Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, February 10
Miami, FL
1 PM
Middle Tennessee
-159, 74 CUSA
63
at
59
FIU
-618, 38 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Middle Tennessee
15
13
18
17
63
FIU
17
10
18
14
59
Team Stats
MT
FIUW
FG%
.345
.458
3FG%
.417
.222
FT%
.565
.647
RB
38
33
TO
11
11
STL
0
3
Game Leaders
Pts
24
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
Lady Raiders complete Florida sweep
2/10/2018 3:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Down FIU 63-59
MIAMI – FIU has given some of the top teams in C-USA fits this season, and you can add Middle Tennessee to the list.
Fortunately, for the Lady Raiders (15-9, 7-4), they were able to survive a scare at Ocean Bank Convocation Center as they pulled out a riveting 63-59 win here Saturday afternoon.
"FIU is a much-improved team and we knew this would be a tough, hard-fought road game as they usually are in C-USA play," Lady Raider Head Coach Rick Insell said. "This FIU team has beaten Rice and LA Tech at home and they have been right there in other games. I'm proud of the resolve our young ladies showed to earn this win, and we had to earn it."
The Lady Raiders continued to show improved offense as they had four players in double figures for the second straight game. Middle Tennessee has four of its last five and seven of nine overall to maintain its hold on one of the top four spots in the tightly-contested league race.
The resurgence of Alex Johnson, the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, continued against the Panthers. Johnson was dominant in the post with a season-high 24 points on the strength of eight field goals, also a season high. Johnson also played 37 minutes – also a season high.
Guards Abbey Sissom and Jess Louro finished off a strong road trip with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The duo combined for seven 3-pointers with Louro knocking down four and Sissom finishing with three. Sissom had one of her better all-around games. In addition to her 13 points, Sissom was a stat sheet stuffer with four rebounds, four assists and just one turnover in 40 minutes of action.
Rebecca Reuter was the final Lady Raider in double figures with 10 points and also added five rebounds and three assists.
In a game that was tightly contested throughout, it was Johnson who provided Middle Tennessee with its largest lead of the game, at the time, when she made a spin move in the lane, took on a double team and knocked down a 5-footer that provided a 53-48 advantage with 6:54 remaining.
The Lady Raiders never led by more than six and had to make winning plays down the stretch to earn the win, as FIU was within 58-56 with 1:20 remaining.
That's when Johnson continued to flex her muscle following a Louro miss with an offensive rebound. Johnson drew the foul and hit one-of-two free throws to push the lead to 59-56 at the 1:16 mark.
Following a FIU miss, Reuter pulled the defensive board and was fouled. She made the second of two to make it a two possession game, 60-56, at the 45 second mark, but FIU wouldn't go away.
Kristian Hudson's 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining trimmed the lead to 61-59. Sissom was immediately fouled and hit one of two charity tosses to extend the lead to 62-59. Following a FIU miss, Johnson was fouled and hit one of two to seal the win.
"We did not hit our free throws consistently down the stretch, which is not like us," Insell said. "The big thing is we got two big road wins on this trip."
Middle Tennessee will turn its attention to a showdown with rival WKU Thursday. Tipoff at Murphy Center is 6:30 PM.
Fortunately, for the Lady Raiders (15-9, 7-4), they were able to survive a scare at Ocean Bank Convocation Center as they pulled out a riveting 63-59 win here Saturday afternoon.
"FIU is a much-improved team and we knew this would be a tough, hard-fought road game as they usually are in C-USA play," Lady Raider Head Coach Rick Insell said. "This FIU team has beaten Rice and LA Tech at home and they have been right there in other games. I'm proud of the resolve our young ladies showed to earn this win, and we had to earn it."
The Lady Raiders continued to show improved offense as they had four players in double figures for the second straight game. Middle Tennessee has four of its last five and seven of nine overall to maintain its hold on one of the top four spots in the tightly-contested league race.
The resurgence of Alex Johnson, the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, continued against the Panthers. Johnson was dominant in the post with a season-high 24 points on the strength of eight field goals, also a season high. Johnson also played 37 minutes – also a season high.
Guards Abbey Sissom and Jess Louro finished off a strong road trip with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The duo combined for seven 3-pointers with Louro knocking down four and Sissom finishing with three. Sissom had one of her better all-around games. In addition to her 13 points, Sissom was a stat sheet stuffer with four rebounds, four assists and just one turnover in 40 minutes of action.
Rebecca Reuter was the final Lady Raider in double figures with 10 points and also added five rebounds and three assists.
In a game that was tightly contested throughout, it was Johnson who provided Middle Tennessee with its largest lead of the game, at the time, when she made a spin move in the lane, took on a double team and knocked down a 5-footer that provided a 53-48 advantage with 6:54 remaining.
The Lady Raiders never led by more than six and had to make winning plays down the stretch to earn the win, as FIU was within 58-56 with 1:20 remaining.
That's when Johnson continued to flex her muscle following a Louro miss with an offensive rebound. Johnson drew the foul and hit one-of-two free throws to push the lead to 59-56 at the 1:16 mark.
Following a FIU miss, Reuter pulled the defensive board and was fouled. She made the second of two to make it a two possession game, 60-56, at the 45 second mark, but FIU wouldn't go away.
Kristian Hudson's 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining trimmed the lead to 61-59. Sissom was immediately fouled and hit one of two charity tosses to extend the lead to 62-59. Following a FIU miss, Johnson was fouled and hit one of two to seal the win.
"We did not hit our free throws consistently down the stretch, which is not like us," Insell said. "The big thing is we got two big road wins on this trip."
Middle Tennessee will turn its attention to a showdown with rival WKU Thursday. Tipoff at Murphy Center is 6:30 PM.
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