Head Coach Nick McDevitt took over at Middle Tennessee State in 2018 after Kermit Davis led the Blue Raiders to three NCAA Tournament appearances between 2013-2018, with two wins in the tournament and helping the team reach 24th in the AP Poll in the 2017-2018 season. It took McDevitt three seasons to get it rolling, but he led the team to a 26-11 season in the 2021-2022 campaign. Following that season, it’s been up-and-down as they finished 19-14, 14-19, 22-12, and 17-15 last year.
MTSU fans are ready for a return to the NCAA Tournament, and on paper, this team could have the potential to make some noise in the Conference USA. With some strong players from lower conferences and outside of Division I, along with a key returning player, the makeup of this roster appears to be one that should be projected to outperform those last year.
Let’s dive into how the team is shaping up for the 2026-2027 season.
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Roster Turnover
Tre Green (Ineligible)
7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds
Sean Smith (Ineligible)
9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals
James Dent, Jr. (Ineligible)
1.9 points, 1.7 rebounds
Savon Wykle (Ineligible)
10 points, 2 rebounds (1 game)
Kamari Lands (Senior) ~ TBD
13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1 steal
Charvez Ambrose (Senior)~ TBD
DNP
Brandon Oloumou (Senior) ~ TBD
DNP
Alec Oglesby (Senior) ~ Stetson
DNP
Chris Loofe (Senior) ~ Tulsa
7.3 points, 6.3 rebounds
Torey Alston (Junior) ~ VCU
13.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists
While Middle Tennessee was able to return five players, they still lost two of their top three scorers. Torey Alston is heading to VCU and Kamari Lands ran out of eligibility. However, in the grand scheme of the offseason, they’ve done a solid job improving their roster overall. Among those that left, three didn’t play and one appeared in just one game against a non-division I opponent.
Returning Players
Jahvin Carter (Junior)
10.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists
Marcus Whitlock, Jr. (Redshirt Junior)
3.9 points, 1.1 rebounds
Jarred Hall (Senior)
2.3 points, 1.3 rebounds
Luka Jovanovic (Sophomore)
2.2 points, 3 rebounds
Jax Howard (Redshirt Freshman)
DNP
Jahvin Carter (6’3)
Retaining Carter was some of the best news for Middle Tennessee this offseason. The 6’3 point guard was a former three-star recruit that was one of the best in his class in the state of Tennessee. He started his career out at Penn State where he appeared in 26 games off the bench and averaged 2.1 points with 0.7 rebounds as a freshman. He then transferred to Middle Tennessee last year where he immediately took off. In 32 games, he started 19 while averaging 10.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. He shot 40.5% overall and 33.6% from three-point.
He had some massive games, but his 18 points with four rebounds against #7 Michigan may be his personal favorite. His best game overall came against New Mexico State with 27 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Carter finished with a 104.6 offensive rating, 49.2% true shooting percentage, and a 11.9% defensive rebounding percentage. While there are some efficiency gains that could help him, he already put up solid numbers in his first full season in the rotation. He’ll be slated for a true breakout season this year.
Luka Jovanovic (6’11)
The 6’11 Serbian appeared in 31 games as a freshman, averaging 2.2 points with three rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game. He shot 69.8% overall and knocked down his one attempt from beyond the arc. While he isn’t an offensive threat quite yet, he was remarkable on the boards. He finished with ten rebounds against Belmont, a 9.9% offensive rebounding percentage, and a 14.6% defensive rebounding percentage. In what offensive impact he did make, he finished with a 124.2 offensive rating.
The Blue Raiders don’t have a ton of depth with height, so you should expect to see Jovanovic with an opportunity to significantly bump his impact upward this season.
Jarred Hall (6’9)
Hall started his freshman season with Tulsa where he appeared in 24 games. In search of more playing time, the Lebanon, Tennessee native headed close to home with Middle Tennessee. He appeared in just three games in his first season, then just twelve last season. He averaged 2.3 points with 1.3 rebounds in 7.7 minutes. Granted, he missed the majority of his sophomore season with an injury. Head Coach McDevitt was looking for a big season from him last year, but he never really got the opportunity.
Hall will most likely continue to fill a depth role on the bench.
Marcus Whitlock, Jr. (6’3)
After the 6’3 guard redshirted as a freshman at Kennesaw State, he transferred to Cowley where he took off in his first full season. Across 35 games, he averaged 16 points with 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 47.3% overall and 42.3% from beyond the arc. Following his successful season, he headed to MTSU last year. He appeared in 21 games while averaging 11.6 minutes while posting a line of 3.9 points with 1.1 rebounds. He shot 41.8% overall and 35.8% from three-point.
