Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, February 29
5:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
-199,115 CUSA
108
vs
103
WKU (ESPN3)
-207,124 CUSA
1
2
3
4
OT 1
OT 2
F
Western Ky.
19
13
15
29
15
12
103
Middle Tennessee
21
19
15
21
15
17
108
Team Stats
WESTKY
MT
FG%
.404
.470
3FG%
.381
.240
FT%
.657
.706
RB
53
54
TO
17
19
STL
8
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
37
FGM
11
3FGM
0
FTM
15
Pts
25
FGM
10
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballLady Raiders win epic battle vs. WKU, 108-103
2/29/2020 9:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Highest-scoring game in program history
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Conference USA women's basketball is as deep as it has been in years and two of its marquee teams put on a dazzling demonstration in a battle for the ages at Murphy Center Saturday night.
Rivals Middle Tennessee (19-9, 11-5) and WKU fought to the finish before the Lady Raiders pulled out a thrilling 108-103 double-overtime win in the highest-scoring game in Lady Raider history. It was also the first double-overtime game for Middle Tennessee since Feb. 5, 2004. Ironically, that game also was against WKU.
It marked the first time two college women's basketball teams both scored 100-plus points at the Murphy Center.
The win ended WKU's 10-game win streak.
The epic battle featured 14 lead changes and 13 ties.
"We are very blessed to win this game against a very, very good Western Kentucky team that is well coached," Lady Raider Head Coach Rick Insell said. "What you saw out there tonight was intense competition between two good teams with players who refused to give in. Like any rivalry should be, this one meant a lot to both teams. I believe these programs have a great deal of respect for one another and that also adds to the dynamic."
Even if nothing is on the line, these two rivals always play like there is; however, there was plenty riding on the outcome of this one. WKU (20-7, 12-4) entered the game with aspirations of a regular-season title within reach but the setback diminished those hopes, while Middle Tennessee is still looking to secure a first-round bye in the C-USA Championship.
Like two heavyweight fighters battling in a bustling heavyweight division, rival Middle Tennessee and WKU staged a battle for the ages.
Sophomore standout Anastasia Hayes delivered the most significant blows and just missed another triple-double before settling for her fourth double-double. Hayes poured in a career-high 37 points to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists. The incomparable Hayes was best under pressure, scoring 12 of her points in the two overtime periods, including 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Freshman standout Aislynn Hayes would not be outdone on this night of superlatives. The C-USA Freshman of the Year candidate tied her career-high with 25 points to go with four assists. Like her sister, Aislynn was at her best when it mattered most, scoring nine points on 3-of-4 shooting in the overtime periods.
Rellah Boothe saw her most extensive action as a Lady Raider and responded with 15 points and five rebounds in just 15 minutes of action, and super sub Alexis Whittington strengthened her case for C-USA Sixth Player of the Year with her first career double-double as she came off the bench with 11 points, a career-high 13 rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal.
Courtney Whitson finished with nine points and five rebounds, followed by Charity Savage with seven points and six rebounds.
The Lady Raiders had four players foul out and the only available players for Middle Tennessee were on the floor when the game ended. In the end, Middle Tennessee had three sophomores and two freshmen on the court, including four who all played together at nearby Riverdale High School.
"Every player on this team contributed to this win tonight," Insell said. "During practice and preparation, we always preach and stress the importance of every player being ready. Just this week I told (Kiya Turner and Amanda Whittington) there was going to be a big game where we needed them to help us win. Tonight, was that game and they were ready."
The game was intense from the outset.
WKU's biggest lead was three, 86-83, with 2:27 remaining in the first overtime. Middle Tennessee built as much as a 13-point lead, 53-40, following Boothe's layup with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter; however, WKU wouldn't go quietly.
In fact, the Lady Hilltoppers stormed back and took a 74-73 lead with 1:55 remaining in regulation.
"That's when our team showed tremendous character," Insell said. "WKU had a lot of momentum, but our young ladies never folded."
No way were the Lady Raiders throwing in the towel. Not after the manner in which they had fought and scratched throughout.
Each team delivered power punches down the stretch of the brutal battle.
Aislynn Hayes' corner 3-pointer with 1:37 qualified as one of the more furious, erasing the one-point deficit and providing a 76-74 lead with 1:37 remaining in regulation.
Alexis Brewer came through for WKU and buried a pair of pressure-packed free throws on the next possession to tie the game, 76-76 with 58 ticks remaining.
Two great defensive stands, one by WKU and one by Middle Tennessee, highlighted the final 57 seconds. WKU had two shots to win in the final seconds but Brewer's mid-range jumper missed the mark with under five seconds and Dee Givens' putback was off the mark, forcing overtime.
WKU built its biggest lead, 86-83, following Reneem Elgedawy's layup with 2:27 remaining, but Aislynn Hayes came through under pressure once again, burying a long-range 3-pointer from the left wing to tie the game, 86-86.
Brewer made one of two free throws on the other end to put WKU back in the lead, but Anastasia Hayes delivered a jab with a driving layup to put Middle Tennessee back in front, 88-87 with 43 seconds remaining.
Brewer, who finished with a team-high 28 points for WKU, gave the Lady Toppers a 89-88 lead with 30 seconds remaining setting the stage for more dramatics.
It appeared Taylor Sutton had delivered the knockout blow with her 3-point dagger with three seconds remaining to put Middle Tennessee in front, 91-89, but Whitney Creech drew a foul with one-tenth of a second on the clock and nailed both free throws to force the second overtime.
"Like I said, players on both teams making big-time plays under pressure with a refuse-to-lose attitude," Insell said. "This is what rivalry games are like and tonight was one fans will be talking about for years to come."
