Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
-157,124 CUSA
Louisiana Tech
-1410,88 CUSA
Lady Raiders turn back LA Tech in C-USA quarterfinals
3/11/2021 6:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Anastasia Hayes pours in 34 points
FRISCO, Texas – Anastasia Hayes provided another example of why she was chosen Conference USA Player of the Year with a dynamic second-half performance that helped lift Middle Tennessee to a 77-71 win against Louisiana Tech at the Ford Center at The Star Thursday.
Hayes scored 20 of her game-high 34 points in the fourth quarter as the Lady Raiders (15-7) earned victory in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Air Force Reserve C-USA Women's Basketball Championship presented by Baylor Scott & White Medical Center. Middle Tennessee will face UTEP in a Friday semifinal at 8:30 p.m.
The junior guard was at her best with the game on the line in the fourth quarter when she scored 10 of her 34 and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field. Hayes was 13-of-18 overall from the field. It marked the sixth time she has scored 30-plus this season.
"It is great to get this first win," said Hayes, who also had seven rebounds, five assists and three steals – all team highs. "We were determined to get this win. Louisiana Tech is a good team, and we knew it would be a tough game, but we were up for the challenge."
Middle Tennessee's balanced attack included five players in double figures in double figures scoring. Alexis Whittington finished with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, followed by Courtney Whitson's 11 points and six rebounds. Aislynn Hayes tallied 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Rellah Boothe continued her late-season surge with 10 points and seven rebounds in 11 minutes of action. Boothe was 4-of-4 from the field.
"It was a great team win," Lady Raider Head Coach Rick Insell said. "We shot the ball extremely well and we rebounded well. Those areas were big for us and key in winning the game. I am proud of all of these young ladies. They defended, they battled, and they just found a way to get this quarterfinal win. They were a determined group today."
Middle Tennessee had its best shooting game of the season, knocking down 52 percent (27-of-52) of its shots, including 41 percent (9-of-22) from the field.
LA Tech carried a 51-50 lead into the fourth quarter but how the final stanza started dictated the outcome more than how it ended.
Anastasia Hayes keyed a 10-0 run to start the final quarter, scoring seven of the 10 points during that stretch, as the Lady Raiders went on top 60-51. Middle Tennessee also buckled down on defense and did not allow a field goal until the 5:02 mark of the final frame.
The Lady Raiders improved to 13-2 in conference tournament games under Insell, reaching the semifinals for the 13th time in his 15 seasons.
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