Middle Tennessee Basketball “We want our players to take advantage of all the opportunities provided at a great school like Middle Tennessee,” Davis said. “We want them to get the most out of their education and be in position to have great futures when they leave here.” Middle Tennessee has realized an attendance increase in six of Davis’ eight seasons, and two have generated the highest home attendance average in the last 15 seasons. Middle Tennessee’s 4,436 average attendance at home in 2005-06 is the highest since 1991-92. The Blue Raiders ranked second in the Sun Belt, behind Western Kentucky, in average home attendance with 4,126 in 2006-07, and they averaged 4,225 during 2007-08, marking the first time Middle Tennessee had averaged in excess of 4,000 in three consecutive seasons since 1986-87, 198788, and 1988-89. In all, Middle Tennessee has had the largest increase in attendance of any Sun Belt member during the last eight years. Middle Tennessee realized a Sun Belt Conference high 4,843 in average attendance for league home games in 2005-06. A Murphy Center attendance record of 11,807 was set on February 26, 2004, when fans flocked to the “Glass House” to cheer Middle Tennessee to a 73-59 win against three-time defending Sun Belt champion Western Kentucky, and when 18,071 attended the Blue Raiders’ game vs. Memphis at the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn., it marked the largest crowd ever for a regular-season men’s basketball game at that venue. Middle Tennessee also drew 11,802 for its home game against Tennessee in November, 2009. The Blue Raiders reached the Sun Belt Tournament title game in 2003, their first appearance in a conference tournament championship since 1989; and they missed the chance to make it two league title games in as many years when they dropped a 70-66 decision to LouisianaLafayette in 2004 in the semifinals. The Blue Raiders also reached the title game in 2008 after upsetting South Alabama on its home court to end the Jaguars’ 18-game home win streak. Winning is not the sole trademark that has brought fans back to Murphy Center. The style of play is as noteworthy. “One thing our team will do is play with a great deal of energy,” Davis said. “We would like to play a hard-nosed, aggressive style that our fans will enjoy night-in, night-out. We’re going to share and value the basketball, rebound on both ends, and attempt to get a quality shot on each possession.” Just as he has done at previous stops, Davis has developed a program that suddenly has expectations placed on it. Even though the Blue Raider program has made great strides in a short time, Davis says the foundation doesn’t change. The building process continues into Davis’ ninth season. In his first season as the Blue Raiders’ head coach, Davis inherited a group of players who had never enjoyed success as members of the Sun Belt. The 2002-03 Blue Raiders were picked
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MIDDLE TENNESSEE UNDER DAVIS
fourth (of five) teams in the Sun Belt’s East Division and eighth of 11 teams overall, but heading into the final week of the regular season Middle Tennessee remained in the championship hunt. For his efforts, Davis was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, marking the third time in five years as a Division I head coach he had been so honored. While Davis’ first team surprised many by reaching the finals of the Sun Belt Tournament and putting together the most wins for a Blue Raider squad (16) since the 1997-98 campaign, his second Blue Raider team had to be even more surprising. Middle Tennessee entered the 2003-04 season with only one returning starter and four letterwinners from Davis’ initial Blue Raider team, but the proven winner molded his squad into a championship contender by mid-season. The Blue Raiders increased their number of wins and had fans coming through the turnstiles in record numbers with an exciting style of play. Middle Tennessee went a step beyond in 2004-05 when the Blue Raiders posted a 19-win season in Davis’ third season, marking the first time since 1997-98 that the team had won as many games. Like all successful coaches, Davis has been victorious by recruiting players who fit the personality of the team and take ownership of their squad. The previous four recruiting classes have been ranked No. 1 in the Sun Belt by Hoop Scoop magazine. Three of the last five classes have been rated among the Top 25 in the nation, including a No. 11 signing class in 2004. The 2007 class was ranked No. 48 nationally. By recruiting players who value character, have a high level of toughness, and have a desire to obtain a college degree, Davis has been able to develop a winning formula not only at Middle Tennessee, but also at each of his stops. Before Middle Tennessee, Davis spent five sea-
Overall 09-10 Overall Record 137-110 19-14 Home 79-37 12-5 Away 46-61 7-8 Neutral 12-11 0-1 vs. Sun Belt 83-62 13-5 Home 40-24 6-3 Away 34-30* 7-2 Tourney 8-8 0-1 Nonconference 63-56 6-9 Home 39-14 6-2 Away 12-31 0-5 Neutral 12-11 0-1 In Overtime 8-7 0-0 Leading at the Half 105-17 16-0 Leading with 5:00 Left 120-13 19-1 vs. Ranked Opponents 0-11 0-1 In Televised Games 15-28 4-4 MT Shoots ≥ 50% 52-10 5-1 MT Shoots ≤ 50% 85-100 14-13 Opponent Shoots ≥ 50% 7-38 1-5 Opponent Shoots ≤ 50% 130-72 18-9 MT Outshoots Opp. 114-14 16-2 MT Outrebounds Opp. 101-41 11-6 Opp. Outrebounds MT 33-60 8-4 MT Attempts More FTs 78-22 8-4 Opp. Attempts More FTs 54-86 11-10 In November 16-20 3-3 In December 32-26 3-3 In January 41-30 7-4 In February 37-24 6-2 In March 11-10 0-2 Final Margin 10 or less 74-64 8-6 MT Scores < 60 points 8-38 2-5 MT Scores 60-69 points 45-52 8-7 MT Scores 70-79 points 40-19 2-2 MT Scores 80-89 points 33-1 5-0 MT Scores 90-99 points 10-0 1-0 MT Scores 100+ points 1-0 1-0 * - includes tournament games vs. host school sons as the associate head coach at LSU under former head coach John Brady. Prior to Davis’ arrival at LSU, the Tigers had been languishing near the bottom of the SEC. It didn’t take long for the team’s fortunes to change. After two seasons of putting the pieces together, the Tigers captured the SEC title in 2000 and went on to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. The Tigers returned to the postseason in 2002 with a trip to the National Invitational Tournament. In the three years immediately preceding Davis’ arrival in Murfreesboro, LSU averaged 20-plus wins per season.
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