Middle Tennessee State turned the tables Wednesday night, defeating the Murray State Racers by a score of 78 to 61. Heading into the contest there was some angst and pessimism regarding MT's chances against the Racers, at least as far as fans were concerned.
The Blue Raiders turned those frowns upside down Wednesday evening, pulling what could be perceived as an "upset victory."
Matt Dossett, publisher of GoMiddle, gives you the first 3-2-1 countdown of the season. The countdown consists of three things we learned, two questions and one prediction going forward.
***Three things we learned***
Nick McDevitt gets his signature win
The Nick McDevitt era stumbled out of the blocks in his first two seasons in Murfreesboro. In the 2018-2019 campaign the team went 11-21. In the 2019-2020 season the team turned in a record of eight wins against 23 losses.
The light at the end of the tunnel is starting to grow larger and more visible. Although the season is very young, it is fair to say that the Murray State win Wednesday night was a "signature victory" for McDevitt and crew. If anything, the win helps chip away at whatever pessimism and skepticism there may be.
This could be dubbed a statement win and is certainly a big building block for the program going forward.
It is also a shot in the arm when it comes to the overall confidence of the team.
The wealth was spread around
Middle didn't just have one guy out there that stole the show and demanded all the attention and limelight. In fact, they had a handful of guys that posted double-digits in the scoring category.
Jo'Vontae Millner-Criss tied his career high, recording 19 points. Donovan Sims had 13 by his lonesome. Then there was Dontrell Shuler who had 12 and Jordan Davis who had 10 himself.
It is safe to say that there was certainly some diversity in the stat sheet. Tyson Jackson did not start and play in Wednesday's contest, but Jared Coleman-Jones filled the void down low. Again, it is difficult to pinpoint just one or two guys. It was a total team effort.
Need to stay even keel
This was a monstrous win for MT, no bones about it. But it is imperative that the team stay locked in and maintain the intensity, effort and efficiency that they had against Murray State. That is not to say that the ensuing games will play out like Wednesday. MT is not going to boat race teams night in and night out, but if they compete the way they did, they will find themselves in each ballgame.
***Two questions***
Will success snowball?
We touched on the fact that winning can be contagious. The looming question now is whether the Murray State game will be the kick-starter that really gets MT's momentum going in a positive fashion.
Yes, the win against the Racers was a big one, but can the staff parlay the momentum into a string of victories? Next up are two games against Chattanooga and Covenant, before lacing them up against power conference program Ole Miss. Will we look back on the Murray State game as the victory jump starter, or will we label the game as an aberration?
Will McDevitt tinker with the lineup?
As the season progresses and the team continues to evolve, it is worth posing the question as to what Coach McDevitt will do with the lineup and substitution patterns. Also, will MT stick to a main, primary starting lineup, or will McDevitt work his magic and spice up the starting lineup from time to time? Sometimes a coach assumes the role of a scientist in the lab, tinkering with things to find the right chemistry.
***One Prediction***
MT goes 2-1 their next three outings
MT's next opponent, Chattanooga, is currently 2-0 after beating Lander by 36 and Tennessee Tech by eight.
My prediction is that MT wins the home game Monday against the Mocs. I think they take care of business against Covenant, and then fall against Ole Miss.