Middle Tennessee finally took control in the second overtime and built a 97-91 lead following two Whittington free throws with 3:46 remaining. WKU was within three, 97-94, following Givens' field goal with 2:37 remaining but the Lady Raiders held strong down the stretch to seal the victory.
Middle Tennessee will face North Texas on Senior Night in what will be Charity Savage's final regular-season home game Thursday. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
Rivals Middle Tennessee (19-9, 11-5) and WKU fought to the finish before the Lady Raiders pulled out a thrilling 108-103 double-overtime win in the highest-scoring game in Lady Raider history. It was also the first double-overtime game for Middle Tennessee since Feb. 5, 2004. Ironically, that game also was against WKU.
It marked the first time two college women's basketball teams both scored 100-plus points at the Murphy Center.
The win ended WKU's 10-game win streak.
The epic battle featured 14 lead changes and 13 ties.
"We are very blessed to win this game against a very, very good Western Kentucky team that is well coached," Lady Raider Head Coach Rick Insell said. "What you saw out there tonight was intense competition between two good teams with players who refused to give in. Like any rivalry should be, this one meant a lot to both teams. I believe these programs have a great deal of respect for one another and that also adds to the dynamic."
Even if nothing is on the line, these two rivals always play like there is; however, there was plenty riding on the outcome of this one. WKU (20-7, 12-4) entered the game with aspirations of a regular-season title within reach but the setback diminished those hopes, while Middle Tennessee is still looking to secure a first-round bye in the C-USA Championship.
Like two heavyweight fighters battling in a bustling heavyweight division, rival Middle Tennessee and WKU staged a battle for the ages.
Sophomore standout Anastasia Hayes delivered the most significant blows and just missed another triple-double before settling for her fourth double-double. Hayes poured in a career-high 37 points to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists. The incomparable Hayes was best under pressure, scoring 12 of her points in the two overtime periods, including 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Freshman standout Aislynn Hayes would not be outdone on this night of superlatives. The C-USA Freshman of the Year candidate tied her career-high with 25 points to go with four assists. Like her sister, Aislynn was at her best when it mattered most, scoring nine points on 3-of-4 shooting in the overtime periods.
Rellah Boothe saw her most extensive action as a Lady Raider and responded with 15 points and five rebounds in just 15 minutes of action, and super sub Alexis Whittington strengthened her case for C-USA Sixth Player of the Year with her first career double-double as she came off the bench with 11 points, a career-high 13 rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal.
Courtney Whitson finished with nine points and five rebounds, followed by Charity Savage with seven points and six rebounds.
The Lady Raiders had four players foul out and the only available players for Middle Tennessee were on the floor when the game ended. In the end, Middle Tennessee had three sophomores and two freshmen on the court, including four who all played together at nearby Riverdale High School.
"Every player on this team contributed to this win tonight," Insell said. "During practice and preparation, we always preach and stress the importance of every player being ready. Just this week I told (Kiya Turner and Amanda Whittington) there was going to be a big game where we needed them to help us win. Tonight, was that game and they were ready."
The game was intense from the outset.
WKU's biggest lead was three, 86-83, with 2:27 remaining in the first overtime. Middle Tennessee built as much as a 13-point lead, 53-40, following Boothe's layup with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter; however, WKU wouldn't go quietly.
In fact, the Lady Hilltoppers stormed back and took a 74-73 lead with 1:55 remaining in regulation.
"That's when our team showed tremendous character," Insell said. "WKU had a lot of momentum, but our young ladies never folded."
No way were the Lady Raiders throwing in the towel. Not after the manner in which they had fought and scratched throughout.
Each team delivered power punches down the stretch of the brutal battle.
Aislynn Hayes' corner 3-pointer with 1:37 qualified as one of the more furious, erasing the one-point deficit and providing a 76-74 lead with 1:37 remaining in regulation.
Alexis Brewer came through for WKU and buried a pair of pressure-packed free throws on the next possession to tie the game, 76-76 with 58 ticks remaining.
Two great defensive stands, one by WKU and one by Middle Tennessee, highlighted the final 57 seconds. WKU had two shots to win in the final seconds but Brewer's mid-range jumper missed the mark with under five seconds and Dee Givens' putback was off the mark, forcing overtime.
WKU built its biggest lead, 86-83, following Reneem Elgedawy's layup with 2:27 remaining, but Aislynn Hayes came through under pressure once again, burying a long-range 3-pointer from the left wing to tie the game, 86-86.
Brewer made one of two free throws on the other end to put WKU back in the lead, but Anastasia Hayes delivered a jab with a driving layup to put Middle Tennessee back in front, 88-87 with 43 seconds remaining.
Brewer, who finished with a team-high 28 points for WKU, gave the Lady Toppers a 89-88 lead with 30 seconds remaining setting the stage for more dramatics.
It appeared Taylor Sutton had delivered the knockout blow with her 3-point dagger with three seconds remaining to put Middle Tennessee in front, 91-89, but Whitney Creech drew a foul with one-tenth of a second on the clock and nailed both free throws to force the second overtime.
"Like I said, players on both teams making big-time plays under pressure with a refuse-to-lose attitude," Insell said. "This is what rivalry games are like and tonight was one fans will be talking about for years to come."
Middle Tennessee finally took control in the second overtime and built a 97-91 lead following two Whittington free throws with 3:46 remaining. WKU was within three, 97-94, following Givens' field goal with 2:37 remaining but the Lady Raiders held strong down the stretch to seal the victory.
Middle Tennessee will face North Texas on Senior Night in what will be Charity Savage's final regular-season home game Thursday. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
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