MT battles No. 8 Kentucky

Friday, December 12

Lexington, Ky.

8 PM

Middle Tennessee

Kentucky

12/11/2014 3:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Teams are two of top in nation in RPI

By: @MTAthletics

WHAT: Blue Raider Women's Basketball at No. 8 Kentucky.

WHEN: Friday at 8:05 PM

WHERE: Memorial Coliseum, Lexington, Ky.

TV: SECN

LIVE STREAM: http://bit.ly/1smxVis

LIVE AUDIO: http://bit.ly/1smycSx

RADIO: WMOT 89.5 FM (pregame coverage begins at 7:35 p.m.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Middle Tennessee and Kentucky are two of the nation's top teams when it comes to strength of schedule and RPI.

The Blue Raiders (4-2) will be seeking their fourth straight win at No. 8 Kentucky (8-1) at Memorial Coliseum Friday at 8:05 p.m. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Middle Tennessee is No. 13 nationally in the latest NCAA RPI ranking and it No. 5 in strength of schedule. Those numbers will only increase when the Blue Raiders face a Kentucky squad ranked No. 1 in RPI and No. 7 in strength of schedule.

Olivia Jones leads the Blue Raiders with a double-double, averaging 18.2 points and 10.3 rebounds. She is second in C-USA in both categories. Jones also averages 3.0 steals, also second in C-USA. Jones has four double-doubles and was named the C-USA Player of the Week this week.

Sophomore teammate Ty Petty has also been highly productive in her second season. Petty leads C-USA in assists with 4.5 per outing. She has started three straight games for the Blue Raiders.

China Dow is coming off of one of her best games of the season with 17 against Xavier, and Shanice Cason is has been hot of late, connecting on 5-of-7 field goals, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range against Clemson and Xavier.

Middle Tennessee has earned wins against teams from the SEC (Ole Miss), Big East (Xavier) and ACC (Clemson, Miami) in the early going.

Friday's game marks the 17^th meeting between the schools and the sixth consecutive. Kentucky leads the overall series, 11-4, including 7-1 in Lexington.