Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, February 19
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
-195,113 CUSA
72
vs
49
Florida Atlantic
-520,113 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Fla. Atlantic
14
6
17
12
49
Middle Tenn.
28
20
8
16
72
Team Stats
FAU
MTSU
FG%
.442
.422
3FG%
.300
.406
FT%
.800
.833
RB
25
37
TO
14
8
STL
5
10
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Maya Lewis/MT Athletic Communications
Hot first half carries Lady Raiders past Florida Atlantic
2/19/2022 5:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee women's basketball scored early and often, cruising to their 19th win of the season behind a barrage of 3-pointers in a 72-49 win over FAU at the Murphy Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Lady Raiders (19-5, 11-3 C-USA) shot 11-for-17 from beyond the arc in the first half alone, hitting 13 total 3-pointers in a game they easily controlled after a first quarter where they doubled their opponent's first quarter score 28-14 in the opening 10minutes. The Owls (5-20, 1-13 C-USA) are the ninth team MT has held to under 50 points this season.
"I was told we wouldn't win five games this year, but I've been told that a lot," head coach Rick Insell said. "I thought we played pretty good defense the whole game."
Alexis Whittington led all scorers with 17 points, drilling a season-high five 3-pointers while adding seven rebounds and three steals to the Lady Raiders' efforts.
"I feed off of it," Whittington said of her first make. The senior wing made four straight threes to open her afternoon. "If my first shot is going in, then my second shot is going in, I'm like 'ok, it's going to be a hot night for me.' I'm still trying to get my consistency back, and this was a great night to start it off."
Courtney Whitson was in triple-double watch late in Saturday's game, finishing the day with 13 points, eight rebounds and a career-high eight assists, taking advantage of FAU's pressure in the post to find teammates on the perimeter for open looks. The junior forward also added three steals to her defensive performance.
"I don't care if I score another point in my career," Whitson said. "But if I see and get those assists for my teammates, that's basketball to me."
Kseniya Malashka once again was huge off the bench for Middle Tennessee, scoring 16 points while hauling in six boards. The rebounding efforts of Whitson, Whittington, Malashka and Anastasiia Boldyreva (six rebounds) were key for Lady Raiders, as they scored 17 points on second chances from 14 offensive boards, while holding FAU to zero points off of their two offensive rebounds.
Also key to the win were the turnover to assists ratio for each team. MT assisted on 16 of their 27 baskets while turning it over just eight times. Meanwhile, FAU only assisted on eight of their 19 buckets, while turning the ball over 14 times.
The Lady Raiders dominated the opening 10 minutes, unleashing a barrage of three pointers to double FAU in the first quarter, 28-14. MT was 7-for-9 from beyond the arc, led by a 3-for-3 clip from Alexis Whittington. All six Lady Raiders who checked in the game in the first quarter scored, as MT took advantage of a 8-4 advantage on the boards to score eight second chance points in the frame.
Middle Tennessee continued its domination in the second quarter, this time holding the Owls to just six points in the frame to take a 48-20 lead into the locker room at halftime. FAU went just 3-for-13 from the field in the second quarter, while MT continued it's offensive prowess, hitting another four triples in the frame to finish the first half shooting 55.2 percent from the field, 64.7 percent from three, and 83.3 percent from the free throw line.
FAU came out focused in the fourth quarter, outsourcing MT 17-6 in the next ten minutes to cut the lead to 56-37. The Lady Raiders missed all six of their third quarter three point attempts en route to a 4-for-17 effort from the floor, while FAU hit 7-of-11 shots in the quarter. But MT would respond in the final quarter, limiting the Owls to just three makes on seven shots while making seven field goals of their own to win the quarter 16-12.
The Lady Raiders will now hit the road for two crucial C-USA East division games, first traveling to Huntington, W. Va. on Thursday to battle Marshall, and then traveling west to Bowling Green, Ky. to face Western Kentucky on Saturday. A critical stretch to prepare the team for C-USA tournament play in just three week's time.
