Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Thursday, December 17
Murfreesboro, TN
6:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
-13,00 CUSA
92
vs
76
Troy
3-3,0-0Sun Belt
1
2
3
4
F
Troy
18
12
18
28
76
Middle Tennessee
37
16
16
23
92
Photo by: Nathan Wallach/Athletic Communications
Hot start sparks Lady Raiders past Troy
12/17/2020 9:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MT puts up 92 points in victory
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A determined effort from the opening tip guided Middle Tennessee to its first win of the young season Thursday.
After playing well in their first three games but going winless, the Lady Raiders (1-3) came out Thursday focused on putting visiting Troy (3-3) away early. They scored a program record 37 points in the first quarter and built a 23-point halftime lead before winning 92-76.
"I thought there were a lot of positives tonight," MT head coach Rick Insell said. "I'm proud of our players. They gutted it up when we were 0-3 and needed this win. We worked hard the last few days."
Middle Tennessee moved the ball beautifully in the first quarter, draining 9-of-11 shots from 3-point range and ending the frame with 10 assists on 13 made baskets.
Five of those made triples came from senior Deja Cage, who was perfect from beyond the arc in the first quarter for 15 points. Junior Anastasia Hayes, who went into the night seventh in the country averaging 26.7 points per game, added 11 points and five assists in the first 10 minutes.
The 37 points was five more than the Lady Raiders' previous record high in a single quarter, which they've reached three times, the most recent coming in 2018 against Mississippi Valley State.
"We had the mentality that no matter who we played tonight, we were going to win," Cage said. "We had the energy, and it showed. We just started knocking down shots and started hot."
Though MT made plenty of shots, including 17 from 3-point range that was tied for the fourth most in program history, someone was usually there when they didn't fall to fight for an offensive rebound.
The Lady Raiders gobbled up 18 of their misses, leading to 13 second-chance points. They beat Troy 54-43 in the rebounding battle.
Sophomore Courtney Whitson did the most damage on the glass. She finished a point shy of the first double-double of her career, scoring nine to go with a career-high 16 rebounds, seven on the offensive end.
"I could tell by our focus and our energy that we were going to have a good game," Hayes said. "Our energy from the jump was high … and it just goes to show if we come out with that energy, we can do that."
Hayes finished with 29 points, the eighth straight game she's scored at least 24 dating back to last season. She also had 10 assists and seven rebounds, hitting 9-of-22 shots.
Cage hit 7-of-14 3-pointers and had a career-high 24 points, and junior Alexis Whittington was also in double-figure scoring with 16 points, including four treys.
One game separates Middle Tennessee from Conference USA play. Lipscomb will make the short trip from Nashville to the Murphy Center for a contest Sunday at 2 p.m.
"We have to play better defense," Insell said. "We get caught up in our scoring sometimes and get lost defensively.
"That's what I want for Christmas is a little defensive pressure. That's what I want under my tree."
After playing well in their first three games but going winless, the Lady Raiders (1-3) came out Thursday focused on putting visiting Troy (3-3) away early. They scored a program record 37 points in the first quarter and built a 23-point halftime lead before winning 92-76.
"I thought there were a lot of positives tonight," MT head coach Rick Insell said. "I'm proud of our players. They gutted it up when we were 0-3 and needed this win. We worked hard the last few days."
Middle Tennessee moved the ball beautifully in the first quarter, draining 9-of-11 shots from 3-point range and ending the frame with 10 assists on 13 made baskets.
Five of those made triples came from senior Deja Cage, who was perfect from beyond the arc in the first quarter for 15 points. Junior Anastasia Hayes, who went into the night seventh in the country averaging 26.7 points per game, added 11 points and five assists in the first 10 minutes.
The 37 points was five more than the Lady Raiders' previous record high in a single quarter, which they've reached three times, the most recent coming in 2018 against Mississippi Valley State.
"We had the mentality that no matter who we played tonight, we were going to win," Cage said. "We had the energy, and it showed. We just started knocking down shots and started hot."
Though MT made plenty of shots, including 17 from 3-point range that was tied for the fourth most in program history, someone was usually there when they didn't fall to fight for an offensive rebound.
The Lady Raiders gobbled up 18 of their misses, leading to 13 second-chance points. They beat Troy 54-43 in the rebounding battle.
Sophomore Courtney Whitson did the most damage on the glass. She finished a point shy of the first double-double of her career, scoring nine to go with a career-high 16 rebounds, seven on the offensive end.
"I could tell by our focus and our energy that we were going to have a good game," Hayes said. "Our energy from the jump was high … and it just goes to show if we come out with that energy, we can do that."
Hayes finished with 29 points, the eighth straight game she's scored at least 24 dating back to last season. She also had 10 assists and seven rebounds, hitting 9-of-22 shots.
Cage hit 7-of-14 3-pointers and had a career-high 24 points, and junior Alexis Whittington was also in double-figure scoring with 16 points, including four treys.
One game separates Middle Tennessee from Conference USA play. Lipscomb will make the short trip from Nashville to the Murphy Center for a contest Sunday at 2 p.m.
"We have to play better defense," Insell said. "We get caught up in our scoring sometimes and get lost defensively.
"That's what I want for Christmas is a little defensive pressure. That's what I want under my tree."
Team Stats
TROY
MT
FG%
.426
.382
3FG%
.308
.386
FT%
.609
.708
RB
43
54
TO
16
15
STL
7
9
Game Leaders
Pts
29
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
8
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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/ Women's BasketballG
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