Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Thursday, December 29
Murfreesboro, TN
6 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
-92,20 CUSA
71
vs
46
Charlotte
-56,11 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Charlotte
16
7
15
8
46
Middle Tenn.
11
20
17
23
71
Team Stats
CLT
MTSU
FG%
.391
.375
3FG%
.400
.318
FT%
.667
.800
RB
32
39
TO
21
7
STL
5
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
16
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
5
Pts
5
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
Lady Raider Defense Suffocates 49ers in C-USA Home Opener
12/29/2022 9:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MTSU forces 20 turnovers to blast past Charlotte in final home game of 2022
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The Middle Tennessee women's basketball team found its groove in the second quarter against Charlotte and never looked back in a dominant 71-46 win in the Lady Raiders final home game of 2022 at the Murphy Center on Thursday night.
The MTSU defense forced 20 turnovers while holding the 49ers under 40 percent shooting.
After trailing 16-11 after the first quarter, the Lady Raiders (9-2, 2-0 C-USA) raced into the locker room at halftime on a 15-2 run, resulting in a 31-23 lead after successfully attacking the 49er defense in the second quarter. Kseniya Malashka paced all scorers with 13 points at the break, taking advantage of slow feet in the Charlotte paint to get to the rim.
The 49ers (5-6, 1-1 C-USA) would hang around in the third quarter, only dropping that frame by two points thanks to a pair of threes. Charlotte would get blitzed off the court in the game's final four minutes, turning the ball over seven times leading to 11 MTSU points as the Lady Raiders left no doubt, winning the final quarter 23-8 to put an exclamation point on the end of 2022 in the Glass House.
Malashka was excellent as usual off the bench, scoring 22 points while hauling in eight rebounds and swatting three blocks. Courtney Whitson turned it on the second half, making six of her nine shots from the field in the game's final 20 minutes to score 17 points, earning her a double-double with her team-leading 10 rebounds, including five offensive boards. Alexis Whittington was the only other Lady Raider in double figures, scoring a season-high 16 points thanks to a 3-for-4 night beyond the arc and a 5-for-6 evening at the free throw line.
By the Numbers
26: Points off turnovers for MTSU, an aspect of the Lady Raider defense that was on right from the opening tip on Thursday night. Middle Tennessee forced six turnovers in the first quarter, resulting in six points, helping keep themselves in the game as Charlotte started hot from the field.
5-for-21: Charlotte's field goals in the second and fourth quarters, which MTSU won by a combined score of 43-15. That clip is good for a shooting percentage of 23.8 percent as the Lady Raider defense locked in down the stretch. No 49er finished the game with more than nine points.
5-for-10: Second half shooting for three for MTSU. The Lady Raiders were buoyed by Whitson (3-for-4) and Whittington (2-for-2) who both caught fire on catch and shoot looks to spark the MTSU offense to big runs to put Charlotte away.
Lady Raider Notes
Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Insell
"It kind of shows you what kind of team we got that we lost one of the top players in the conference in the second quarter and we run on out, and what did we end up winning by? 17 or 18? 25?"
"We're good defensively. We've got a pretty good defensive team. You go back to Louisville, you go back to Belmont, you go back to Memphis, you come right on down, Rice, we're a pretty good defensive team. And we locked in."
Player's Perspective – Alexis Whittington
On what defensive adjustments were made to spark the defensive renaissance after the first quarter.
"Talk, communication. They were setting just screens out of nowhere, and like, y'all we have to communicate, do better help side. Talk early. We were talking, but it was late. They all were just like 'You're right!' So, we went out there and we just started communicating in the second half and it just changed the game."
Up Next
The Lady Raiders head up the road to Western Kentucky for a rivalry tilt on New Year's Eve this Saturday. Tipoff from E.A. Diddle Arena is set for 2 p.m., with radio coverage from the Blue Raider Network on Murfreesboro – WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM, Smyrna – WGNS 100.5 FM.
Follow the Lady Raiders
Follow Middle Tennessee Women's Basketball on social media on Facebook (/MTSUWBB), Twitter (@MT_WBB) and Instagram (@mt_wbb).
