Blue Raider Basketball Teams Set to Open Conference Play as January Begins

Antonio Green ~ courtesy of goblueraiders.com

MTSU head basketball coach Nick McDevitt has had a tough first half of the season in his first year leading the Blue Raiders.

At the end of 2018, and the end of non-conference play for the Blue Raiders, the team sits at 3–9.

The Blue Raiders will open Conference-USA play at home on Jan. 3 against FIU, followed by another home contest on Jan. 5, facing Florida Atlantic.

Antonio Green has led the way for the Blue Raiders, averaging over 18 points per game.

MTSU has faced some stiff opposition, including losses to Belmont, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Butler and Ole Miss, but the team hasn’t found its rhythm, with an average 19-point deficit among its nine unsuccessful games.

Following the loss to Ole Miss, McDevitt said the Blue Raiders were getting “easy scoring opportunities, but, unfortunately, we just missed several . . . it’s a little bit of a sign of a young, immature team.”

Blue Raider Jayce Johnson said the team will continue to practice hard.

“We have to keep working on knowing each other and getting that chemistry,” he said. “We have to build that up, and once we do, I think we’ll be alright.”

Home games coming up for MTSU include:

FIU
Thursday, Jan. 3
6:30 p.m.

Florida Atlantic
Saturday, Jan. 5
5 p.m.

University of Texas San Antonio
Thursday, Jan. 17
6:30 p.m.

University of Texas at El Paso
Saturday, Jan. 19
5 p.m.

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Wednesday, Jan. 30
6:30 p.m.

___