2015–16 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball team

2015–16 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball
NCAA Tournament, Second round
Conference Conference USA
2015–16 record 25–10 (13–5 C-USA)
Head coach Kermit Davis (14th year)
Assistant coach Greg Grensing
Assistant coach Win Case
Assistant coach Ronnie Hamilton
Home arena Murphy Center
2015–16 Conference USA men's basketball standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   PCT     W   L   PCT
UAB 16 2   .889     26 7   .788
Middle Tennessee 13 5   .722     25 10   .714
Marshall 12 6   .667     17 16   .515
Louisiana Tech 12 6   .667     23 10   .697
Old Dominion 12 6   .667     25 13   .658
UTEP 10 8   .556     19 14   .576
Charlotte 9 9   .500     14 19   .424
WKU 8 10   .444     18 16   .529
North Texas 7 11   .389     12 20   .375
Rice 7 11   .389     12 20   .375
FIU 7 11   .389     13 19   .406
Florida Atlantic 5 13   .278     8 25   .242
Southern Miss* 5 13   .278     8 21   .276
UTSA 3 15   .167     5 27   .156
*Ineligible for postseason play due to self-imposed postseason ban.
2016 C-USA Tournament winner

The 2015–16 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball team represented Middle Tennessee State University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Blue Raiders, led by 14th year head coach Kermit Davis, played their home games at the Murphy Center and were members of Conference USA (C-USA). They finished the season 25–10, 13–5 in C-USA play to finish in second place. They defeated Charlotte, Marshall, and Old Dominion to be champions of the C-USA Tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. As a #15 seed, in the first round they upset #2 seed and #2 nationally ranked Michigan State to become the eighth #15 seed to win a NCAA Tournament game. In the second round the lost to Syracuse.

Previous Season

The Blue Raiders finished the 2014–15 season 19–17, 9–9 in C-USA play to finish in sixth place. They advanced to the championship game of the C-USA Tournament where they lost to UAB. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they lost in the first round to Kent State.

Departures

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
DeVante Jones 1 G 5'10" 160 Junior Chicago, IL Dismissed from the team
Andrew Rogan 14 G 6'3" 170 Freshman Murfreesboro, TN Walk on; didn't return
JaQuel Richmond 15 G 6'1" 180 Freshman Greensboro, NC Transferred to UNC Wilmington
Marcus Tarrance 23 G 6'6" 210 Senior Memphis, TN Graduated
Gavin Gibson 32 G 6'4" 200 Junior Chattanooga, TN Walk on; didn't return
Jacquez Rozier 42 F 6'7" 220 Senior Waynesboro, GA Graduated

Incoming Transfers

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Aldonis Foote 15 F 6'5" 215 Junior Peoria, IL Junior college transferred from Trinity Valley Community College
Jacorey Williams 22 F 6'8" 218 Senior Birmingham, AL Transferred from Arkansas. Under NCAA transfer rules, Williams will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have one year of remaining eligibility.
Quavius Copeland 24 G 6'0" 175 Sophomore Greenville, SC Junior college transferred from Gulf Coast State College

Note: Justin Coleman was a junior college transferred from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College was going to be enrolled at the start of the fall of 2015. Later, Coleman was dismissed from the team due to violations of team rules.

Recruiting class of 2015

Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Karl Gamble
PF
Columbia, SC A. C. Flora High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) May 19, 2014 
Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Joan Duran
PF
Chattanooga, TN Hamilton Heights Christian Academy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jan 27, 2015 
Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Note: Jalen Perry was a 2015 high school graduate from Louisville, KY was going to be enrolled at the start of the fall of 2015. Later, Perry was dismissed from the team due to violations of team rules.

Roster

2015–16 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Home town
F 0 Harris, DarnellDarnell Harris 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 231 lb (105 kg) Sr Hamilton
Northwest Florida State
Milwaukee, WI
G/F 2 Buford, PerrinPerrin Buford 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Sr Hillcrest
Southwest Tennessee State
Decatur, AL
F 3 Phillips, JoshuaJoshua Phillips 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Jr Pope John Paul II Hendersonville, TN
F 4 Haberham, XavierXavier Haberham 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) RS Jr East Laurens
Hill College
Dublin, GA
G 5 Ivory, JacobJacob Ivory 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 168 lb (76 kg) So East Murrah Jackson, MS
G 10 Raymond, JaquawnJaquawn Raymond 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Sr Statesboro
North Carolina State
Statesboro, GA
G 11 Simpson, Jr., EdwardEdward Simpson, Jr. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) So St. Martin Ocean Springs, MS
G 15 Foote, AldonisAldonis Foote 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jr Trinity Valley CC Peoria, IL
G 20 Potts, GiddyGiddy Potts 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 220 lb (100 kg) So Athens Athens, AL
F 22 Williams, JacoreyJacorey Williams (I)  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Sr Arkansas Birmingham, AL
G 24 Copeland, QuaviusQuavius Copeland 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) So Southside
Gulf Coast State College
Greenville, SC
F 25 Gamble, KarlKarl Gamble 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Fr A.C. Flora Columbia, SC
F 30 Upshaw, Jr., ReggieReggie Upshaw, Jr. 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 232 lb (105 kg) Jr Baylor School Chattanooga, TN
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule

[1]

Date
Time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (Attendance)
City, State
Exhibition

11/12/2015*
6:30 PM
Faulkner W 84–63 
Murphy Center (2,512)
Murfreesboro, TN
Non-conference regular season

11/17/2015*
7:00 PM, ASN
at Murray State L 65–76  0–1
CFSB Center (3,070)
Murray, KY

