Last year was a typical year for the boys from Murfreesboro except for one trip to the Sooner state.  MTSU traveled to Oklahoma to take on former Blue Raider stud player and then coach Ken Trickey who is now the head man for the Oral Roberts Titans.  The Minister himself saw what Trickey was doing in Murfreesboro with his high-octane offense and quickly hired the legendary coach to run his program.  The rest is history as the Titans led D-1 in scoring and Trickey is the toast of Tulsa.  Well, the Blue Raiders might not be the ‘run and gun’ team that Trickey has but Stewart had them ready to go in what turned out to be one of the most physical games of the year.  These two teams battled it out in the ‘magic land’ and after about the fourth flagrant foul a brawl ensued.  IN the end this game went four overtimes with a total of 30 players being used after there were 8 ejections and 7 others fouled out but alas a miracle happened as ORU pulled out the victory 117 to 115.  Apparent the evangelist himself had ‘laid his hands’ on the refs at one point to cure them from their bad calls and it worked this ‘time in Tulsa.’ Stewart has developed quite a reputation for getting under the other team’s skin, especially their coaches and that seemed to be the case with Trickey before and after the game.  This home and home comes to Murfreeesboro and it should be interesting to see how the once proud Blue Raider handles his trip home and maybe even more importantly how the fans greet the former coach here.  Those Titans are big and physical but Stewart’s boys are not exactly the type you want to kick sand at.  This is not the only team that Stewart has trouble with (OVC rival Tennessee Tech anyone) but hey at least the fans and media are talking about them.  This ‘average’ school in the middle of the state with three other OVC representatives will not be forgotten. This team a terrifically entertaining season which could have been special if they could have just has a little more talent and/or they could have won some of those close, physical battles.  Either way the Blue Raiders will be back for more next year and Stewart has most of his best players back for the attack. 

There is only one senior coming back that expects to maintain his starting job and he could be the most important person on the campus. When you are compared to Jackie Robinson in high school shining in Murfreesboro is kind of expected and Willie Brown met all of the expectations and then some in his first 3 years at MTSU!  Brown was a true trail blazer who changed the game of basketball in Nashville.  He was the first black student to cross color lines and play for a predominantly white school when he attended Father Ryan prep school in the country music capitol.  When he played there black schools could not even play in the state tournament but this kid had nerves of steel (except before the games when he routinely threw up) and in the first matchup of black versus white schools he not only played well (led both teams in scoring) but hit the game winning shot for Father Ryan over Pearl and Perry Wallace who would eventually be the first black player in the SEC at Vanderbilt.  When Trickey was establishing himself in Murfreesboro he decided to bring in some black athletes so that he could not only compete in the OVC but so he could implement his run and gun style.  Brown was the obvious choice when Trickey went looking for his pioneer for the Blue Raiders.  Trickey also managed to bring in Art Polk from St. Louis and he had his two trail blazers. Polk had been in integrated schools all of his life and did not even know MTSU was still segregated so he was not ready for what was going to happen but Brown coming from Nashville knew. These two took much heat and at times they were truly in danger but Brown, like Robinson, never let it get to him and never struck back.  He just wanted to play this game that he loved and was damn good at.  After all if he didn’t go here he could have went to Minnesota and become a Golden Gopher or about seventeen other D-1 programs in the north that wanted this athletic shooting guard.  On the court, Brown was a sublime addition who immediately made this team better and was perfect for Trickey’s fast paced style.  He averaged almost 17 points a game in his second season which happened to be Trickey’s last in Murfreesboro.  Stewart has put much pressure on his leader and has tried every which way he could to replace him with his guys. He even brought him off the bench for a few games last year after he missed some time after a motorcycle accident.  Brown did what a real good team player does.  He took a step back and let Coach Stewart get some younger players a chance to shine.  Brown still produced solid numbers but realized that this program was developing and he gladly shared playing time.  Don’t get me wrong Brown still could run the court and finish and shoot mid range jumpers all day but he knew the young kids needed experience for next year so he did what a man has to do.  He took one for the team.  He still led the team in scoring but he could have been selfish and went for the stats to lift his pro stock but he is not that kind of guy.  He is more than talented enough to play at the next level but a guy that averaged just over 12 points a game and was slowed down (the motorcycle accident was worse than he let and he came back and played on a bum leg) by injury.  His amazing leaping ability which had him averaging almost seven boards a game his first two years is gone and he never was a great ballhandler but he still finished the year. Brown has had one of the great careers ever in Murfreesboro and is truly a historic figure for doing things no man has ever done in that small Tennessee town.  If there ever was a legend for the Blue Raiders, Brown is that man!  Now, he wants to get this team an OVC title.  That is about the only thing he has not accomplished in his time at OVC and he has one more year to get er done in Tennessee.  Polk is still here as well but has found it hard to hang down low in this physical league at 6’4.  He will be in the rotation and get some minutes but his days of starting are over with Stewart around. 

