Rutherford County (Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne) is about to pass Hamilton County (Chattanooga, East Ridge, Red Bank, Soddy-Daisy) in population. Unbelievable........

https://twitter.com/Fox17Ferrier/status/...1431051264

(02-28-2018 02:30 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  Why are we even having this conversation? In todays game where espn gets to pick which teams are worthy....

the fact Western attendance increased over the last part of the season to where it did is almost a act of God.
The same goes for Middle....the fact it took their first ranking to increase attendance for the last 2 games (counting this one) is a shame.

It's been a really long time since either school had a up tick like this in basketball attendance. Here's the bigger judgment on Middle's attendance. If Western wins on Thursday night what will the attendance be for Saturday. Will it stay 10+k or drop to 5k? I hope it stays in the 8 to 10k range...that would be acceptable after a loss to your rival for the #1 seat

Once both schools gets past that bubble pop and still have large numbers in attendance. Then we both can beat our chest. There was a time when the OVC averaged 7 to 8k for each team in a down year. Those days are long gone because of two factors....

espn
tons of games shown on TV and streaming

Always a voice of reason. Yeah the Marshall game should be 8k at least. Apparently there were less than 100 chairbacks left for that one on Monday so the lower bowl should be full again. If we beat y’all I would hope we get 10k plus again for Marshall if not a sellout (it helps that it is a double-header, tix are good for both games, so it may be officially a 'sellout' if we hit 11,807 sold & students). It’s just crazy how I’m on the mailing list and haven’t gotten a single email yet about the WKU game TOMORROW. Not surprised our alumni/fans don’t get as involved as we would all like. I’ve long criticized our marketing department for doing as little as possible and I still think that’s part of the reason why our crowds haven’t been so great. Don’t understand why they are MIA especially when we are Top 25 first time ever. I am a Seton Hall season ticket holder as well and I get emails all the time from them (5 this week, 3 since yesterday about the Villanova game tonight). The only MT-related ads I see on Facebook for the game are from a fan page, nothing from the university.

Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky: Watch online, live stream, TV, channel, picks, odds, analysis
An MTSU win clinches the Conference USA title for the Blue Raiders on Thursday
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basket...-analysis/

How to watch Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky

Date: Thursday, March 1
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Murphy Athletic Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
TV: CBS Sports Network
Streaming: CBS Sports Network is available via OTT providers YouTube TV, fuboTV and Hulu and through CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App by authenticating with select cable providers. For more information go to CBSSportsNetwork.com.

Odds and analysis

Odds via SportsLine: Check Sportsline's College Basketball pick sheet for all your daily odds.

Analysis: A home win over Western Kentucky on Thursday night would give the Blue Raiders a season sweep of the Hilltoppers -- but most importantly, a Conference USA title.

The Blue Raiders can clinch the regular season championship outright with a win Thursday on their home floor, but it will be no simple task for them against a Western Kentucky team that last lost nearly a month ago, and carries a six-game winning streak into the contest.

A win for either team will solidify their standing as a bona fide candidate to earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid, so this game carries massive postseason implications, too. WKU, however -- a bubble team in the latest Bracketology from Jerry Palm -- could use this win more so than MTSU.

My goodness enough about attendance!! Both of our attendance could always be better. Let’s enjoy the act that both of our teams have had great attendance overall this year and each game of this years series will be wild, packed and fun. As for the point of the actual discussion....

I think WKU is clicking right now. Going to have to figure out the half court trap you guys threw at us at our place last game. We sh** the bed when you guys did that and had way more turnovers than normal. King is player of the year in this conference and it’s not up for debate. He had a game against us where he hit a couple winning time shots that were well defended and if you’re ya you can’t get that mad because you had the defense, just got beat by great shots.

As for the TOPS, johnson and Coleby have been flat out beasts in the paint! Thompson won’t play as poorly as last time when he was allegedly very sick. Anderson has now become a huge weapon going to the basket and I expect a big game. Lamonte Bearden and Hollingsworth will be solid as usual I expect. Both teams are excellent, both should be in the postseason (probably won’t though). Anything could happen but I actually expect a close win for the TOPS. Neither result would surprise me at all. Very much looking forward to this game.

