2012 NIT Second Round
#4 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at #1 Tennessee Volunteers
Thompson-Boling Arena – Knoxville, Tennessee
Monday, March 19, 2012, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Tennessee -6
Current Line: Tennessee -4 1/2
Opening Total: 132 1/2
Current Total: 135
Opening Money Line: Tennessee -250 / MTSU +210
Current Money Line: Tennessee -215 / MTSU +185
The 19-14 Tennessee Volunteers, coached by Cuonzo Martin, finished tied for second in the SEC with Florida and Vanderbilt. However, Tennessee was upset by Ole Miss in the SEC quarterfinals and was not selected for an NCAA tournament bid. The Volunteers were picked as one of the four #1 seeds for the NIT. Tennessee cruised to a 65-51 win over Savannah St in the first round.
Tennessee will now host #4 seed Middle Tennessee in the second round. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals to play either Minnesota or Miami-Florida. Middle Tennessee St, coached by Kermit Davis, won the Sun Belt regular season title with a 26-6 record. The Blue Raiders were upset by Arkansas St in the Sun Belt quarterfinals, and were not selected for an at large bid to the NCAA tournament. MTSU beat Marshall 86-78 in the first round of the NIT.
Tennessee leads the series against MTSU 9-1. The only win in the series for the Blue Raiders came in the 1988 NIT. Tennessee won the last meeting in 2010 86-56. The Volunteers are 6-0 in Knoxville in the series.
MTSU has wins over Austin Peay twice, Loyola Marymount, UCLA, Akron, Belmont, and Ole Miss. In conference they had losses to Denver and Western Kentucky, but swept everyone else. The Blue Raiders have additional losses to Belmont, UAB, and Vanderbilt.
Tennessee has wins over UNC-Asheville, Florida twice, Connecticut, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina twice, Arkansas, Ole Miss, LSU, and Vanderbilt. The Volunteers have losses to Duke, Memphis twice, Oakland, Pitt, Austin Peay, Charleston, Mississippi St, Kentucky twice, Georgia, Vanderbilt, and Alabama.
MTSU is outscoring opponents 72-62 this season. The Blue Raiders are shooting 49.7% from the field and 37.1% from 3 point range. MTSU is #4 in the country in field goal percentage. The Blue Raiders make 62.8% of their free throws. MTSU averages 35 rebounds a game with a rebounding margin of +2.3. The Blue Raiders average 15.7 assists, 13.7 turnovers, 7.1 steals, and 4.5 blocks a game. MTSU opponents are shooting 39.4% from the field and 31.9% from 3 point range. The Blue Raiders force 15.2 turnovers a game.
MTSU forward LeRon Dendy averages 14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks a game. Dendy leads the team in scoring, rebounds, and blocks. Marcos Knight averages 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals a game. J.T. Sulton averages 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. Raymond Cintron, Shawn Jones, and Bruce Massey all get significant time in the rotation as well. Massey leads the Raiders in assists with 4 a game and steals with 1.6 a game.
Tennessee is outscoring opponents 69-65. The Volunteers are shooting 44% from the field, including 35.8% from 3 point range. Tennesee makes 70.6% of their free throws. Tennessee average 35.8 rebounds, and has a rebounding margin of +3.5. The Volunteers average 12.8 assists, 13.8 turnovers, 5.6 steals, and 4.4 blocks a game. Tennessee opponents are shooting 41.1% from the field including 34.2% from 3 point range. The Volunteers force 10.9 turnovers a game.
Tennessee guard Trae Golden averages 13.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists to lead the team. Jeronne Maymon averages 12.6 points, 8.1 rebounds to lead the team, 1.2 assists and 1 steal a game to lead the team. He is probable with a knee injury. Jarnell Stokes averages 9.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks a game to lead the team. Jordan McCrae averages 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6.1 assists a game. Cameron Tatum averages 8.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a game. Golden, McCrae, and Tatum all shoot over 33% from beyond the arc. Kenny Hall is suspended indefinitely.
Tennessee is 19-10-1 ATS and the total is 12-17-1 this season. MTSU is 19-11 ATS and the total is 16-13-1 this season. Tennessee is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 against MTSU, and the under is also 4-1 in those games. The Blue Raiders are 12-3-1 in non-conference games, 6-2 against teams with winning records, 10-4 in road games, 5-2 in road games against teams with winning home records, 17-7 after a straight up win, 2-5 against SEC teams, and 1-4 after a cover. The Volunteers are 4-0 ATS against Sun Belt teams, 5-1 overall, 14-3-1 at home, 4-1 against teams with winning records, 6-2 after a straight up win and a cover, 3-1-1 in non-conference games, 2-5-2 in Monday games, and 1-4 at home against teams with winning road records.
Middle Tennessee certainly has the talent to pull off the upset, but Tennessee is tough at home. The Volunteers have also been a little inconsistent this year, but that is to be expected from a team with 11 freshman and sophomores on the roster. Bruce Pearl left the program in shambles after he was fired for NCAA violations, and it to Cuonzo Martin’s credit that Tennessee has even the wins that they do. I think MTSU pulls off the upset though to go to the quarterfinals.
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