Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Thursday, December 30
San Antonio, Texas
7:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
at
UTSA
Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications
Lady Raiders launch conference season in Texas
12/29/2021 7:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SAN ANTONIO – Middle Tennessee women's basketball returns to the court this week with a pair of games against Texas conference foes.
The Lady Raiders (8-2) open Conference USA play Dec. 30 against UTSA (3-8) and then face UTEP (8-2) on New Year's Day.
Tipoff times are scheduled for 7 p.m. at UTSA and 2 p.m. CDT at UTEP.
Last time out - Dec. 17, 2021 vs. Southern Illinois (W, 62-61) RECAP
Middle Tennessee edged Southern Illinois to wrap up non-conference action at the Murphy Center.
Highlighted by a four-point play at the 2:00 mark to give MT a two-point lead, Jalynn Gregory finished with a career-high 27 points. Kseniya Malashka scored in double figures once again, adding 11 points off the bench for the Blue Raiders.
Putting Middle Tennessee on the map
How good has the Blue Raider defense been? The following is where Middle Tennessee ranks nationally in several categories.
• Eighth in the nation in opponent 3-point percentage (22.3 percent).
• Tied for 35th in the country in scoring defense, holding opponents to 54.5 points per game.
Offensively, MT is 10th in 3-point field goals per game (9.9) and tied for 27th in 3-point field goals made (99). Whitson plays 38.6 minutes a game, good enough for third in the country.
Blue Raider notes
• Middle Tennessee has made 18 consecutive postseason appearances.
• This season's roster includes five international players from five different countries.
• Five of the 11 non-conference opponents were NCAA Tournament teams last season: VCU, Marquette, Mercer, Troy and Belmont. MT went 8-2 in the non-conference portion of the season.
• Jalynn Gregory has been named Conference USA Freshman of the Week twice. The Lafayette, Tenn. native is putting up 11.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, including scoring double figures in her last three games and six times in 10 games.
• The Lady Raiders held five of their first seven opponents, including their first four, to less than 50 points, marking the only time in program history that a MT team has held four straight foes to less than 50 points during any stretch.
• MT's bench has been strong this season with the Lady Raider bench averaging 17.9 ppg., which is almost three times its average last season.
Lone Star Success
The Lady Raiders are 54-17 all-time against Texas schools, including 46-9 against the four C-USA schools located in the Lone Star state.
Scouting UTSA
UTSA finished its non-conference schedule 3-8. The Roadrunners dropped their first three games and six of its first seven before winning back to back games against Dartmouth and UTRGV. UTSA went up against three Power Five schools, including No. 23 Texas A&M on Dec. 20.
LaPraisjah Johnson leads the team in scoring with 9.7 points per game while Jadyn Pimentel is just behind, scoring 9.5. Pimentel leads all of Conference USA in steals as she's recorded 31 with an average of 2.82 per game.
Opponents are outscoring the Roadrunners 65.7 to 53.9. UTSA attacks the boards for a rebound average of 43.3, including 15.8 rebounds per game.
Karen Aston is in her first season as UTSA's head coach. Her previous stops include Charlotte, North Texas and Texas.
All-time series
MT has never lost against UTSA, going 7-0 in the series dating back to 2014.
Previewing UTEP
Like Middle Tennessee, UTEP won eight of its 10 non-conference games and went 5-0 at home. The only losses for the Miners were against Kansas in the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout and New Mexico Dec. 19.
In its most recent game, UTEP won a thrilling double overtime game 93-85 against Air Force Dec. 21. Before facing the Blue Raiders, UTEP is set to face UAB Dec. 30 at home.
Saturday will be a matchup of the conference's second best scoring defense in Middle Tennessee against the second-best scoring offense in UTEP.
UTEP's roster includes three double digit scorers. Katia Gallegos (14.6), Destiny Thurman (14.4) and Teal Battle (10.9) combine to score 45.3 of the Miners' 74.5 points per game.
Thurman is UTEP's biggest threat from beyond the arc, making 2.38 3-pointers per game, second behind Dor Saar's 2.6 average which leads C-USA.
UTEP Head Coach Kevin Baker is in his fifth season leading the team. Baker has won at least 16 games in three of his four previous seasons.
All-time series
MT is 9-1 all time vs. UTEP. The only Lady Raider loss came on the road in 2016.