Games like this is what college basketball is all about, the fact that there is so much on the line shows that both programs are doing something right. WKU used to be the team being chased for many years and MT has flipped the roles lately. I like seeing MT as a good program, but I’m ready for WKU to take that rightful spot on top again with MT being the one chasing. Having the chase is what makes both programs better as they push each other to be better. I want to see WKU and MT being like Villanova and Xavier type programs where being in the NCAA tournament is expected by most.

(02-28-2018 08:48 PM)wkuhilltopperfan Wrote:  Games like this is what college basketball is all about, the fact that there is so much on the line shows that both programs are doing something right. WKU used to be the team being chased for many years and MT has flipped the roles lately. I like seeing MT as a good program, but I’m ready for WKU to take that rightful spot on top again with MT being the one chasing. Having the chase is what makes both programs better as they push each other to be better. I want to see WKU and MT being like Villanova and Xavier type programs where being in the NCAA tournament is expected by most.

Amen to that. Hopefully before long both teams will be at that point!

(02-28-2018 08:33 PM)HanselTop Wrote:  My goodness enough about attendance!! Both of our attendance could always be better. Let’s enjoy the act that both of our teams have had great attendance overall this year and each game of this years series will be wild, packed and fun. As for the point of the actual discussion....

I think WKU is clicking right now. Going to have to figure out the half court trap you guys threw at us at our place last game. We sh** the bed when you guys did that and had way more turnovers than normal. King is player of the year in this conference and it’s not up for debate. He had a game against us where he hit a couple winning time shots that were well defended and if you’re ya you can’t get that mad because you had the defense, just got beat by great shots.

As for the TOPS, johnson and Coleby have been flat out beasts in the paint! Thompson won’t play as poorly as last time when he was allegedly very sick. Anderson has now become a huge weapon going to the basket and I expect a big game. Lamonte Bearden and Hollingsworth will be solid as usual I expect. Both teams are excellent, both should be in the postseason (probably won’t though). Anything could happen but I actually expect a close win for the TOPS. Neither result would surprise me at all. Very much looking forward to this game.

.
Moving Bearden to the point seemed to make the offense flow better. The offense has been energized and young Josh Anderson has stepped up his game. I don't think you will see the same team Middle saw in BG. Now how that plays out doesn't mean the outcome will be any different as far as who comes out on top but I like our chances better this time. Should be a really entertaining game, seriously doubt either will play uninspired ball but too much hype can lead to some cold shooting but I don't see that.

(02-28-2018 09:49 PM)Franko Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 08:33 PM)HanselTop Wrote:  My goodness enough about attendance!! Both of our attendance could always be better. Let’s enjoy the act that both of our teams have had great attendance overall this year and each game of this years series will be wild, packed and fun. As for the point of the actual discussion....

I think WKU is clicking right now. Going to have to figure out the half court trap you guys threw at us at our place last game. We sh** the bed when you guys did that and had way more turnovers than normal. King is player of the year in this conference and it’s not up for debate. He had a game against us where he hit a couple winning time shots that were well defended and if you’re ya you can’t get that mad because you had the defense, just got beat by great shots.

As for the TOPS, johnson and Coleby have been flat out beasts in the paint! Thompson won’t play as poorly as last time when he was allegedly very sick. Anderson has now become a huge weapon going to the basket and I expect a big game. Lamonte Bearden and Hollingsworth will be solid as usual I expect. Both teams are excellent, both should be in the postseason (probably won’t though). Anything could happen but I actually expect a close win for the TOPS. Neither result would surprise me at all. Very much looking forward to this game.

.
Moving Bearden to the point seemed to make the offense flow better. The offense has been energized and young Josh Anderson has stepped up his game. I don't think you will see the same team Middle saw in BG. Now how that plays out doesn't mean the outcome will be any different as far as who comes out on top but I like our chances better this time. Should be a really entertaining game, seriously doubt either will play uninspired ball but too much hype can lead to some cold shooting but I don't see that.

Bearden is too out of control to run things effectively against our defense.
If he’s running the point, WKU is in trouble.

GAMEDAY! Can’t wait for tonight...

