Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, January 7
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
6:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
8-6, 3-0
60
vs
52
North Texas
5-10, 2-2
1
2
3
4
F
North Texas
13
9
10
20
52
Middle Tennessee
15
4
17
24
60
Team Stats
NT
MT
FG%
.354
.341
3FG%
.400
.150
FT%
.700
.794
RB
30
34
TO
19
16
STL
9
11
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
9
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
8
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballJohnson powers Lady Raiders to fourth-straight win
1/7/2017 8:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Sophomore scores 23 in victory
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Alex Johnson has been enduring double- and triple-teams all season, and generally winning the battle.
It was no different Saturday as the Lady Raider sophomore battled her way to a 23-point, six-rebound effort to lead Middle Tennessee to a 60-52 triumph against visiting North Texas.
The win was the fourth straight for Middle Tennessee (8-6, 3-0), which has won five of its last six overall. The win was also the Lady Raiders' seventh straight C-USA home win dating to last season.
Johnson was a big part of it, scoring 19 of her points in the second half to lead a Lady Raider come-from-behind win. Johnson was 7-of-9 from the field after intermission as she took control of the inside game.
"Alex Johnson is an all-conference player and that's what happens to all-conference players," Middle Tennessee Head Coach Rick Insell said. "They get double-teamed, triple-teamed, pushed around, antagonized. That happens to Alex Johnson every time out. Sometimes you just have to battle through it and be the tougher player. Alex Johnson was big when we needed her the most tonight."
In addition to Johnson's dominance, Jess Louro came up big with one of her best all-around performances as a Lady Raider. Louro scored 10 points and established career highs for rebounds (9), steals (4) and minutes (40).
Ty Petty finished with 10 points and four rebounds. Rebecca Reuter finished with eight and Abbey Sissom tallied six.
"This was another typical game in Conference USA," Insell said. "It may not have been real pretty, but it was too teams playing hard, defending hard and working to come away with an important conference win."
Early foul trouble, coupled with porous shooting plagued the Lady Raiders in the first half as North Texas took a 22-19 lead into the locker room. Johnson had just four points at the intermission and Petty, who picked up three fouls in the first quarter, did not play the second stanza and was held scoreless in the first half.
In fact, Petty was held scoreless through three quarters.
Sometimes the mark of a great player is finding a way to help the team succeed even when you are not at your best. Petty did that against North Texas, and she was at her best when the team needed her most.
Petty scored all 10 of her points in the final quarter and was 4-of-4 from the line in the final minute.
Middle Tennessee trailed 27-26 with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter when Louro's corner 3-pointer put the Lady Raiders on top, 29-27. North Texas (5-10, 2-2) continued to battle and tied the game three times down the stretch but never regained the lead.
Petty has provided Middle Tennessee a 48-45 lead with a 3-pointer with 3:43 remaining in regulation, but Candice Adams answered on the other end to tie the game, 48-48, with 3:09 remaining.
Johnson took a great pass from Louro on the offensive end and scored, while drawing the foul. Johnson added the free throw to push the lead to 51-48 and North Texas would not get closer than three the rest of the way.
Johnson was 7-of-12 from the line and continued to dominate once getting to the free-throw line where she was 9-of-12 against the Mean Green.
Middle Tennessee, who along with Charlotte is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in C-USA, will return to action when it plays at Marshall Thursday.
It was no different Saturday as the Lady Raider sophomore battled her way to a 23-point, six-rebound effort to lead Middle Tennessee to a 60-52 triumph against visiting North Texas.
The win was the fourth straight for Middle Tennessee (8-6, 3-0), which has won five of its last six overall. The win was also the Lady Raiders' seventh straight C-USA home win dating to last season.
Johnson was a big part of it, scoring 19 of her points in the second half to lead a Lady Raider come-from-behind win. Johnson was 7-of-9 from the field after intermission as she took control of the inside game.
"Alex Johnson is an all-conference player and that's what happens to all-conference players," Middle Tennessee Head Coach Rick Insell said. "They get double-teamed, triple-teamed, pushed around, antagonized. That happens to Alex Johnson every time out. Sometimes you just have to battle through it and be the tougher player. Alex Johnson was big when we needed her the most tonight."
In addition to Johnson's dominance, Jess Louro came up big with one of her best all-around performances as a Lady Raider. Louro scored 10 points and established career highs for rebounds (9), steals (4) and minutes (40).
Ty Petty finished with 10 points and four rebounds. Rebecca Reuter finished with eight and Abbey Sissom tallied six.
"This was another typical game in Conference USA," Insell said. "It may not have been real pretty, but it was too teams playing hard, defending hard and working to come away with an important conference win."
Early foul trouble, coupled with porous shooting plagued the Lady Raiders in the first half as North Texas took a 22-19 lead into the locker room. Johnson had just four points at the intermission and Petty, who picked up three fouls in the first quarter, did not play the second stanza and was held scoreless in the first half.
In fact, Petty was held scoreless through three quarters.
Sometimes the mark of a great player is finding a way to help the team succeed even when you are not at your best. Petty did that against North Texas, and she was at her best when the team needed her most.
Petty scored all 10 of her points in the final quarter and was 4-of-4 from the line in the final minute.
Middle Tennessee trailed 27-26 with 5:21 remaining in the third quarter when Louro's corner 3-pointer put the Lady Raiders on top, 29-27. North Texas (5-10, 2-2) continued to battle and tied the game three times down the stretch but never regained the lead.
Petty has provided Middle Tennessee a 48-45 lead with a 3-pointer with 3:43 remaining in regulation, but Candice Adams answered on the other end to tie the game, 48-48, with 3:09 remaining.
Johnson took a great pass from Louro on the offensive end and scored, while drawing the foul. Johnson added the free throw to push the lead to 51-48 and North Texas would not get closer than three the rest of the way.
Johnson was 7-of-12 from the line and continued to dominate once getting to the free-throw line where she was 9-of-12 against the Mean Green.
Middle Tennessee, who along with Charlotte is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in C-USA, will return to action when it plays at Marshall Thursday.
Facility tour – Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center
Wednesday, July 30
Rick Insell Conference USA Hall of Fame Announcement
Wednesday, July 09
2025 Blue Raider Blitz Media Panel
Thursday, July 03
MTSU Women's Basketball Coach Rick Insell interview at 2025 Blue Raider Blitz
Monday, June 30
