Fans have several opportunities to watch Blue Raiders

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Basketball fans will have more opportunities to watch their Blue Raiders at home than ever before during the 2007-08 hoops season that includes an attractive 17-game season-ticket package.

The men's basketball schedule has officially been released and it includes a record 17 games on the season-ticket package. Included in that package is the Dec. 15 Sun Belt Classic at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville, which pits Middle Tennessee and Memphis in the first game of the doubleheader, followed by a contest between Western Kentucky and Tennessee. Both games are included in the Middle Tennessee season ticket package.

Fans also will have an opportunity to get accustomed to their Blue Raiders as the team opens with three straight home games for the first time since the 2001-02 season and they play seven of the first 10 games at home, including the Memphis game.

"Sometimes it is difficult scheduling a number of home games when your students will be there before the Christmas break," Middle Tennessee coach Kermit Davis said. "We have seven games at home before they break for the holidays which are a big number and will hopefully give us a chance to get off to a really good start."

The first three games of the campaign will be played as part of the First Shot Exempt Tournament that will present six games in three days featuring Middle Tennessee, San Jose State, Lipscomb and Appalachian State. Middle Tennessee will open against San Jose State (Dec. 15), followed by Lipscomb and Appalachian State.

"I think its three really good teams coming into the Murphy Center for this tournament," Davis said. "San Jose State will be the most improved team in the WAC this year. Lipscomb, along with Belmont, will be favored to win the Atlantic-Sun. Appalachian State won its league last year and had wins over Vanderbilt and Virginia and they return really good players. They will be favored to win their league again so you are talking about playing three really quality opponents at home right off the bat."

Middle Tennessee's strength of schedule was the toughest among Sun Belt members in 2006-07. It was rated 43rd in the final RPI Report. Davis says this season's schedule will be as difficult, particularly with games against Memphis, which is preseason No. 1 in several publications, and Tennessee, which is top 10 in those same magazines, looming; however, he believe this team is more prepared to handle the challenge.

"The strength of our team is in our returning guys," Davis said. "They had an unbelievable summer and a great fall. We have seven or eight guys who have been in the program two years or more and that helps. It is going to be very demanding but it is an exciting challenge."

The schedule also features a home-and-home with Belmont, a home date with Austin Peay and a road contest at Houston among the non-conference tilts. The Houston contest is the first of a home-and-home series over the next two seasons. Additionally, the schedule features 18 Sun Belt Conference games.

Season tickets are on sale now. Men's reserved season tickets are $140 or a combo pack including the women's season ticket is available for $210. Call the Middle Tennessee Ticket Office at (615) 898-2103 or 1-888-YES-MTSU to order your tickets for what promises to be an exciting 2007-08 season.