(02-28-2018 11:19 PM)theboro Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 09:49 PM)Franko Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 08:33 PM)HanselTop Wrote:  My goodness enough about attendance!! Both of our attendance could always be better. Let’s enjoy the act that both of our teams have had great attendance overall this year and each game of this years series will be wild, packed and fun. As for the point of the actual discussion....

I think WKU is clicking right now. Going to have to figure out the half court trap you guys threw at us at our place last game. We sh** the bed when you guys did that and had way more turnovers than normal. King is player of the year in this conference and it’s not up for debate. He had a game against us where he hit a couple winning time shots that were well defended and if you’re ya you can’t get that mad because you had the defense, just got beat by great shots.

As for the TOPS, johnson and Coleby have been flat out beasts in the paint! Thompson won’t play as poorly as last time when he was allegedly very sick. Anderson has now become a huge weapon going to the basket and I expect a big game. Lamonte Bearden and Hollingsworth will be solid as usual I expect. Both teams are excellent, both should be in the postseason (probably won’t though). Anything could happen but I actually expect a close win for the TOPS. Neither result would surprise me at all. Very much looking forward to this game.

.
Moving Bearden to the point seemed to make the offense flow better. The offense has been energized and young Josh Anderson has stepped up his game. I don't think you will see the same team Middle saw in BG. Now how that plays out doesn't mean the outcome will be any different as far as who comes out on top but I like our chances better this time. Should be a really entertaining game, seriously doubt either will play uninspired ball but too much hype can lead to some cold shooting but I don't see that.

Bearden is too out of control to run things effectively against our defense.
If he’s running the point, WKU is in trouble.

I’ll take that bet. Bearden finishes with 8 assists and 1turnovers tonight.

(02-28-2018 11:19 PM)theboro Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 09:49 PM)Franko Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 08:33 PM)HanselTop Wrote:  My goodness enough about attendance!! Both of our attendance could always be better. Let’s enjoy the act that both of our teams have had great attendance overall this year and each game of this years series will be wild, packed and fun. As for the point of the actual discussion....

I think WKU is clicking right now. Going to have to figure out the half court trap you guys threw at us at our place last game. We sh** the bed when you guys did that and had way more turnovers than normal. King is player of the year in this conference and it’s not up for debate. He had a game against us where he hit a couple winning time shots that were well defended and if you’re ya you can’t get that mad because you had the defense, just got beat by great shots.

As for the TOPS, johnson and Coleby have been flat out beasts in the paint! Thompson won’t play as poorly as last time when he was allegedly very sick. Anderson has now become a huge weapon going to the basket and I expect a big game. Lamonte Bearden and Hollingsworth will be solid as usual I expect. Both teams are excellent, both should be in the postseason (probably won’t though). Anything could happen but I actually expect a close win for the TOPS. Neither result would surprise me at all. Very much looking forward to this game.

.
Moving Bearden to the point seemed to make the offense flow better. The offense has been energized and young Josh Anderson has stepped up his game. I don't think you will see the same team Middle saw in BG. Now how that plays out doesn't mean the outcome will be any different as far as who comes out on top but I like our chances better this time. Should be a really entertaining game, seriously doubt either will play uninspired ball but too much hype can lead to some cold shooting but I don't see that.

Bearden is too out of control to run things effectively against our defense.
If he’s running the point, WKU is in trouble.

I certainly would have agreed with you earlier in the season. I think that's the main reason Thompson was running point fo so long in the middle of the season, but ever since he took the job back over we've played our best basketball of the season. He's played far less out of control than he used to. We'll have to wait 12ish hours to find out.

(03-01-2018 07:17 AM)kem411ocd Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 11:19 PM)theboro Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 09:49 PM)Franko Wrote:  

(02-28-2018 08:33 PM)HanselTop Wrote:  My goodness enough about attendance!! Both of our attendance could always be better. Let’s enjoy the act that both of our teams have had great attendance overall this year and each game of this years series will be wild, packed and fun. As for the point of the actual discussion....

I think WKU is clicking right now. Going to have to figure out the half court trap you guys threw at us at our place last game. We sh** the bed when you guys did that and had way more turnovers than normal. King is player of the year in this conference and it’s not up for debate. He had a game against us where he hit a couple winning time shots that were well defended and if you’re ya you can’t get that mad because you had the defense, just got beat by great shots.

