2022-23 Lady Raider Season Begins at Mercer

Monday, November 7

Macon, GA

6 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

Mercer

Photo by: Maya Lewis/MT Athletic Communications

11/6/2022 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Game Notes (PDF)

MACON, Ga. – Middle Tennessee women's basketball begins its 48th season Monday night against Mercer. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT inside Hawkins Arena. The game will air on the Blue Raider Network and stream on ESPN+.

On The Court

The Lady Raiders return four starters and nine total letterwinners from last season's team that reached the WNIT semifinals and came within points of advancing to the championship game. As the preseason Conference USA favorites, MTSU featured three student-athletes on the league's preseason team, including C-USA's top scorer in 2021-22 Savannah Wheeler, experienced forward Courtney Whitson and reigning C-USA Sixth Player of the Year Kseniya Malashka.

All three are expected to play significant roles on this season's Lady Raider team. MTSU also returns senior Alexis Whittington and a trio of sophomore role players from a season ago in Jalynn Gregory, Anastasiia Boldyreva and Courtney Blakely.

Lady Raider Notes

Eighty-seven percent of the scoring from 2021-22 returns for a Lady Raider team that is expected to be tested with a tough non-conference slate to begin the season. Seven of the nine teams on the list played in the postseason last March. Four of the nine teams won their respective conference championships.
Opening the season away from the Glass House, MTSU has enjoyed great road success under head coach Rick Insell. The Lady Raiders are 151-82 overall on the road in the Insell era. Four of MTSU's first five games are on the road or in a neutral site.
As far as season openers, MTSU is 29-18 all-time and has won four of the last five.
Courtney Whitson comes into her fourth season as a Lady Raider with 907 career points, looking to become the 32nd member of the program's 1,000-point club

Breaking Down the Bears

Mercer continued its consistency of success last season as the Bears claimed their fourth SoCon Tournament title in the last five years. Posting a 23-7 record, including 13-1 in conference play, Mercer fell to No. 2 UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Mercer returns several key players, including three of its top four scorers. The Bears finished second in the SoCon in points per game (64.4) and points allowed (56.9). Mercer led the conference in several categories, including field goal percentage (.418), and 3-point field goal percentage (.362).
Head Coach Susie Gardner is in her 12th season leading the Bears. With 219 wins under her belt, Gardner is the program's all-time winningest coach.
Last season's matchup inside the Murphy Center was the first ever meeting between the two programs. For a full recap and stats from Dec. 3, 2021, visit this link.