His best game of his career thus far came against FIU where he stepped up with 25 points on 7-11 shooting from three-point. 79% of his shots came from beyond the arc, making him a true three-point specialist for the Blue Raiders. His metrics backed it up as he featured a 131.3 offensive rating with a 64.5% true shooting percentage.
While they’ve added some additional offensive weapons, I believe that Whitlock, Jr. should see an increase in minutes this season to provide a spark in the rotation.
Jax Howard (6’0)
Howard hails from Shelbyville, Tennessee, which is just south of Murfreesboro. MTSU was his only Division I offer coming out of high school where he took his team to the Elite Eight in the state tournament. He redshirt as a freshman, but I don’t expect him to see a ton of time on the court this season for the Blue Raiders.
Roster Additions
Kevin de Kovachich (Junior) ~ North Alabama
11.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals
Quintero Barnett (Junior) ~ Walsh University (D-II)
14.6 points, 4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 steals
Eli Rice (Junior) ~ Penn State
6.7 points, 1.7 rebounds
Ofri Naveh (Junior) ~ Oral Roberts
11.2 points, 6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals
Kaleb Siler (Junior) ~ Gaston College
18.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Landyn Colyer (Freshman)
Aiden Bolden (Freshman)
Garrison White (Freshman)
Braylin Davis (Freshman)
Guards
Kevin de Kovachich (6’4)
The 6’4 guard has spent the last two seasons with the North Alabama Lions where he turned himself into a quality starter during his sophomore campaign. He started in 30 games while averaging 11.8 points with 2.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals. He shot 41.3% overall and 33.7% from three-point. Over the final seven games of the season, he was electric as he averaged 15.1 points with 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and one steal per game down the stretch.
Looking at his metrics, he featured a 101.4 offensive rating, 51.8% true shooting percentage, 13.3% assist rate, and a 2.9% steal percentage which was the 249th best in the country. He also proved that he has a knack for getting to the free throw line as he drew 3.8 fouls per game with a 38.1 free throw rate.
There is no doubt that de Kovachich will be looking to take another step forward with the Blue Raiders this season, so look for him to serve on a committee at the point guard position.
Quintero Barnett (6’4)
Barnett followed up a strong freshman season at Walsh University with an even better sophomore campaign. He started in 33 games while averaging 14.6 points with 2.3 assists, four rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. the 6’4 guard shot 52.5% overall and 41.4% from three-point on 111 attempts. While he wasn’t a primary point guard, he had some nice games where he finished with seven assists against Ashland and six assists against Cedarville.
While you never know how someone will adapt to transitioning up to Division I from a lower-level, Walsh University was one of the strongest teams in Division II last season. The Cavaliers finished with a 29-4 overall record, received a #1 Seed in the D-II NCAA Tournament, and reached the Sweet 16 where they fell to Michigan Tech. You should expect to see plenty of him this season for the Blue Raiders.
Eli Rice (6’7)
The Gallatin, Tennessee native started his career out at Nebraska where he appeared in 17 games as a freshman and averaged 4.2 points with 1.6 rebounds. He hit the transfer portal and headed to Penn State where he redshirt as a sophomore after appearing in just one game. Last season, he appeared in 29 games while starting in 18 games and averaging 6.7 points with 1.7 rebounds per game. The 6’7 guard shot 38.5% overall and 39% from three-point where he took 67% of his shots.
While Penn State had a tough season overall, Rice’s metrics were a solid highlight. He finished with a 106.5 offensive rating, 55.1% true shooting percentage, and a 1.9% steal percentage. He was 287th in the nation in three-point shooting. His playing time wasn’t as consistent over the back-half of the season in Big Ten play, however, he put up 20 points against Ohio State, eleven against #5 Purdue, and eleven points with four rebounds against #20 Illinois.
Rice brings in valuable experience at the highest level of college basketball. He’ll provide the Blue Raiders with some strong three-point shooting, which is an area that they have been average or below average over the last few seasons.
Landyn Colyer (6’6)
The Florida native is listed as a three-star recruit and top 220 recruit in his class. He played with the IMG Academy where he averaged 17.2 points with 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The kid is a force on the court and has the potential to become a solid player for the Blue Raiders. At 6’6, he is an excellent combo guard that can slash to the paint and flush a dunk or step outside and knock down a shot from beyond the arc. He’ll be in the rotation plenty as a freshman for Middle Tennessee this season.
Colyer held offers from Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, DePaul, Northwestern, Ole Miss, High Point, Washington, and more.
Garrison White (6’0)
White is a 6’0 point guard out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he graduated from McCallie School. He went under the radar with no other Division I offers that I could find, but he helped lead his team to win the Tennessee Division II-AA State Tournament in a thrilling win over Brentwood Academy. Brentwood Academy is a premier program in the state of Tennessee, one that’s produced several stars including Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner. In the championship game, he finished with 17 points.
