2005-06 Review Young Among Blue Raiders’ Best
Kyle Young enjoyed one of the best seasons in the history of Blue Raider basketball in 2005-06 when h e b e ca m e only the second player in program history to shoot better than 65 percent for a singlesesaon. The only player to have a better p e rce n t a g e for a singleseason is Warren Kidd, who did it twice.
Junior forward Kyle Young Middle Tennessee single-season field goal percentage leaders enjoyed a breakout sea(minimum 90 made) son in 2005-06 and it was 1. Warren Kidd .700 (173-247) 1991 one that left the Lewis- 2. Warren Kidd .664 (156-235) 1992 burg, Tenn., native among 3. Kyle Young .651 (108-166) 2006 the best to ever play at 4. Lee Campbell .634 (156-235) 1986 Middle Tennessee. Young 5. Warren Kidd .630 (167-265) 1993 6. Jerry Beck .621 (180-290) 1982 was second in the Sun Belt 7. Jerry Beck .602 (174-289) 1981 Conference in field goal 8. Quincy Vance .600 (111-185) 1992 percentage and would have 9. Doug Lipscomb .597 (123-206) 1983 ranked among the nation’s 10. Aylton Tesch .583 (123-211) 1996 best had he had enough makes. Young’s percentage was third among national leaders; however, the list is based on five field goals made per game and Young was 32 shy of the cut. It still factored as one of the best seasons of any player in Middle Tennessee history. Young’s 108 field goals in 2005-06 were two shy of the 110 he had the previous two seasons combined. He has increased his field goal percentage in each of his first three seasons as a Blue Raider. Young shot 46.7 percent (50-of-107) during freshman campaign in 2003-04. He improved to 54.1 percent (59-of-109) in 2004-05, and has enjoyed yet another increase in percentage with the 65.1 percent showing during his junior campaign.
Davis Earns Career Win 200 vs. FIU
Middle Tennessee’s 66-64 win at Florida International (2/4/06) provided fourth-year coach Kermit Davis’ with the 200th win of his career as a head coach. The total includes three seasons at the junior college level and eight as a Division I head coach. Already sixth on the Middle Tennessee alltime wins list with 68, Davis has a career mark of 205-125 in 330 career games for a 62 percent winning percentage. He was 66-25 in three seasons as a junior college head coach, and he is 140-99 in his eighth season as a Division I head coach. Davis’ teams have averaged 18.6 wins per season in his career as a head coach. Middle Tennessee is averaging 17 wins per season under Davis, which is the best four-year mark since 1986-1990 when the Blue Raiders averaged 20.0 wins. In each of Davis’ first four seasons at Middle Tennessee, the Blue Raiders have won at least 16 games and produced a .500 or better record in conference play which hasn’t been done at Middle Tennessee since 1986-89. Davis stands sixth on the Middle Tennessee all-time wins list and his 58 percent winning percentage is third among Blue Raider head coaches .
2006-07 Blue Raider Basketball
It’s Not How You Start ...
One trademark of the Middle Tennessee basketball team during the past four years has been its ability to finish the season strong heading into the postseason and 2005-06 was no different. The Blue Raiders finished February with a 6-2 overall record to continue a trend of playing its best basketball at the end of the season under fourth-year head coach Kermit Davis. Middle Tennessee is 20-9 in February in Davis’ first four seasons for a 69 percent winning percentage. Middle Tennessee won eight of its final 10 regular-season games in 2005-06.
Outshooting Opposition Winning Recipe
When Middle Tennessee outshoots the opposition it usually has a better than average chance of winning the basketball game and that trend remained true during the 2005-06 season as they were 11-0 when shooting for a higher percentage. Overall, the Blue Raiders are 54-2 under Kermit Davis when they shoot better than the opponent. Middle Tennessee the season with 28 straight wins when outshooting its opponent. The last loss for Middle Tennessee when it had a better field goal percentage than its opponent was a 70-66 setback against Louisiana-Lafayette in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Championships, March 8, 2004.
80 Key Number For Blue Raider Offense
Middle Tennessee improved to 8-0 when scoring 80 points or more this season in an 82-58 win against Florida International (02/27/06). Middle Tennessee has been almost unbeatable when scoring 80 or more points under Head Coach Kermit Davis. Overall, the Blue Raiders are 24-1 when scoring 80 or more under Davis. The lone setback was an 85-83 overtime loss at Western Kentucky, Feb. 24, 2005.
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