Blue Raiders exceed expectations in 2003-04
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — After losing four starters and more than 70 percent of the team’s offense from the previous year, 2003-04 was supposed to be a rebuilding year for a Middle Tennessee men’s basketball team that reached the championship of the Sun Belt Conference tournament the previous season.
Despite starting two freshmen in 27 of the team’s 29 games, playing as many as five and welcoming 11 new players to the fold, coach Kermit Davis’ second team at Middle Tennessee exceeded all expectations before seeing the season end in a tough 70-66 loss to No. 1 seed Louisiana-Lafayette in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Monday.
The youthful Blue Raiders concluded a promising campaign with a 17-12 record, which was one win more than the previous season and the most victories for a Middle Tennessee team since 19 in
1997-98.
Middle Tennessee loses four seniors from this year’s squad, including guard Tommy Gunn, who will go down as one of the best all-around players in program history. Seniors Steven Jackson,
Keith Connor and Marcus Robinson also played their final game as Blue Raiders against the Ragin’ Cajuns.
“I think we have accomplished a great deal and set the foundation for future success at Middle Tennessee,” said Gunn, who scored a game-high 20 points in his final game as a Blue Raider. “It
didn’t end the way we would have liked, but we have made strides and we did some great things this year with a young basketball team. I believe the guys returning got a good taste of what it
takes to compete at this level, and I know they are hungry to continue making strides.”
Gunn, who was 7-of-9 from the field against the Cajuns, finished his Middle Tennessee career No. 3 on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,528 points. He also was No. 2 all-time in 3-point field goals made (185), No. 2 in steals (156), and No. 4 in blocked shots (54).
Middle Tennessee started its tournament run with a stirring upset of three-time defending champion Western Kentucky by dealing the host Hilltoppers a thorough 76-62 whipping despite playing without leading scorer Mike Dean. The junior guard led the Blue Raiders with 16.2 points per game and was No. 3 in the Sun Belt in scoring, but he suffered a broken hand in practice three days prior to the start of the SBC Tournament and was unavailable for action.
“I was proud of the way our team played and competed, not only in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, but all season,” Davis said. “We had some players really step up and give us quality minutes, and I liked the improvement I saw from several different players as the season progressed. That is one of the biggest reasons we were able to enjoy a level of success, despite playing
with such a young squad.”
Despite Dean’s absence, the Blue Raiders banded together and put forth one of their most gutsy performances of the year to not only end the Hilltoppers’ nine-game conference tournament winning streak, but they also conquered Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky., for the first time since 1982. The Blue Raiders also became the first conference team to beat Western Kentucky twice in the same season since 1999-2000 when Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette each accomplished the feat.
Robinson earned the start in place of Dean in the tournament and responded the same way he did last season in the SBC Tournament, averaging 13 points in the two games and helping keep the Blue Raiders within reach of playing in their second SBC Championship game in as many years.
One night after shocking the Hilltoppers, Middle Tennessee fell behind 19-5 to the deep and talented Ragin’ Cajuns before making a strong charge to get back into the game.
Middle Tennessee shot 58.5 percent from the field for the game, knocking down 24-of-41 shots and got as close as 58-57 when Gunn drilled a 3-pointer from the corner with 5:43 remaining, but the Blue Raiders didn’t hit another field goal until Bryan Smithson connected for a trey with 1:38 remaining.
“We ran into a very good basketball team and we played hard, it just wasn’t enough,” said junior forward Michael Cuffee, who had an outstanding tournament and contributed 15 points against the
Cajuns. “We had the slow start and that forced us to play from behind the entire game.”
The Blue Raiders shot a season-high 57.1 percent from 3-point range (8-of-14), but they gave up too many transition baskets early to an explosive offensive squad. Louisiana-Lafayette blistered the nets for 55 percent (16-of-29) in the first half, but they were only 8-of-22 in the second half as Middle Tennessee started to buckle down and play the type of defense fans are accustomed to
seeing.
Although the Cajuns only connected on eight second-half field goals, five of them were from 3-point range and each came at a time when the Blue Raiders were in the midst of a run.
Middle Tennessee produced back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1996-97, 1997-98 in Davis’ second season, and the program also continued to make strides toward becoming one of the more successful in the Sun Belt since his hiring.
The Blue Raiders have won 20 Sun Belt Conference games since Davis’ arrival. Only Louisiana-Lafayette (26) and Western Kentucky (23) have won more. Middle Tennessee also has 11 league wins away from home during the same span. Only Louisiana-Lafayette (13) has more in the same two-year period.
Not only will Dean return for his senior campaign in 2004-05, but Middle Tennessee will welcome the return of eight players who saw action this season, as well as the addition of Georgia transfer Steve Thomas (6-foot-8, 240 pounds). Davis also will sign two players this spring.