Middle Tennessee men’s basketball (3-0) has taken off in its first three games of the season. With a 49-point win over NAIA opponent Milligan University (1-3), a 56-point win over Division III Webster University (1-2) and 77-72 win on the road against the University of Evansville (2-2), MTSU has sported impressive efficiency on the offensive end while touting a stout defense. 

The offense has relied on the three-ball, with 40-plus attempts from deep in the first two games, but has made them at a 35.5% rate. This goes along with a 49.8% field goal percentage from inside the arc, that has led to 286 total points through two games. 

While each Blue Raider that has appeared so far this season has made an impact on the court and in the stat sheet, three have stood out amidst the strong start. 

Kamari Lands- G/F 

Listed as a guard on MTSU’s roster, Lands fits the Blue Raiders’ lineup more as a forward but is a true positionless player while being the team’s leading scorer through two games.  

Lands started the season strong with 21 points, including a stretch of 11 points in a 22-0 run for MTSU.  

“They [MTSU] gave me a lot of confidence,” Lands said. “We shared the ball, played great defense, we got out, I was in the right positions to score.” 

The six-foot-eight senior has shown the ability to be a true three-level scorer for the Blue Raiders. Lands has succeeded driving to the rim for dunks and layups, and thrives behind the arc with a 42% clip from three. He’s also willing to work in the midrange when it’s given to him, taking jumpers from the elbows and finding good shots when on offense. 

The Indianapolis native is in his second year with MTSU after averaging 8.1 points per game last year, and so far is doubling that with 17.7 through the first three games. While Lands’ early averages could be skewed due to the 21-point explosion against Milligan and 23 against Evansville, the senior can fill the stat sheet full of points on any given night. 

“We’re an unselfish team,” Lands said. “I want to play with them, I like sharing the ball. I like getting everybody involved, and that’s what we’re going to do.” 

Chris Loofe- Center 

Loofe is three games into his new role as the Blue Raiders primary center, after filling the spot of Essam Mostafa, the 2024 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year. 

While stepping into the shoes of Mostafa comes with big expectations, Loofe has stood up and been a strong performer for MTSU down low.  

In the first game against Milligan, Loofe notched his first collegiate double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. He followed that performance up with another solid performance with 14 points and six boards in the win over the Webster Gorloks. 

MTSU head coach Nick McDevitt said that Loofe has done a good job so far adjusting to consistent playing time, rather than being the guy off the bench and being uncertain of how many minutes he would get on a given night. 

“Sometimes when you’re the quote, unquote backup, your off days don’t really show themselves,” McDevitt said. “… Your approach has to change, your urgency has to change and that’s where he has continued to grow. Making sure that his practices look like he wants to play on gameday.” 

Loofe won’t provide the same presence that Mostafa did for the Blue Raiders, but he is able to open a new window of having the big man on the perimeter for MTSU. 

“Chris will be a guy that can stretch the defense for us because of his ability to make the three ball,” McDevitt said. 

The Blue Raiders starting center is two-for-four from deep this year, and isn’t afraid to let his jump shot fly after making improvements over the offseason. 

“I want to say I’ve had it all along, but I’ve definitely been working on it too,” Loofe said. 

Defensively Loofe adds a very strong interior presence with seven blocks so far this season, including three in each of the first two games. His 6-foot-11 frame gives him the ability to be an intimidating figure in the paint, and swat away shots at a strong clip. 

Jahvin Carter- Guard 

A graduate of Alcoa High School and a former Tennessee Mr. Basketball award winner, Carter is making a mark in his return to the volunteer state after spending his freshman year at Penn State. 

Through his first three games in a Blue Raider jersey, Carter has averaged 14.7 points per game as the first man off the bench for McDevitt’s squad. This included a career-high 14 point performance in the win against Webster, that was then broken the next time out with 18 against the Purple Aces. 

“It feels good to be a part of a team where I don’t feel like anyone has a self-centered ego,” Carter said. “… It feels good, especially to be back home too, just to be closer to family and be on a great team.” 

Carter has been a large part of the barrage of three-point shots for MTSU, shooting five or more in each game and converting five of his attempts on the year. 

“We’ve got a lot of shooters on the team,” Carter said. “I could give up an open shot to get an even better shot at any other time. You see how many three’s we are shooting and we’re shooting them.” 

The former No. 4 ranked player in Tennessee has backed up his talk of giving up the open shot, as he leads MTSU with 11 assists on the year, including eight in the opener against Milligan. 

It seems McDevitt will keep bringing Carter off the bench as the team’s second point guard behind fifth-year player Sean Smith, but that hasn’t stopped the Alcoa product from making an impact on the offense. 

Lands, Loofe and Carter will look to continue making an impact as the Blue Raiders begin to move into the stronger part of its schedule. MTSU will travel to take on No. 6 University of Michigan (1-0) on Nov. 19, before travelling to George Town, Grand Cayman to square off with Murray State (2-1), George Washington (3-0) and McNeese State (2-1) in the Cayman Islands Classic. 

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