The MTSU defense forced 20 turnovers while holding the 49ers under 40 percent shooting.
After trailing 16-11 after the first quarter, the Lady Raiders (9-2, 2-0 C-USA) raced into the locker room at halftime on a 15-2 run, resulting in a 31-23 lead after successfully attacking the 49er defense in the second quarter. Kseniya Malashka paced all scorers with 13 points at the break, taking advantage of slow feet in the Charlotte paint to get to the rim.
The 49ers (5-6, 1-1 C-USA) would hang around in the third quarter, only dropping that frame by two points thanks to a pair of threes. Charlotte would get blitzed off the court in the game's final four minutes, turning the ball over seven times leading to 11 MTSU points as the Lady Raiders left no doubt, winning the final quarter 23-8 to put an exclamation point on the end of 2022 in the Glass House.
Malashka was excellent as usual off the bench, scoring 22 points while hauling in eight rebounds and swatting three blocks. Courtney Whitson turned it on the second half, making six of her nine shots from the field in the game's final 20 minutes to score 17 points, earning her a double-double with her team-leading 10 rebounds, including five offensive boards. Alexis Whittington was the only other Lady Raider in double figures, scoring a season-high 16 points thanks to a 3-for-4 night beyond the arc and a 5-for-6 evening at the free throw line.
By the Numbers
26: Points off turnovers for MTSU, an aspect of the Lady Raider defense that was on right from the opening tip on Thursday night. Middle Tennessee forced six turnovers in the first quarter, resulting in six points, helping keep themselves in the game as Charlotte started hot from the field.
5-for-21: Charlotte's field goals in the second and fourth quarters, which MTSU won by a combined score of 43-15. That clip is good for a shooting percentage of 23.8 percent as the Lady Raider defense locked in down the stretch. No 49er finished the game with more than nine points.
5-for-10: Second half shooting for three for MTSU. The Lady Raiders were buoyed by Whitson (3-for-4) and Whittington (2-for-2) who both caught fire on catch and shoot looks to spark the MTSU offense to big runs to put Charlotte away.
Lady Raider Notes
- Kseniya Malashka scored 20-or-more points and recorded three blocks for the third straight game.
- Middle Tennessee grabbed a season-high seven offensive rebounds, which included 11 in the first quarter.
- The Lady Raiders committed a season-low seven turnovers.
- After a 17-point, 10-rebound performance, Courtney Whitson finished with her ninth career double-double and her third of the season.
- In her first start since Nov. 26, Alexis Whittington set a new season high in points after dropping 16.
- MTSU has won 11 of 12 games in the all-time series vs. Charlotte, and still hasn't lost at home to the 49ers.
- The Lady Raiders extended their winning streak to 19 in regular season games at the Glass House and remains a perfect 6-0 in the month of December.
Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Insell
"It kind of shows you what kind of team we got that we lost one of the top players in the conference in the second quarter and we run on out, and what did we end up winning by? 17 or 18? 25?"
"We're good defensively. We've got a pretty good defensive team. You go back to Louisville, you go back to Belmont, you go back to Memphis, you come right on down, Rice, we're a pretty good defensive team. And we locked in."
Player's Perspective – Alexis Whittington
On what defensive adjustments were made to spark the defensive renaissance after the first quarter.
"Talk, communication. They were setting just screens out of nowhere, and like, y'all we have to communicate, do better help side. Talk early. We were talking, but it was late. They all were just like 'You're right!' So, we went out there and we just started communicating in the second half and it just changed the game."
Up Next
The Lady Raiders head up the road to Western Kentucky for a rivalry tilt on New Year's Eve this Saturday. Tipoff from E.A. Diddle Arena is set for 2 p.m., with radio coverage from the Blue Raider Network on Murfreesboro – WGNS 101.9 FM / 1450 AM, Smyrna – WGNS 100.5 FM.
Follow the Lady Raiders
Follow Middle Tennessee Women's Basketball on social media on Facebook (/MTSUWBB), Twitter (@MT_WBB) and Instagram (@mt_wbb).
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