3-2-1 for MT Hoops

Welcome back for another 3-2-1 addition. It’s time to put last week’s performance under the microscope and dissect three things we learned, ask two questions, and make one final prediction.

MT wins C-USA Regular Season:

This past Sunday the Blue Raiders headed down the road to Birmingham to face the UAB Blazers at their home gym. Going into the contest, the Blue Raiders boasted a conference record of 14-1. Prior to the game, the Rice Owls defeated the second place Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, 88-81. This meant that MT had the opportunity to the put the regular season conference crown on wraps. Despite being in a bit of a slump, the UAB Blazers posed a stiff challenge. Forwards William Lee and Chris Cokley led the way, dropping 17 and 22 points, respectively. The two squads went tit for tat, but ultimately, the Blue Raiders came out victorious and on the right end of the stick. It’s now official. The Blue Raiders are the C-USA 2016-2017 regular season champions. They have the one seed locked on and on ice. This means that they will be the one seed and will have to only win three games in Birmingham to punch their NCAA Tournament ticket.

JaCorey Williams is a Main Piece to the Puzzle:

It's no secret at this junction, but JaCorey Williams has proved to be the main bell cow for Kermit Davis’ team this season. He is averaging 17 points and nine rebounds a game on the year. He was a monster get for Coach Davis and the program, no doubt about it. People knew he had talent when he transferred from the Arkansas Razorbacks, but he has truly turned heads by dominating and taking over games at times. He is a jack of all trades; he can really do it all. Williams can rebound and bang down low on the block. He can block and contest shots, but he can also step outside and drill down shots with the sweet jump shot of his. He is one of those guys that hits timely shots and makes timely plays when the team really needs it. Williams also plays with an apparent ferocity. As the game progresses, Williams seems to get more and more intense. He’s a guy that could be the catalyst for a post season run.

X-man is the X-factor:

All quality teams need role players that rise to the occasion when their team needs them most. You see it every single year with teams that make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. Sure, every team has their stars, but there are always guys that come out of the shadows and make a name for themselves in the month of March. Xavier Habersham could be just what the doctor ordered for MT. Habersham is only averaging five points per game, but make no mistake about it, he is the quintessential X-factor for coach Davis. Habersham is averaging right about 50 percent from three-point land this year, and can really stroke it and catch fire at any given time. There are times where MT seems to be in a lull and in a rut, then, next thing you know, Habersham drills a shot from downtown. Without Habersham, MT probably doesn't walk out of Birmingham with a win this past week.

What Are the Chances of an At-large bid?

So, we have already established that MT has won the Conference USA regulars season championship and clinched the number one seed. This assures them a spot in the NIT, at the very least. The next question is does MT have to win the conference tournament to put on their dancing shoes in a couple of weeks? Every year, the committee who decides the tournament participants has the same exact problem. Will they opt to to give an at-large bid to a quality mid-major or a fringe team from a power basketball conference. The margin of error with MT is razor thin when you are talking about the possibility of an at-large bid. Yes, they do happen to pass the eye test, but at this point, it is a beauty contest. If MT makes it all the way to the conference tournament championship and loses, will they get a bid? Will wins over Vanderbilt, Belmont, and Ole Miss be enough to impress the committee if they do not seal the deal and get it done in Birmingham? One thing is for sure, MT has more support from the national pundits than they every have before. That could pay dividends.

How Far Can MT Go?

Make no bones about it, MT can play some ball and can hang with the best of them when they are gelling. First things first, they need to actually get in the big dance. Then the next question at hand is how far can the Blue Raiders go? Obviously there are a ton of variables in play here. As we've discussed before, March Madness is all about matchups. It is also about how hot a team is when it matters most. Some great teams just run into a buzz saw against teams that are scorching hot at the right time. MT seems to fit that mold. They are a team that no one wants to face. But really, how far can they go? I seem to think that they have the potential to make it to the second weekend which is the Sweet-16 weekend. Once you get to the Sweet-16, all bets are off and anything can happen.

MT wins the Conference Tournament:

I know I'm going out on a limb here, but look for MT to handle their business and get the job done in the Conference USA tournament, locking up a NCAA tournament bid. Enjoy the ride, Raider fans.