Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, February 17
Murfreesboro, TN
2 PM
Middle Tennessee
16-10, 8-5
51
vs
41
Rice
18-6, 8-4
1
2
3
4
F
RICE
9
14
12
6
41
Middle Tennessee
8
18
16
9
51
Team Stats
RICE
MT
FG%
.353
.383
3FG%
.368
.316
FT%
.667
.900
RB
25
28
TO
19
13
STL
7
12
Game Leaders
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballLady Raiders secure much-needed win behind stingy defense
2/17/2018 4:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MT downs Rice, 51-41
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee got a much-needed win over Rice at home Saturday to keep pace in the fight for a Conference USA top-four seed and first-round bye in the conference tournament.
The Lady Raiders (16-10, 8-5), who pushed their all-time mark against the Owls (18-6, 8-4) to 7-0, leaned on their heralded defense to provide the 51-41 win in the annual Play4Kay Game. It was Rice's lowest point output of the season, and MT tied a single-season record by limiting its 10th opponent to less than 50 points.
With three games left in the regular season, Middle Tennessee sits fifth in the league, one-half game back of Rice and Charlotte.
"The kids just played hard defensively," MT Head Coach Rick Insell said. "Shalon Pillow and Daron Park did a terrific job putting the scout together … and we pretty much had them down pat.
"The bottom line was the kids went out and just really gritted it up and got a big win."
A defensive battle was promised with the conference's second- and third-ranked scoring defenses represented, and the teams lived up to that promise early.
Neither team could get much going on the offensive end in the first quarter, as they combined for 7-of-20 shooting with nine turnovers. Rice went into the first break up 9-8.
Things picked up a little in the second quarter for the Lady Raiders, and they did so with C-USA Preseason Player of the Year Alex Johnson on the bench with foul trouble. The junior played just five minutes in the first half, none in the second quarter, and didn't score.
Senior Abbey Sissom and freshman Anna Jones took the torch from Johnson, together scoring 12 of the team's 18 points in the second quarter as MT took a 26-23 lead into halftime.
After Middle Tennessee's 76-60 loss to WKU earlier in the week, Jones said the Lady Raider guards needed to do a better job of being aggressive and hitting open outside shots to free up the inside. They did just that Saturday, knocking down 6-of-19 3-pointers and freeing up the lane for 24 paint points.
"We did a lot better job than against Western," Jones said. "I think that relieved our posts a little bit and let them do their thing when we were knocking down shots."
With the slim halftime lead in hand, the Lady Raiders were determined not to let it slip.
Rice never led in the second half as MT built as much as a 13-point lead thanks to its continued strong defense. The Owls hit just 5-of-18 shots in the second half, finishing the game with a 35-percent mark from the field and 19 turnovers that led to 23 Raider points.
"We played our back ends off on defense," Insell said. "I think you saw more deflections tonight and us going to the boards harder. I'm pretty pleased right now with what's going on."
Jones and Sissom were the top scorers for the Lady Raiders, finishing with 12 and 11, respectively. Johnson had seven, all in the second half, and junior Jess Louro added another seven with five rebounds.
Senior Gabby Lyon had six points and six rebounds, but her best work was done on the defensive end. She had five steals and held Rice leading scorer Erica Ogwumike to 4-of-11 shooting.
Lyon's defensive intensity was echoed by her teammates, something Sissom said she wants to see more of as MT makes its last push to the C-USA Tournament.
"[Intensity] is what we've been missing," she said. "We just have to come with this intensity every game.
"We're still fighting for one of those top four spots, and those are big in this conference. We really need one of those spots just to get an extra day of rest. It's very important that we take care of business and win out right here."
Middle Tennessee will hit the road from here for its last trip of the season, going to UAB Feb. 22 and Charlotte Feb. 25. Its regular season will wrap up with a home contest against Old Dominion March 3 at the Murphy Center.
The Lady Raiders (16-10, 8-5), who pushed their all-time mark against the Owls (18-6, 8-4) to 7-0, leaned on their heralded defense to provide the 51-41 win in the annual Play4Kay Game. It was Rice's lowest point output of the season, and MT tied a single-season record by limiting its 10th opponent to less than 50 points.
With three games left in the regular season, Middle Tennessee sits fifth in the league, one-half game back of Rice and Charlotte.
"The kids just played hard defensively," MT Head Coach Rick Insell said. "Shalon Pillow and Daron Park did a terrific job putting the scout together … and we pretty much had them down pat.
"The bottom line was the kids went out and just really gritted it up and got a big win."
A defensive battle was promised with the conference's second- and third-ranked scoring defenses represented, and the teams lived up to that promise early.
Neither team could get much going on the offensive end in the first quarter, as they combined for 7-of-20 shooting with nine turnovers. Rice went into the first break up 9-8.
Things picked up a little in the second quarter for the Lady Raiders, and they did so with C-USA Preseason Player of the Year Alex Johnson on the bench with foul trouble. The junior played just five minutes in the first half, none in the second quarter, and didn't score.
Senior Abbey Sissom and freshman Anna Jones took the torch from Johnson, together scoring 12 of the team's 18 points in the second quarter as MT took a 26-23 lead into halftime.
After Middle Tennessee's 76-60 loss to WKU earlier in the week, Jones said the Lady Raider guards needed to do a better job of being aggressive and hitting open outside shots to free up the inside. They did just that Saturday, knocking down 6-of-19 3-pointers and freeing up the lane for 24 paint points.
"We did a lot better job than against Western," Jones said. "I think that relieved our posts a little bit and let them do their thing when we were knocking down shots."
With the slim halftime lead in hand, the Lady Raiders were determined not to let it slip.
Rice never led in the second half as MT built as much as a 13-point lead thanks to its continued strong defense. The Owls hit just 5-of-18 shots in the second half, finishing the game with a 35-percent mark from the field and 19 turnovers that led to 23 Raider points.
"We played our back ends off on defense," Insell said. "I think you saw more deflections tonight and us going to the boards harder. I'm pretty pleased right now with what's going on."
Jones and Sissom were the top scorers for the Lady Raiders, finishing with 12 and 11, respectively. Johnson had seven, all in the second half, and junior Jess Louro added another seven with five rebounds.
Senior Gabby Lyon had six points and six rebounds, but her best work was done on the defensive end. She had five steals and held Rice leading scorer Erica Ogwumike to 4-of-11 shooting.
Lyon's defensive intensity was echoed by her teammates, something Sissom said she wants to see more of as MT makes its last push to the C-USA Tournament.
"[Intensity] is what we've been missing," she said. "We just have to come with this intensity every game.
"We're still fighting for one of those top four spots, and those are big in this conference. We really need one of those spots just to get an extra day of rest. It's very important that we take care of business and win out right here."
Middle Tennessee will hit the road from here for its last trip of the season, going to UAB Feb. 22 and Charlotte Feb. 25. Its regular season will wrap up with a home contest against Old Dominion March 3 at the Murphy Center.
Blue Raider Breakdown Postgame Show - December 16th - Women's Basketball
Wednesday, December 17
MT Women's Basketball | Together: Episode Three | It's gotta mean something to you
Tuesday, December 16
MTSU Women's Basketball vs. Auburn Postgame Press Conference on 12/16/25
Tuesday, December 16
Blue Raider Breakdown Postgame Show - December 7th - Women's Basketball
Monday, December 08
