By MTN Sports Reporter: Ian Wolfe
Murfreesboro, Tenn.- With the end of the regular season drawing near, MTSU basketball is looking for a late push for a higher seed in the conference tournament.
The Blue Raiders (12-17, 6-8 CUSA) have won six of their last 10 conference games after an 0-4 start to conference play. MTSU rallied back to go from the bottom of the conference to the middle of the conference, giving them a better seed towards the end of the season.
After the 0-4 start, MTSU Head Coach Nick McDevitt knew they had to step up and saw improvement in many areas since the poor start. “We’re just now in a better flow and rhythm. Guys are understanding their roles and jobs.” McDevitt said. “We had to insert new plays and our rotation is a bit different than it was eight weeks ago.”
After the 0-4 start, MTSU went on to go 6-4 in the last 10 games, helping their position in the conference. McDevitt wanted the team to be about the process and feels this helped the team bounce back with some confidence.
“We talked to them about both good and bad. Being about the process of getting better. Work on the details, results will take care of itself.” McDevitt said. Continuing, “They‘re playing with some confidence but they’re not a comfortable bunch. I think when you get comfortable with where you’re at, you start having bad results.”
Freshman Forward Chris Loofe has seen the team improve through conference play. He notes the team saw their mistakes and realizing this helped the team click.
“Offensively we’ve been playing a lot better. Moving the ball a lot more. A lot more assists and we’re rebounding better too.” Loofe said. “I just think it was realizing we weren’t doing it well at the beginning of the season and just watching a lot of film and applying it to the game.”
Having lost to Liberty and Louisiana Tech previously, the Blue Raiders will have their work cut out for them in the last two games of the season.
Approaching these last two games will be challenging and Nick McDevitt is hoping to pick up wins. A road game Saturday, especially against conference leaders Louisiana Tech will prove to be a difficult one with the Bulldogs tied with Sam Houston for the regular season title.
“We have to go down there knowing we have to give them our best shot.” McDevitt said. “In order to go steal one on the road, you have to play extremely well.”
MTSU will look to the conference tournament after the regular season will come to a close on Saturday. The Blue Raiders take on Liberty at the Murphy Center on Tuesday March 5th at 6:00 pm. They will close out conference play on Saturday March 9th at 2:00 at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, La.