MTSU Basketball: 5 reasons Blue Raiders will be the Cinderella of the 2017 NCAA Tournament

By Taylor Sturm | Mar 14, 2017

Mar 11, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders react after winning the Conference USA Tournament Championship against Marshall Thundering Herd at Legacy Arena. Blue Raiders defeated the Herd 82-73. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

3 of 6

Mar 11, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders bench reacts towards the end of the game against Marshall Thundering Herd at the Conference USA Tournament Championship at Legacy Arena. Blue Raiders defeated the Herd 82-73. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /

Huge non-conference wins

MTSU defeated several NCAA Tournament and NIT-bound teams during non-conference play, including UNC-Wilmington, Belmont, Ole Miss, and Vanderbilt. Only UNCW managed to keep the game within single-digits, which bodes well for the Blue Raiders.

Usually, mid-majors struggle to score and defend against non-conference opponents, because they are built for success in conference play. This is not the case with Kermit Davis’ Blue Raiders, as they are set up to compete with any team in the country.

Home/March Madness