There isn’t much video of him out there, and normally I’d say he’d be a redshirt candidate. However, with the new eligibility rules it’ll make more sense to let him sit deep in the rotation as a developmental season.
Braylin Davis (6’2)
Braylin Davis, similarly to Garrison White, was unknown coming out of high school. He was a monster on offense though for the University School of Nashville. He averaged 33 points per game and scored an absurd 58 points in one game during his senior season. Davis didn’t have any other Division I offers coming out of high school, but you can check out some of his highlights here. The kid can flat out score. I don’t think he’ll play a ton as a freshman, but I do believe he’s Division I talent. Look for him to be a longer-term prospect for MTSU.
Forwards
Ofri Naveh (6’7)
The 6’7 forward out of Israel started out his collegiate career at West Virginia where he appeared in 24 games and started seven. He averaged 2.6 points with 2.5 rebounds while shooting 29.1% from the floor. He jumped to Oral Roberts where he gained his footing. He started and appeared in 32 games last season while averaging 11.2 points, six rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He shot 46.8% overall and 29.1% from three-point on 1.7 attempts per game.
Naveh had some strong games last year including 17 points with 12 rebounds against St. Thomas, 22 points with 13 rebounds against Omaha, and 25 points with seven rebounds against Montana State. He finished the season with a 100.7 offensive rating, 53% true shooting percentage, 18.3% defensive rebounding percentage, 12.6% assist rate, 2.5% steal percentage, and a 51.2 free throw rate.
Aiden Bolden (6’6)
Aiden Bolden was listed as a three-star recruit and he ranked 286th in the country. I believe that Bolden could turn into a massive player for the Blue Raiders. He’s already well built, he has the ability to put up some monster dunks, and he is not afraid of some contact. He’d been playing with Cayden Daughtry, who’s listed as a five-star recruit and is bound for one of the top programs in the country. Bolden’s an underrated pickup here that will absolutely be playing in his first season on the court.
Bolden held offers from California, UIC, Jacksonville, and more.
Centers
Kaleb Siler (6’10)
Siler is another non-Division I player that had a dominant season joining Middle Tennessee. The 6’10 center averaged 18.7 points with 9.9 rebounds and 1.2 blockers per game while shooting 64.5%. Similarly to Barnett, he wasn’t just an outstanding player on a bad team. Gaston finished the season 28-4 and narrowly missed appearing in the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
He’s a traditional big man that’s going to lock down the paint and rarely miss a shot around the rim. Siler finished with some monster games, including 20 double-digit rebound games and two 16-rebound games. With Torey Alston hitting the transfer portal, the Blue Raiders needed to find a solid replacement.
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Expectations
They’ve brought in some talent from all levels, with a power conference transfer, some lower level transfers, non-Division I transfers, and talented freshmen. The lineup is going to look very different this season, so here’s my projection for how the starting lineup could shape out:
Jahvin Carter
Kevin de Kovachich / Quintero Barnett
Eli Rice / Ofri Naveh
Ofri Naveh
Kaleb Siler / Luka Jovanovic
Jahvin Carter is the number one guarantee for the starting lineup. He led the team in assists last season while adding nearly eleven points per game on average. Then at the secondary guard position, McDevitt will be able to go with either Kevin de Kovachich or Quintero Barnett. I lean towards Kovachich with his Division I experience, but like I mentioned with Barnett, he was the leading scorer on one of the best Division II teams in the country, so he could easily beat out someone with Division I experience. Either way, they are going to have a great secondary option off the bench when the other isn’t in the lineup.
At the center position, Kaleb Siler holds the edge because he was a monster in JUCO. Now, granted, you don’t always know what you are going to get when someone transfers from JUCO. Luka Jovanovic showed some strong signs as a freshman last year, so he’ll have ample opportunities to make a jump this season. Looking at the power forward position though…I’m honestly unsure. I listed Ofri Naveh, but I feel like he fits more of a traditional small forward role. Eli Rice is a three-point threat, and he’s not really a strong rebounder so even being at 6’7/6’8 I don’t think he fits the true four position well. My guess is, they’ll just run a smaller lineup with more offensive options while Siler and Jovanovic lock down the paint and Jarred Hall provides some backup minutes.
Their bench is going to have a plethora of options. Looking at both Aiden Bolden and Landyn Colyer, they will both be playing 12+ minutes a game as freshmen, if not more in backup guard roles. You also still have Marcus Whitlock, Jr., who already has experience with the team as well.
Overall, I like the makeup of this team. As I alluded to, my largest concern is the lack of depth with height. You have the two centers, but it gets questionable after that. I love their guard play though. I have high optimism for the freshmen, and I think that Kovachich and Barnett both are going to be great players for the Blue Raiders.
What do you think? Can MTSU take a step forward this season?