Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Wednesday, March 2
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
6:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
-216,134 CUSA
72
vs
65
Charlotte
-189,143 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Charlotte
16
15
18
16
65
Middle Tenn.
11
18
21
22
72
Team Stats
CLT
MTSU
FG%
.418
.426
3FG%
.190
.333
FT%
.750
.765
RB
39
34
TO
15
8
STL
4
8
Game Leaders
Pts
27
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
5
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Maya Lewis/MT Athletic Communications
Lady Raiders power through Charlotte; sweep season series
3/2/2022 9:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Malashka pours in 27 off the bench
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee women's basketball grinded out their 13th straight home win on Wednesday, easing past C-USA leaders Charlotte 72-65 in the Murphy Center.
It was Middle Tennessee's fourth win after trailing at the half this season.
"I thought we just gutted it up all night," head coach Rick Insell said. "I was really proud of our players. We didn't start out like we wanted to, then we finally got to executing our offense and doing that we were able to get some shots. We missed several chip shots again. To do what we want to do this year, we've got to start hitting those chip shots."
Kseniya Malashka scored a career-high 27 points, drilling four 3-pointers and dominating in the paint and from the free throw line to pace MT off the bench as four Lady Raiders (21-6, 13-4 C-USA) finished the night in double digits scoring. Charlotte (18-9, 14-3 C-USA) struggled from beyond the arc, making just 4-of-21 attempts for three on the evening.
"I was working the whole last year with Coach Matt (Insell) on playing as a guard," Malashka said of her knuckleball three-point shot. "I can play both guard and post. We were working during the summer on my guard skills, and in season we developed my post skills."
Alexis Whittington once again proved her worth as a defensive stopper, guarding Charlotte's Octavia Jett-Wilson, who was held to just 3-for-10 from the floor by the Lady Raider defense, turning the ball over four times to contribute to the 49ers 15 turnovers. Whittington scored 12 points and secured six rebounds.
Whittington also contributed to one of the biggest momentum swings in the game, hitting a three after Courtney Whitson and Malashka battled for a rebound with several 49ers. The Lady Raiders would never trail after Whittington's triple.
https://twitter.com/MT_WBB/status/1499189683116548098?s=20&t=Rd5hLXsxUiSCrB-KRvZp4w
"I was like 'you know what, they're going to give it to me, I'm going to do it,'" Whittington said. "That was a huge moment for us, and that was all because of the hustle play by Kseniya and (Courtney)."
Whitson finished the night with 11 points and a team-leading eight rebounds, while Anastasiia Boldyreva added 10 points and five rebounds. Four Lady Raiders had at least two assists, with Dor Saar having a team-leading three on the night.
Middle Tennessee is now 6-0 following a loss this season, and 96-32 (75 percent) under Rick Insell following a loss.
Middle Tennessee trailed after a back and forth first quarter, nursing a 16-11 deficit at the first quarter break. Charlotte scored the game's first seven points, leading 10-2 before MT cut it to 12-9. After a 4-0 run from Charlotte, Courtney Blakely hit a step back jumper at the end of the quarter to cut into the 49ers lead.
The Lady Raiders cut the lead at halftime to just two points, entering the locker room down 31-29. Defense was locked in for MT in the second quarter, as Charlotte hit just 5-of-their-15 shots in the quarter. Kseniya Malashka led all scorers with 10 points at the break, thanks to two three pointers.
Middle Tennessee would take the lead for the first time in the third quarter, maintaining it most of the frame en route toa 50-49 advantage with 10 minutes to play. MT forced Charlotte into five turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of 49er miscues. MT would take control of the game in the final quarter, never allowing the 49ers to tie the game as Malashka scored 11 of her 27 points in the game's final 10 minutes.
With the win, and Western Kentucky's loss to Marshall, Middle Tennessee can now finish no worse than third in the C-USA East division and can secure a bye to the quarterfinals with a win against Old Dominion on Senior Day Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Glass House.
"It's championship time," Malashka said. "We're staying ready and focusing on that."
