The Sun Belt Conference?s best and worst men?s teams will face off tonight, and somehow it carries tremendous importance for MTSU.
The Blue Raiders (24-4, 13-1) have already clinched the Sun Belt regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the upcoming league tournament and broken the program?s single-season record for total wins. But with a No. 38 RPI, MTSU is trying to remain in the bubble discussion for a possible at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
MTSU will finish out the regular season at ULM (2-25, 1-13) tonight and at Western Kentucky Saturday before the Sun Belt tournament in Hot Springs.
?I told our team that these next two games have no bearing on Hot Springs. None,? MTSU coach Kermit Davis said. ?But I think this is one of the most important regular-season weekends in our program?s history from a national perspective.
?We have two games to try to stay in the at-large pool, and this week has been the first time we?ve talked about that with our team.?
MTSU likely needs to stay in at least the top 45 in RPI to remain a bubble team. Playing a two-win ULM squad might not help MTSU?s RPI, but earning a 10th road win would certainly add to a potential postseason resum?.
?We have to play our best basketball right now,? Davis said. ?We still need to continue to improve and we need to play better.?
Tonight?s atmosphere won?t measure up to that of the Sun Belt tournament or to the postseason perspective that MTSU carries. While the Blue Raiders are amid their most successful regular season in program history, ULM is suffering through one of its worst.
In fact, ULM?s season is over this week because of a postseason ban due to poor academic performance.
The Warhawks have lost 10 straight games, including six by double figures, and won only once in the last 20 games.
Aside from winning the game, the Blue Raiders would like to get key reserve Shawn Jones back to full health. Jones, a 6-foot-8 forward, has been hampered by a foot injury, and he practiced on a limited basis the last two days.
The Blue Raiders (24-4, 13-1) have already clinched the Sun Belt regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the upcoming league tournament and broken the program?s single-season record for total wins. But with a No. 38 RPI, MTSU is trying to remain in the bubble discussion for a possible at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
MTSU will finish out the regular season at ULM (2-25, 1-13) tonight and at Western Kentucky Saturday before the Sun Belt tournament in Hot Springs.
?I told our team that these next two games have no bearing on Hot Springs. None,? MTSU coach Kermit Davis said. ?But I think this is one of the most important regular-season weekends in our program?s history from a national perspective.
?We have two games to try to stay in the at-large pool, and this week has been the first time we?ve talked about that with our team.?
MTSU likely needs to stay in at least the top 45 in RPI to remain a bubble team. Playing a two-win ULM squad might not help MTSU?s RPI, but earning a 10th road win would certainly add to a potential postseason resum?.
?We have to play our best basketball right now,? Davis said. ?We still need to continue to improve and we need to play better.?
Tonight?s atmosphere won?t measure up to that of the Sun Belt tournament or to the postseason perspective that MTSU carries. While the Blue Raiders are amid their most successful regular season in program history, ULM is suffering through one of its worst.
In fact, ULM?s season is over this week because of a postseason ban due to poor academic performance.
The Warhawks have lost 10 straight games, including six by double figures, and won only once in the last 20 games.
Aside from winning the game, the Blue Raiders would like to get key reserve Shawn Jones back to full health. Jones, a 6-foot-8 forward, has been hampered by a foot injury, and he practiced on a limited basis the last two days.
