MTSU students rushed the Murphy Center court when the Blue Raiders pulled out a 65-62 win over Belmont exactly one year ago today.
Belmont coach Rick Byrd called the on-court celebration a compliment to his program.
And when MTSU received one vote in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll in the first week of this season, it was cast by Byrd.
The MTSU-Belmont basketball series indeed has grown in mutual respect, and the latest meeting comes at 6 p.m. today at Curb Event Center.
?There?s such a respect there because we?ve had some great games, and both programs have had their best teams the last couple of years,? Byrd said. ?Last year was the best team (MTSU coach Kermit Davis) has had there, and this year is as good as any team Middle has had.
?Our last two years have been the best teams we?ve had. So it really means something when we play.?
Both MTSU (7-2) and Belmont (6-2) earned 27 wins last season, and they split a pair of regular-season meetings (both in Murfreesboro).
The series is an even 5-5 over the past decade. MTSU won the last meeting on Dec. 13, 2011, but Belmont claimed the previous two games ? both in double-overtime.
Belmont meets Lipscomb annually in the Battle of the Boulevard, and MTSU has a heated rivalry with Western Kentucky. But tonight?s midstate matchup has developed an identity of its own.
?What?s helped the rivalry is the quality of games. We?ve had three overtime games (in the past six meetings),? Davis said. ?Whenever you have two good college basketball teams ? one with an RPI is the 20s and the other with an RPI in the 30s ? play one another, well that?s a great matchup anywhere in the country. We just happen to be 30 minutes apart.?
Tonight?s meeting has the makings of another classic between two strong squads.
Belmont picked up a quality win at Stanford less than a month ago, and it has blown out Lipscomb twice.
MTSU has won five of its past six games, including Saturday?s 65-62 win over previously-unbeaten Ole Miss.
Both teams have an NCAA tournament in their sights, and tonight?s game could help either effort.
?RPI is less predictable right now, but it does put a real high value on this game,? Byrd said. ?This game helps your RPI. Win or lose, simply playing this game helps both teams. But if either of us are fortunate enough to be an at-large candidate at the end of the season, this game means something.
?I hope we can get a decent number of wins, and a win in this game would help us. I think Middle will be an at-large candidate, and if they stumble in their conference tournament, a win at Belmont would help them.?
MTSU touts tremendous depth, with a rotation stretching as deep as 12 players. However, forward Jacquez Rozier is doubtful to play tonight due to a nagging hand injury.
Belmont is led by the talented backcourt tandem of seniors Kerron Johnson (13.9 ppg) and Ian Clark (19.4 ppg). The Bruins rank third nationally in 3-pointers made per game. They will face MTSU?s strong defensive group of guards, which smothered Ole Miss for a season-high 18 turnovers.
?I think Johnson and Clark are one of the top five guard tandems in college basketball, and I?m not saying that because we?re playing them next,? Davis said. ?I?m saying it because it?s the absolute truth.
?Their strength is with those real good guards. Our strength is having long, physical defending guards. There are other pieces to the puzzle, but that?s a big matchup.?
MTSU (7-2)
Player/Pts./Rebs.
G Bruce Massey 4.4/3.9
G Raymond Cintron 8.7/1.4
G Marcos Knight 13.2/5.7
F Jason Jones 5.7/1.7
F Shawn Jones 10.0/6.2
Belmont (6-2)
Player/Pts./Rebs.
G Kerron Johnson 13.9/2.6
G Ian Clark 19.4/2.6
G Blake Jenkins 10.4/5.0
F Trevor Noack 11.5/5.5
F J.J. Mann 8.5/4.3
Belmont coach Rick Byrd called the on-court celebration a compliment to his program.
And when MTSU received one vote in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll in the first week of this season, it was cast by Byrd.
The MTSU-Belmont basketball series indeed has grown in mutual respect, and the latest meeting comes at 6 p.m. today at Curb Event Center.
?There?s such a respect there because we?ve had some great games, and both programs have had their best teams the last couple of years,? Byrd said. ?Last year was the best team (MTSU coach Kermit Davis) has had there, and this year is as good as any team Middle has had.
?Our last two years have been the best teams we?ve had. So it really means something when we play.?
Both MTSU (7-2) and Belmont (6-2) earned 27 wins last season, and they split a pair of regular-season meetings (both in Murfreesboro).
The series is an even 5-5 over the past decade. MTSU won the last meeting on Dec. 13, 2011, but Belmont claimed the previous two games ? both in double-overtime.
Belmont meets Lipscomb annually in the Battle of the Boulevard, and MTSU has a heated rivalry with Western Kentucky. But tonight?s midstate matchup has developed an identity of its own.
?What?s helped the rivalry is the quality of games. We?ve had three overtime games (in the past six meetings),? Davis said. ?Whenever you have two good college basketball teams ? one with an RPI is the 20s and the other with an RPI in the 30s ? play one another, well that?s a great matchup anywhere in the country. We just happen to be 30 minutes apart.?
Tonight?s meeting has the makings of another classic between two strong squads.
Belmont picked up a quality win at Stanford less than a month ago, and it has blown out Lipscomb twice.
MTSU has won five of its past six games, including Saturday?s 65-62 win over previously-unbeaten Ole Miss.
Both teams have an NCAA tournament in their sights, and tonight?s game could help either effort.
?RPI is less predictable right now, but it does put a real high value on this game,? Byrd said. ?This game helps your RPI. Win or lose, simply playing this game helps both teams. But if either of us are fortunate enough to be an at-large candidate at the end of the season, this game means something.
?I hope we can get a decent number of wins, and a win in this game would help us. I think Middle will be an at-large candidate, and if they stumble in their conference tournament, a win at Belmont would help them.?
MTSU touts tremendous depth, with a rotation stretching as deep as 12 players. However, forward Jacquez Rozier is doubtful to play tonight due to a nagging hand injury.
Belmont is led by the talented backcourt tandem of seniors Kerron Johnson (13.9 ppg) and Ian Clark (19.4 ppg). The Bruins rank third nationally in 3-pointers made per game. They will face MTSU?s strong defensive group of guards, which smothered Ole Miss for a season-high 18 turnovers.
?I think Johnson and Clark are one of the top five guard tandems in college basketball, and I?m not saying that because we?re playing them next,? Davis said. ?I?m saying it because it?s the absolute truth.
?Their strength is with those real good guards. Our strength is having long, physical defending guards. There are other pieces to the puzzle, but that?s a big matchup.?
MTSU (7-2)
Player/Pts./Rebs.
G Bruce Massey 4.4/3.9
G Raymond Cintron 8.7/1.4
G Marcos Knight 13.2/5.7
F Jason Jones 5.7/1.7
F Shawn Jones 10.0/6.2
Belmont (6-2)
Player/Pts./Rebs.
G Kerron Johnson 13.9/2.6
G Ian Clark 19.4/2.6
G Blake Jenkins 10.4/5.0
F Trevor Noack 11.5/5.5
F J.J. Mann 8.5/4.3
