Early showdown pits C-USA leaders

Saturday, January 10

Boca Raton, Fla.

4 PM

Middle Tennessee

Florida Atlantic

1/9/2015 4:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball

MT, Florida Atlantic tied for league lead

By: @MTAthletics

BOCA RATON – An early-season showdown of first-place teams in C-USA will take place when Middle Tennessee faces Florida Atlantic here Saturday.

The Blue Raiders (8-4, 2-0) have won a season-high four straight games, including three straight on the road. The Owls have been one of the league's early surprises. Florida Atlantic (8-5, 2-0) was picked 13^th in the preseason coaches poll but it has won three straight and has established itself as a factor in the league race.

Middle Tennessee is coming off a 75-60 win at FIU, while Florida Atlantic claimed a 66-56 win against UAB in its last game. The streaking Blue Raiders have won 25 straight games in the month of January and are 66-12 on the road against conference foes under Head Coach Rick Insell.

Olivia Jones, Cheyenne Parker and Ty Petty are among C-USA leaders in several statistical categories and they also are among the nation's leaders.

Jones leads C-USA in scoring (20.3), steals (3.3), double-doubles (6) and minutes played (37.3), second in defensive rebounds (6.4) and fifth in 3-point field goals per game. Jones is 10^th nationally in steals, 24^th in scoring, 35^th in double-doubles and 58^th in rebounding.

Parker has been dominant inside and ranks first in the league in blocked shots (2.7), and she is second in field goal percentage (.564), second in offensive rebounds per game (4.2), sixth in rebounding (8.3) and seventh in scoring (17.1). Her five double-doubles are tied for fourth in C-USA. Nationally, Parker is 19^th in field goal percentage, 23^rd in blocked shots and offensive rebounds and 81^st in scoring.

Petty is second in C-USA in assists (4.7) and fifth in assist-turnover ratio. Petty ranks 60^th nationally in assists.

Both teams are young. Middle Tennessee has just two seniors (Shanice Cason and Parker). Florida Atlantic is the youngest team in the nation with eight freshmen composing 62 percent of the team. Newcomers account for five of Florida Atlantic's top seven scorers, led by Ali Gorrell's 17.2 ppg. Gorrell is a Wyoming transfer.

Middle Tennessee has dominated the series and owns a 15-1 mark against the Owls all-time.