Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Sunday, February 26
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
4:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
18-9, 13-3
87
vs
56
UAB (ASN)
13-14, 6-10
1
2
3
4
F
UAB
14
10
17
15
56
Middle Tennessee
24
20
25
18
87
Team Stats
UAB
MT
FG%
.440
.558
3FG%
.235
.632
FT%
.444
.739
RB
28
29
TO
18
12
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
8
3FGM
8
FTM
1
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballLady Raiders go out in style on Senior Day
2/26/2017 6:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MT scores 87-56 win vs. UAB
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Murfreesboro native Ty Petty had about the best senior day she could imagine Sunday in Middle Tennessee's 87-56 win over UAB.
"I couldn't ask for a better one," she said. "I enjoyed every minute of it.
"I've won big games on that floor; I've won state championships on that floor. Murphy Center is always going to be home – I've enjoyed every moment coming up that ramp, whether it's in practice or in games."
Petty had already set one career milestone against the Blazers (13-14, 6-10 Conference USA) when she entered the MT 1,000-point club with 29 in the first matchup this season on New Year's Day. On Sunday, she dished out a season-high 12 assists and became just the second Blue Raider ever to accumulate 500 in a career.
She also scored nine points and nabbed three steals. But, most importantly for the team's lone senior, the Lady Raiders (18-9, 13-3) clinched a first-round bye in the C-USA tournament and stayed within a game of WKU for the top spot in the standings with two games left.
"It was special and it was sad to know we're not going to be back on this floor again with Ty Petty," MT Head Coach Rick Insell said. "She's a superstar. It just goes to show you the grass isn't always greener on the other side. You've got a local girl that stayed home, and look at the reception she got out there."
With the top-two 3-point shooting teams in the conference represented, fans were promised a game full of distance shooting. Middle Tennessee sure didn't disappoint.
The Blue Raiders came out of the gates hot, going 8 for 10 from deep in the first half leading to a 44-24 halftime lead, and they didn't slow down. They finished 12 for 19, setting a new season high in 3-point percentage (63).
"I think overall as a team we didn't expect to shoot that good," junior Abbey Sissom said. "We had a hard time scoring against them last time, so we knew scoring was going to have to be a key in this game.
It was the connection from Petty to Sissom that proved most effective from distance.
Sissom scored a career-high 25 points and shot 8-for-9 from 3-point range, setting a new career high mark for makes from downtown. Seven of those came off of Petty assists.
"I had struggled in past games and kind of got myself going a little bit last week from the 3-point line, and coach has made it a point for me to stay in the gym," Sissom said. "I have to give credit to Ty and all of them who got me looks on the outside. It wasn't just me on my own."
Scoring over 70 points has become the norm for Middle Tennessee, and it's good that it has.
The Raiders have scored 70 or more in eight straight games, in which they are 7-1. They are now 203-15 all-time under Insell when scoring at least 70.
"I thought we executed our offense to a T," Insell said. "We've been hitting the gym, and when you get in the gym your shooting will pick up. That's what I have been wanting to see all year long."
Sophomore Alex Johnson, the league's second-highest scorer at 20.6 per game, finished with 22 on 9-of-17 shooting, and junior Rebecca Reuter was the other Blue Raider in double figures with 13 off the bench.
All 10 Middle Tennessee players who saw the floor finished with at least a point.
There are two regular season games remaining for the Blue Raiders before the conference tournament begins on March 8. They will travel to FIU on Thursday before finishing at FAU on March 4.
"I couldn't ask for a better one," she said. "I enjoyed every minute of it.
"I've won big games on that floor; I've won state championships on that floor. Murphy Center is always going to be home – I've enjoyed every moment coming up that ramp, whether it's in practice or in games."
Petty had already set one career milestone against the Blazers (13-14, 6-10 Conference USA) when she entered the MT 1,000-point club with 29 in the first matchup this season on New Year's Day. On Sunday, she dished out a season-high 12 assists and became just the second Blue Raider ever to accumulate 500 in a career.
She also scored nine points and nabbed three steals. But, most importantly for the team's lone senior, the Lady Raiders (18-9, 13-3) clinched a first-round bye in the C-USA tournament and stayed within a game of WKU for the top spot in the standings with two games left.
"It was special and it was sad to know we're not going to be back on this floor again with Ty Petty," MT Head Coach Rick Insell said. "She's a superstar. It just goes to show you the grass isn't always greener on the other side. You've got a local girl that stayed home, and look at the reception she got out there."
With the top-two 3-point shooting teams in the conference represented, fans were promised a game full of distance shooting. Middle Tennessee sure didn't disappoint.
The Blue Raiders came out of the gates hot, going 8 for 10 from deep in the first half leading to a 44-24 halftime lead, and they didn't slow down. They finished 12 for 19, setting a new season high in 3-point percentage (63).
"I think overall as a team we didn't expect to shoot that good," junior Abbey Sissom said. "We had a hard time scoring against them last time, so we knew scoring was going to have to be a key in this game.
It was the connection from Petty to Sissom that proved most effective from distance.
Sissom scored a career-high 25 points and shot 8-for-9 from 3-point range, setting a new career high mark for makes from downtown. Seven of those came off of Petty assists.
"I had struggled in past games and kind of got myself going a little bit last week from the 3-point line, and coach has made it a point for me to stay in the gym," Sissom said. "I have to give credit to Ty and all of them who got me looks on the outside. It wasn't just me on my own."
Scoring over 70 points has become the norm for Middle Tennessee, and it's good that it has.
The Raiders have scored 70 or more in eight straight games, in which they are 7-1. They are now 203-15 all-time under Insell when scoring at least 70.
"I thought we executed our offense to a T," Insell said. "We've been hitting the gym, and when you get in the gym your shooting will pick up. That's what I have been wanting to see all year long."
Sophomore Alex Johnson, the league's second-highest scorer at 20.6 per game, finished with 22 on 9-of-17 shooting, and junior Rebecca Reuter was the other Blue Raider in double figures with 13 off the bench.
All 10 Middle Tennessee players who saw the floor finished with at least a point.
There are two regular season games remaining for the Blue Raiders before the conference tournament begins on March 8. They will travel to FIU on Thursday before finishing at FAU on March 4.
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