11/21/2015*
7:00 PM
at Tennessee State W 69–66  1–1
Gentry Complex (1,500)
Nashville, TN

11/26/2015*
8:30 PM, CBSSN
at Alaska Anchorage
Great Alaska Shootout Quarterfinals
W 75–72  2–1
Alaska Airlines Center (2,478)
Anchorage, AK

11/27/2015*
11:00 PM, CBSSN
vs. UNC Asheville
Great Alaska Shootout semifinals
W 63–61  3–1
Alaska Airlines Center (2,822)
Anchorage, AK

11/28/2015*
11:30 PM, CBSSN
vs. Toledo
Great Alaska Shootout championship
W 78–70  4–1
Alaska Airlines Center (3,132)
Anchorage, AK

12/02/2015*
8:00 PM, FSN
VCU L 56–62  4–2
Murphy Center (8,882)
Murfreesboro, TN

12/05/2015*
5:00 PM, ASN
South Alabama W 68–55  5–2
Murphy Center (4,106)
Murfreesboro, TN

12/12/2015*
12:00 PM, MT10
vs. Auburn W 88–81  6–2
Bridgestone Arena (7,322)
Nashville, TN

12/17/2015*
6:00 PM, ASN
Belmont W 83–62  7–2
Murphy Center (5,555)
Murfreesboro, TN

12/22/2015*
6:00 PM
at Georgia State L 62–64  7–3
GSU Sports Arena (1,819)
Atlanta, GA

12/27/2015*
4:30 PM, FSN
vs. South Dakota State L 61–65  7–4
Sanford Pentagon (3,200)
Sioux Falls, SD

12/30/2015*
6:00 PM
Trevecca Nazarene W 82–67  8–4
Murphy Center (3,122)
Murfreesboro, TN
Conference USA regular season

01/03/2016
2:00 PM, ASN
at UAB L 67–78  8–5
(0–1)
Bartow Arena (4,279)
Birmingham, AL

01/07/2016
6:00 PM, ASN
UTEP W 78–72  9–5
(1–1)
Murphy Center (4,105)
Murfreesboro, TN

01/09/2016
3:00 PM, ASN
UTSA W 79–71  10–5
(2–1)
Murphy Center (4,632)
Murfreesboro, TN

01/14/2016
6:00 PM
at Charlotte W 73–72  11–5
(3–1)
Dale F. Halton Arena (3,914)
Charlotte, NC

01/16/2016
3:00 PM, FSN
at Old Dominion W 64–61  12–5
(4–1)
Ted Constant Convocation Center (7,067)
Norfolk, VA

01/21/2016
6:30 PM
North Texas W 86–64  13–5
(5–1)
Murphy Center (3,826)
Murfreesboro, TN

01/23/2016
5:00 PM
Rice W 87–73  14–5
(6–1)
Murphy Center (4,104)
Murfreesboro, TN

01/28/2016
6:00 PM
at Marshall L 66–82  14–6
(6–2)
Cam Henderson Center (5,724)
Huntington, WV

01/30/2016
7:00 PM, FCS
at WKU W 66–64  15–6
(7–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,259)
Bowling Green, KY

02/04/2016
6:30 PM, MT10
Florida Atlantic W 85–73  16–6
(8–2)
Murphy Center (5,411)
Murfreesboro, TN

02/06/2016
6:00 PM
FIU W 67–66  17–6
(9–2)
Murphy Center (5,298)
Murfreesboro, TN

02/11/2016
8:00 PM, ASN
at Louisiana Tech L 63–73  17–7
(9–3)
Thomas Assembly Center (5,011)
Ruston, LA

02/13/2016
7:00 PM
at Southern Miss W 76–54  18–7
(10–3)
Reed Green Coliseum (2,917)
Hattiesburg, MS

02/21/2016
5:00 PM, CBSSN
UAB L 67–77  18–8
(10–4)
Murphy Center (7,822)
Murfreesboro, TN

02/25/2016
6:00 PM, ASN
WKU L 72–78  18–9
(10–5)
Murphy Center (4,333)
Murfreesboro, TN

02/27/2016
5:00 PM
Marshall W 83–74  19–9
(11–5)
Murphy Center (4,051)
Murfreesboro, TN

03/03/2016
6:00 PM
at Florida Atlantic W 76–59  20–9
(12–5)
FAU Arena (1,040)
Boca Raton, FL

03/05/2016
5:00 PM, ASN
at FIU W 61–58  21–9
(13–5)
FIU Arena (2,422)
Miami, FL
Conference USA Tournament

03/10/2016
6:00 PM, ASN
vs. Charlotte
Quarterfinals
W 79–61  22–9
Legacy Arena (9,797)
Birmingham, AL

03/11/2016
5:30 PM, CBSSN
vs. Marshall
Semifinals
W 99–90  23–9
Legacy Arena (6,176)
Birmingham, AL

03/12/2016
1:30 PM, FS1
vs. Old Dominion
Championship game
W 55–53  24–9
Legacy Arena (5,519)
Birmingham, AL
NCAA Tournament

03/18/2016*
1:45 pm, CBS
(15 MW) vs. (2 MW) No. 2 Michigan State
First round
W 90–81  25–9
Scottrade Center (14,250)
St. Louis, MO

03/20/2016*
5:10 pm, TNT
(15 MW) vs. (10 MW) Syracuse
Second round
L 50–75  25–10
Scottrade Center (15,169)
St. Louis, MO
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. MW=Midwest Region.
All times are in Central Time.

References

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