"We're all on the same page," Whittington said of the team's tournament mentality with four games to play in the regular season. "That honestly blows me away for having such a young team. They are so focused, and they want this just as bad as us who've been here. I never once stress about (if) we're going to be ready for the tournament or ready for these next four games. There's not one person who brings everybody down."
The Lady Raiders (19-5, 11-3 C-USA) shot 11-for-17 from beyond the arc in the first half alone, hitting 13 total 3-pointers in a game they easily controlled after a first quarter where they doubled their opponent's first quarter score 28-14 in the opening 10minutes. The Owls (5-20, 1-13 C-USA) are the ninth team MT has held to under 50 points this season.
"I was told we wouldn't win five games this year, but I've been told that a lot," head coach Rick Insell said. "I thought we played pretty good defense the whole game."
Alexis Whittington led all scorers with 17 points, drilling a season-high five 3-pointers while adding seven rebounds and three steals to the Lady Raiders' efforts.
"I feed off of it," Whittington said of her first make. The senior wing made four straight threes to open her afternoon. "If my first shot is going in, then my second shot is going in, I'm like 'ok, it's going to be a hot night for me.' I'm still trying to get my consistency back, and this was a great night to start it off."
Courtney Whitson was in triple-double watch late in Saturday's game, finishing the day with 13 points, eight rebounds and a career-high eight assists, taking advantage of FAU's pressure in the post to find teammates on the perimeter for open looks. The junior forward also added three steals to her defensive performance.
"I don't care if I score another point in my career," Whitson said. "But if I see and get those assists for my teammates, that's basketball to me."
Kseniya Malashka once again was huge off the bench for Middle Tennessee, scoring 16 points while hauling in six boards. The rebounding efforts of Whitson, Whittington, Malashka and Anastasiia Boldyreva (six rebounds) were key for Lady Raiders, as they scored 17 points on second chances from 14 offensive boards, while holding FAU to zero points off of their two offensive rebounds.
Also key to the win were the turnover to assists ratio for each team. MT assisted on 16 of their 27 baskets while turning it over just eight times. Meanwhile, FAU only assisted on eight of their 19 buckets, while turning the ball over 14 times.
The Lady Raiders dominated the opening 10 minutes, unleashing a barrage of three pointers to double FAU in the first quarter, 28-14. MT was 7-for-9 from beyond the arc, led by a 3-for-3 clip from Alexis Whittington. All six Lady Raiders who checked in the game in the first quarter scored, as MT took advantage of a 8-4 advantage on the boards to score eight second chance points in the frame.
Middle Tennessee continued its domination in the second quarter, this time holding the Owls to just six points in the frame to take a 48-20 lead into the locker room at halftime. FAU went just 3-for-13 from the field in the second quarter, while MT continued it's offensive prowess, hitting another four triples in the frame to finish the first half shooting 55.2 percent from the field, 64.7 percent from three, and 83.3 percent from the free throw line.
FAU came out focused in the fourth quarter, outsourcing MT 17-6 in the next ten minutes to cut the lead to 56-37. The Lady Raiders missed all six of their third quarter three point attempts en route to a 4-for-17 effort from the floor, while FAU hit 7-of-11 shots in the quarter. But MT would respond in the final quarter, limiting the Owls to just three makes on seven shots while making seven field goals of their own to win the quarter 16-12.
The Lady Raiders will now hit the road for two crucial C-USA East division games, first traveling to Huntington, W. Va. on Thursday to battle Marshall, and then traveling west to Bowling Green, Ky. to face Western Kentucky on Saturday. A critical stretch to prepare the team for C-USA tournament play in just three week's time.
"We're all on the same page," Whittington said of the team's tournament mentality with four games to play in the regular season. "That honestly blows me away for having such a young team. They are so focused, and they want this just as bad as us who've been here. I never once stress about (if) we're going to be ready for the tournament or ready for these next four games. There's not one person who brings everybody down."
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