS IN MURFREESBORO, TN

ADDITIONAL WATCH SITE LOCATIONS IN SMYRNA, TN

ADDITIONAL WATCH SITE LOCATIONS IN NASHVILLE, TN

ADDITIONAL WATCH SITES FRANKLIN/COOLSPRINGS

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