Junior Carl ‘Sleepy’ Taylor was supposed to start next to Brown on the wing but got hurt early and never really got his job back as Stewart moved forward with new recruits.  Too bad as Sleepy can score and defend and is a huge fan favorite.   Senior Larry Stewart stepped in and had a solid year as the swing guard. Stewart, no relation to the coach, transferred in last year and his namesake liked his offensive game and got him on the court and he produced.  He will have a similar role this year.  Fellow seniors Render Carden and Harry Gupton were not as lucky with the new coach and by the end of the year were getting obligatory minutes at the end of games.  Junior Fred Allen came on late after getting called up from JV, where he was for almost two years, and played well but has some limits to his game.  Stewart knows he needs more speed and athleticism on the perimeter and has recruited accordingly.  He has really went after the Juco kids and has five coming in going to battle for time in Murfreesboro. 

The biggest problems with this team was the lack of a consistent point guard to run the show and get his teammates the ball.  Junior Jimmy Martin is six five and started the year as the QB1 but is not quick enough defensively to guard waterbugs and got stuck splitting time.  Stewart has a trio of sophomore juco transfer guards coming in to battle it out with Martin for PT.  All have talent and understand the game but none have played D-1 and that is one heck of a transition.   Another sophomore, Chris Rainey, will also be in the mix after getting more minutes than expected in his first year here.  Rainey is a terrific outside shooter who shot almost 50 percent from behind the arc though he is nowhere near the passer as his competition. This is a fluid situation and could change rapidly depending on how quick the new kid acclimate to D-1.

Stewart used his bench very liberally though he purposefully got away from the seniors who he felt were not at the level of talent this program needed.  Senior Booker Brown has the coolest name ever and has that something you cannot teach.  Brown goes 7’0 225 and though he does not have a bunch of skills yet also has that word so many hate to hear especially on repeat cycle.  Brown has potential.  A tough rebounder and defender, Brown is a fan favorite that comes to work every day with a great attitude and a little bit of a mean streak but found it hard to get off the pine.  Fellow senior BB Bob Burden was supposed to be a mainstay down low but got hurt early and never returned.  A sad way to end a season in Murfreesboro by one of the all-time great Blue Raiders!  With Burden out Sophomores Kerry Hammonds and Randy Henry got quality minutes and showed well.   Hammonds is the most well-rounded big man as he can score, board, defend, run and is a good passer.  He struggled with consistency shooting but had some huge games down the stretch. Henry is the opposite as he a terrific scorer and is Mr. Consistent down low.  He has size at six nine and knows how to position for good shots but is nowhere near the physical specimen of his compadres.  Still, he comes with a lunch pail every day and will produce once again whether it is huge minutes or five a game!  Seniors Bennett Jent and Jerry Hurst were passed up on the totem pole by underclassmen.  Jent is not athletic enough for a 6’7 guy and Hurst, a terrific board guy who eats up space at 6’7 230 but is a football player for the Blue Raiders first.  He might not even try out for the team this year as he has got pro scouts knocking down the door to see him play. 

Juniors Greg Joyner, Ken Riley and Tim Sisneros all got some time in the post and may not be the beast Kidd is but are solid contributors.  This trio came into the year battling for the starting post position alongside Burden. Sisneros passed up his classmates with his tremendous physical presence by the end of the year.  They are solid players who all bring something positive to the table.  Joyner also played often also but not on the post as is best suited to be the kind of wing this team so desperately needs who can score and defend small forwards. Joyner is nowhere near the defensive player Stewart wants but he is a terrific scorer and board guy and might be the best passer on the team. Riley is only six five but goes a solid 220 but missed most of the year.  An early injury sat him down for five weeks and by the time he got back Sisneros was the man in Murfreesboro and he had to take the minutes he could get down the stretch.  Too bad as this kid can play and if healthy should fit in some kind of niche here as he is too good in the paint not to play.  

“Aruba, Jamaica.  I want to take you.”  Sisneros is almost legendary here by now with his toughness and ability to get the job done on the post and to make the most out of his limited but physical basketball skills.  This Kokomo Indiana native did not even play in high school until his senior year and then was just a developing six eight kid with some nice moves and a ton of girth and toughness.  Trickey took a chance on him and the rest is Raider history.  He barely played his first year but his second came off the bench in a blowout loss to Vandy and hung tough with big Will Perdue who was dominating the Raiders in the paint.  He grabbed a bunch of boards and almost came to blows with Perdue in front of the Murphy faithful and earned himself spot in the starting lineup and local lore.  He had continued to improve and continues to impress the fans with his physical style earning the nickname the ‘Kokomo Kruncher’ in the process.  At six eight and 240 he takes up a ton of space and was the starting center for most of the year for MTSU.  He even showed some offensive game this year and will continue to play unless Stewart doesn’t want to coach here anymore.  He is nowhere near the specimen (ha) as Kidd but he will continue to produce when he is in and the Murphy maniacs will continue to love their Kruncher. 

The Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders were by no means the best team in the Ohio Valley conference and their record showed that.  They did make some strides towards competing in this rugged conference for which they have been a member for a long time.  And no doubt that will be sooner than later.   With a solid group of players who all got plenty of minutes and experience in Coach Bruce Stewart’s ever rotating lineup (10 players got double digit minutes last season) the Blue Raiders may surprise a few teams next year.  Sure they do not have the talent of the Murray or Tennessee States but they do have the heart and they never give up.   But persistence and toughness will only take you so far in whatever field you enter.  At some point you got to have some talent and the Murfreesboro boys needs to find somebody outside of old man Willie who can actually score from outside the key.