Options to follow the game
• Both games will stream on CUSA.TV. Listen on WGNS 1450 AM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM or GoBlueRaiders.com/Watch.
• Fans can also follow along on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Lady Raiders (8-2) open Conference USA play Dec. 30 against UTSA (3-8) and then face UTEP (8-2) on New Year's Day.
Tipoff times are scheduled for 7 p.m. at UTSA and 2 p.m. CDT at UTEP.
Last time out - Dec. 17, 2021 vs. Southern Illinois (W, 62-61) RECAP
Middle Tennessee edged Southern Illinois to wrap up non-conference action at the Murphy Center.
Highlighted by a four-point play at the 2:00 mark to give MT a two-point lead, Jalynn Gregory finished with a career-high 27 points. Kseniya Malashka scored in double figures once again, adding 11 points off the bench for the Blue Raiders.
Putting Middle Tennessee on the map
How good has the Blue Raider defense been? The following is where Middle Tennessee ranks nationally in several categories.
• Eighth in the nation in opponent 3-point percentage (22.3 percent).
• Tied for 35th in the country in scoring defense, holding opponents to 54.5 points per game.
Offensively, MT is 10th in 3-point field goals per game (9.9) and tied for 27th in 3-point field goals made (99). Whitson plays 38.6 minutes a game, good enough for third in the country.
Blue Raider notes
• Middle Tennessee has made 18 consecutive postseason appearances.
• This season's roster includes five international players from five different countries.
• Five of the 11 non-conference opponents were NCAA Tournament teams last season: VCU, Marquette, Mercer, Troy and Belmont. MT went 8-2 in the non-conference portion of the season.
• Jalynn Gregory has been named Conference USA Freshman of the Week twice. The Lafayette, Tenn. native is putting up 11.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, including scoring double figures in her last three games and six times in 10 games.
• The Lady Raiders held five of their first seven opponents, including their first four, to less than 50 points, marking the only time in program history that a MT team has held four straight foes to less than 50 points during any stretch.
• MT's bench has been strong this season with the Lady Raider bench averaging 17.9 ppg., which is almost three times its average last season.
Lone Star Success
The Lady Raiders are 54-17 all-time against Texas schools, including 46-9 against the four C-USA schools located in the Lone Star state.
Scouting UTSA
UTSA finished its non-conference schedule 3-8. The Roadrunners dropped their first three games and six of its first seven before winning back to back games against Dartmouth and UTRGV. UTSA went up against three Power Five schools, including No. 23 Texas A&M on Dec. 20.
LaPraisjah Johnson leads the team in scoring with 9.7 points per game while Jadyn Pimentel is just behind, scoring 9.5. Pimentel leads all of Conference USA in steals as she's recorded 31 with an average of 2.82 per game.
Opponents are outscoring the Roadrunners 65.7 to 53.9. UTSA attacks the boards for a rebound average of 43.3, including 15.8 rebounds per game.
Karen Aston is in her first season as UTSA's head coach. Her previous stops include Charlotte, North Texas and Texas.
All-time series
MT has never lost against UTSA, going 7-0 in the series dating back to 2014.
Previewing UTEP
Like Middle Tennessee, UTEP won eight of its 10 non-conference games and went 5-0 at home. The only losses for the Miners were against Kansas in the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout and New Mexico Dec. 19.
In its most recent game, UTEP won a thrilling double overtime game 93-85 against Air Force Dec. 21. Before facing the Blue Raiders, UTEP is set to face UAB Dec. 30 at home.
Saturday will be a matchup of the conference's second best scoring defense in Middle Tennessee against the second-best scoring offense in UTEP.
UTEP's roster includes three double digit scorers. Katia Gallegos (14.6), Destiny Thurman (14.4) and Teal Battle (10.9) combine to score 45.3 of the Miners' 74.5 points per game.
Thurman is UTEP's biggest threat from beyond the arc, making 2.38 3-pointers per game, second behind Dor Saar's 2.6 average which leads C-USA.
UTEP Head Coach Kevin Baker is in his fifth season leading the team. Baker has won at least 16 games in three of his four previous seasons.
All-time series
MT is 9-1 all time vs. UTEP. The only Lady Raider loss came on the road in 2016.
Options to follow the game
• Both games will stream on CUSA.TV. Listen on WGNS 1450 AM, 100.5 FM, 101.9 FM or GoBlueRaiders.com/Watch.
• Fans can also follow along on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
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