"The energy this week in practice has been crazy," Whittington added. "We have weeks where we come in and it's a little down, but this week's been crazy. We're so focused right now; we don't have anything else on our mind."
It was Middle Tennessee's fourth win after trailing at the half this season.
"I thought we just gutted it up all night," head coach Rick Insell said. "I was really proud of our players. We didn't start out like we wanted to, then we finally got to executing our offense and doing that we were able to get some shots. We missed several chip shots again. To do what we want to do this year, we've got to start hitting those chip shots."
Kseniya Malashka scored a career-high 27 points, drilling four 3-pointers and dominating in the paint and from the free throw line to pace MT off the bench as four Lady Raiders (21-6, 13-4 C-USA) finished the night in double digits scoring. Charlotte (18-9, 14-3 C-USA) struggled from beyond the arc, making just 4-of-21 attempts for three on the evening.
"I was working the whole last year with Coach Matt (Insell) on playing as a guard," Malashka said of her knuckleball three-point shot. "I can play both guard and post. We were working during the summer on my guard skills, and in season we developed my post skills."
Alexis Whittington once again proved her worth as a defensive stopper, guarding Charlotte's Octavia Jett-Wilson, who was held to just 3-for-10 from the floor by the Lady Raider defense, turning the ball over four times to contribute to the 49ers 15 turnovers. Whittington scored 12 points and secured six rebounds.
Whittington also contributed to one of the biggest momentum swings in the game, hitting a three after Courtney Whitson and Malashka battled for a rebound with several 49ers. The Lady Raiders would never trail after Whittington's triple.
https://twitter.com/MT_WBB/status/1499189683116548098?s=20&t=Rd5hLXsxUiSCrB-KRvZp4w
"I was like 'you know what, they're going to give it to me, I'm going to do it,'" Whittington said. "That was a huge moment for us, and that was all because of the hustle play by Kseniya and (Courtney)."
Whitson finished the night with 11 points and a team-leading eight rebounds, while Anastasiia Boldyreva added 10 points and five rebounds. Four Lady Raiders had at least two assists, with Dor Saar having a team-leading three on the night.
Middle Tennessee is now 6-0 following a loss this season, and 96-32 (75 percent) under Rick Insell following a loss.
Middle Tennessee trailed after a back and forth first quarter, nursing a 16-11 deficit at the first quarter break. Charlotte scored the game's first seven points, leading 10-2 before MT cut it to 12-9. After a 4-0 run from Charlotte, Courtney Blakely hit a step back jumper at the end of the quarter to cut into the 49ers lead.
The Lady Raiders cut the lead at halftime to just two points, entering the locker room down 31-29. Defense was locked in for MT in the second quarter, as Charlotte hit just 5-of-their-15 shots in the quarter. Kseniya Malashka led all scorers with 10 points at the break, thanks to two three pointers.
Middle Tennessee would take the lead for the first time in the third quarter, maintaining it most of the frame en route toa 50-49 advantage with 10 minutes to play. MT forced Charlotte into five turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of 49er miscues. MT would take control of the game in the final quarter, never allowing the 49ers to tie the game as Malashka scored 11 of her 27 points in the game's final 10 minutes.
With the win, and Western Kentucky's loss to Marshall, Middle Tennessee can now finish no worse than third in the C-USA East division and can secure a bye to the quarterfinals with a win against Old Dominion on Senior Day Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Glass House.
"It's championship time," Malashka said. "We're staying ready and focusing on that."
"The energy this week in practice has been crazy," Whittington added. "We have weeks where we come in and it's a little down, but this week's been crazy. We're so focused right now; we don't have anything else on our mind."
MTSU Women's Basketball vs. Belmont Postgame Press Conference on 12/03/25
Wednesday, December 03
Blue Raider Breakdown Postgame Show - November 20th - Women's Basketball
Friday, November 21
MTSU Women's Basketball vs. Tennessee post-game press conference – 11/20/25
Thursday, November 20
MT Women's Basketball | Together: Episode One | No time to be young.
Monday, November 10