As for the TOPS, johnson and Coleby have been flat out beasts in the paint! Thompson won’t play as poorly as last time when he was allegedly very sick. Anderson has now become a huge weapon going to the basket and I expect a big game. Lamonte Bearden and Hollingsworth will be solid as usual I expect. Both teams are excellent, both should be in the postseason (probably won’t though). Anything could happen but I actually expect a close win for the TOPS. Neither result would surprise me at all. Very much looking forward to this game.

.
Moving Bearden to the point seemed to make the offense flow better. The offense has been energized and young Josh Anderson has stepped up his game. I don't think you will see the same team Middle saw in BG. Now how that plays out doesn't mean the outcome will be any different as far as who comes out on top but I like our chances better this time. Should be a really entertaining game, seriously doubt either will play uninspired ball but too much hype can lead to some cold shooting but I don't see that.

Bearden is too out of control to run things effectively against our defense.
If he’s running the point, WKU is in trouble.

I certainly would have agreed with you earlier in the season. I think that's the main reason Thompson was running point fo so long in the middle of the season, but ever since he took the job back over we've played our best basketball of the season. He's played far less out of control than he used to. We'll have to wait 12ish hours to find out.

I agree, Bearden is what he is and you gotta take the good with the bad, lately there has been WAY more good than bad with him moved to the point. Bearden has made much better decisions with the ball lately as he let the game come to him.

So philosophical questions? My season tickets are in the lower bowl, and I usually purchase GA tix for my kids, and they sit with us anyway. Since tonight is a virtual sell out, I'm guessing there won't be room for them to sit near my seats.

Is it inappropriate to put a 7 year old in charge of a 15 month old and 5 year old in the bleacher seats? How many hot dogs will it take to keep them in the same general area for 2 ish hours?

Let's go Blue!

Get a baby sitter. Buy said baby sitter a ticket. Problem solved.

(03-01-2018 09:56 AM)mtsuskyman Wrote:  So philosophical questions? My season tickets are in the lower bowl, and I usually purchase GA tix for my kids, and they sit with us anyway. Since tonight is a virtual sell out, I'm guessing there won't be room for them to sit near my seats.

Is it inappropriate to put a 7 year old in charge of a 15 month old and 5 year old in the bleacher seats? How many hot dogs will it take to keep them in the same general area for 2 ish hours?

Let's go Blue!

Hah! I'd imagine you either get a babysitter or you and your wife will have to split up and one of the kids will get your season ticket seat.

(03-01-2018 09:56 AM)mtsuskyman Wrote:  So philosophical questions? My season tickets are in the lower bowl, and I usually purchase GA tix for my kids, and they sit with us anyway. Since tonight is a virtual sell out, I'm guessing there won't be room for them to sit near my seats.

Is it inappropriate to put a 7 year old in charge of a 15 month old and 5 year old in the bleacher seats? How many hot dogs will it take to keep them in the same general area for 2 ish hours?

Let's go Blue!

I would leave them home.....

the beat down they will view tonight might scar them for life

I guess you could put the 2 and 5 year old in your lap but the fans around you probably wont enjoy the game...but then again it wont be a enjoyable game for those fans anyways.

You know the answer to this question.....kids got to stay home tonight

No way, my kids go to nearly everything. Wife is a former HS basketball coach. This is what we do. 7 year old went to her first football game at 9 days old. If you aren't bringing your kids to the big game, you're doing it wrong. :)

(03-01-2018 10:40 AM)mtsuskyman Wrote:  No way, my kids go to nearly everything. Wife is a former HS basketball coach. This is what we do. 7 year old went to her first football game at 9 days old. If you aren't bringing your kids to the big game, you're doing it wrong. :)

Then as someone suggested mom and dad will have to be split up...

then again maybe those around you wont show up. Whats up with that any ways, BO?:

Even in sell outs a lot of people dont show...maybe it works out for you

For those that want to watch this game but it's not in their cable package you can get a 7 day free trial with HULU. If you already used this before. Sign out of your account and sign up using a different email and name.

https://www.hulu.com/live-sports

Middle -4 this morning.O/U 144.5