Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Saturday, February 11
Murfreesboro, TN
5 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
-204,132 CUSA
63
vs
42
UAB
-1113,312 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
UAB
13
7
7
15
42
Middle Tenn.
16
11
21
15
63
Team Stats
UAB
MTSU
FG%
.302
.382
3FG%
.211
.304
FT%
.857
.824
RB
35
30
TO
21
6
STL
1
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: @MTAthletics
Lady Raiders stifle Blazers’ offense to reach 20 wins
2/11/2023 8:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
UAB was held to just 22.6 percent from the field in the game’s first three quarters.
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee women's basketball suffocated UAB on Saturday in the Murphy Center, holding the Blazers to just 42 points in a 63-42 win for the Lady Raiders' 20th victory of the season.
MTSU (20-4, 13-2 C-USA) overcame a slow start early with active defensive pressure all night, forcing UAB (11-13, 3-12 C-USA) into a plethora of turnovers, resulting in plenty of easy points for the Lady Raiders. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Blazers were shooting just 22.6 percent as a team, before a more relaxed pace in the fourth quarter with the game in hand allowed UAB to push their game shooting percentage to 30.2 percent (13-for-43).
Offensively for MTSU, the Lady Raiders were very balanced, scoring 14 points at the free throw line, 21 points from beyond the arc and 28 points from inside the three-point line, with six players scoring at least five of MTSU's points.
Savannah Wheeler led all scorers for the second game in a row, just missing out on a double-double with a 20-point, nine-rebound performance. Jalynn Gregory was a big threat as always from outside, making two of her five three-point attempts en route to 15 points, four rebounds and two steals. Courtney Blakely scored nine points, making seven of her eight attempts at the charity stripe. Anastasiia Boldyreva scored six points and grabbed six rebounds, while also swatting three blocks.
By the Numbers
7-for-31: UAB's shooting performance from the floor in the game's first three quarters, including a 2-for-12 clip beyond the arc. MTSU denied the Blazers clean looks most of the night, with over 40 percent (11 out of 27 points) of the Blazers' scoring in the first three quarters coming from the free throw line, rather than their set offense.
21: Turnovers forced for MTSU, including 10 Lady Raider steals. MTSU took advantage of UAB's carelessness with the ball, scoring 25 points off turnovers, while only allowing the Blazers three points off of six turnovers on their end of the court. Four different Lady Raiders had at least two steals.
24-12: The points in the paint advantage for MTSU on Saturday. By denying UAB's entry passes into the lane via cutting guards, MTSU kept the Blazers out of the lane most of the night. Offensively, strong screening up top opened up driving lanes for guards, while Kseniya Malashka and Boldyreva both battled in the paint with smooth post moves for some scores of their own.
Lady Raider Notes
Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Insell
"I don't think we were at our best today, but we were good enough to win the game. I think we were a little bit tired from the other night, but I also think we got some positives out of the last two games. We were able to give another player or two some playing time in some crucial games and the responded and did well. So I'm pretty satisfied with the two wins."
On participating in #Play4Kay
"My first outing recruiting, I'd been out before with AAU and travel teams, this is my first time to go out as one of the coaches. And the first person to come over and sit down with me and say "Hang in there, everything is going to be fine." was Kay Yow. The struggles she went through, she was friends to everybody. Not only was she a heck of a coach, she was a big, big part of this game, much like a Pat Summit. Just a very good person."
Player's Perspective – Savannah Wheeler
"That's just our defensive principles. One pass away, deny, two passes away, help. Obviously, we showed a lot of help tonight because they had a lot of physical post players."
Up Next
The Lady Raiders will take their final annual Florida swing in C-USA, traveling down to the Sunshine State for a pair of games against FAU and FIU next week. Things will get started on Thursday when the MTSU faces Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton. Tipoff against the Owls is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on CUSA.tv and the Blue Raider Radio Network.
Follow the Lady Raiders
Follow Middle Tennessee Women's Basketball on social media on Facebook (/MTSUWBB), Twitter (@MT_WBB) and Instagram (@mt_wbb).
MTSU (20-4, 13-2 C-USA) overcame a slow start early with active defensive pressure all night, forcing UAB (11-13, 3-12 C-USA) into a plethora of turnovers, resulting in plenty of easy points for the Lady Raiders. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Blazers were shooting just 22.6 percent as a team, before a more relaxed pace in the fourth quarter with the game in hand allowed UAB to push their game shooting percentage to 30.2 percent (13-for-43).
Offensively for MTSU, the Lady Raiders were very balanced, scoring 14 points at the free throw line, 21 points from beyond the arc and 28 points from inside the three-point line, with six players scoring at least five of MTSU's points.
Savannah Wheeler led all scorers for the second game in a row, just missing out on a double-double with a 20-point, nine-rebound performance. Jalynn Gregory was a big threat as always from outside, making two of her five three-point attempts en route to 15 points, four rebounds and two steals. Courtney Blakely scored nine points, making seven of her eight attempts at the charity stripe. Anastasiia Boldyreva scored six points and grabbed six rebounds, while also swatting three blocks.
By the Numbers
7-for-31: UAB's shooting performance from the floor in the game's first three quarters, including a 2-for-12 clip beyond the arc. MTSU denied the Blazers clean looks most of the night, with over 40 percent (11 out of 27 points) of the Blazers' scoring in the first three quarters coming from the free throw line, rather than their set offense.
21: Turnovers forced for MTSU, including 10 Lady Raider steals. MTSU took advantage of UAB's carelessness with the ball, scoring 25 points off turnovers, while only allowing the Blazers three points off of six turnovers on their end of the court. Four different Lady Raiders had at least two steals.
24-12: The points in the paint advantage for MTSU on Saturday. By denying UAB's entry passes into the lane via cutting guards, MTSU kept the Blazers out of the lane most of the night. Offensively, strong screening up top opened up driving lanes for guards, while Kseniya Malashka and Boldyreva both battled in the paint with smooth post moves for some scores of their own.
Lady Raider Notes
- Middle Tennessee has won at least 20 games in four straight seasons and 29 overall in program history.
- Savannah Wheeler tied a season high in rebounds with nine and recorded her seventh 20-plus point game as a Lady Raider. Thirty-four of Wheeler's 57 points this week have come in the second half.
- Anastasiia Boldyreva and Ta'Mia Scott each set new career highs in steals with two.
- The Lady Raiders turned the ball over a season-low six times.
Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Insell
"I don't think we were at our best today, but we were good enough to win the game. I think we were a little bit tired from the other night, but I also think we got some positives out of the last two games. We were able to give another player or two some playing time in some crucial games and the responded and did well. So I'm pretty satisfied with the two wins."
On participating in #Play4Kay
"My first outing recruiting, I'd been out before with AAU and travel teams, this is my first time to go out as one of the coaches. And the first person to come over and sit down with me and say "Hang in there, everything is going to be fine." was Kay Yow. The struggles she went through, she was friends to everybody. Not only was she a heck of a coach, she was a big, big part of this game, much like a Pat Summit. Just a very good person."
Player's Perspective – Savannah Wheeler
"That's just our defensive principles. One pass away, deny, two passes away, help. Obviously, we showed a lot of help tonight because they had a lot of physical post players."
Up Next
The Lady Raiders will take their final annual Florida swing in C-USA, traveling down to the Sunshine State for a pair of games against FAU and FIU next week. Things will get started on Thursday when the MTSU faces Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton. Tipoff against the Owls is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on CUSA.tv and the Blue Raider Radio Network.
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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