Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, March 11
Frisco, Texas
4:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
-284,182 CUSA
82
vs
70
WKU
-1913,146 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Western Ky.
15
16
15
24
70
Middle Tenn.
15
32
16
19
82
Team Stats
WestKy
MTSU
FG%
.371
.417
3FG%
.207
.407
FT%
.818
.875
RB
31
46
TO
10
18
STL
11
2
Game Leaders
Pts
24
FGM
6
3FGM
5
FTM
7
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
9
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Matt Posey/MT Athletic Communications
No. 25 Lady Raiders dominated C-USA Championship to punch ticket to NCAA Tournament
3/11/2023 10:11:00 PM | Women's Basketball, BRAA
Massive second quarter powers MTSU past WKU for the program’s 17th conference tournament title
FRISCO, Texas — No. 25 Middle Tennessee women's basketball won the 2023 Conference USA Tournament on Saturday evening in the Ford Center at The Star, doubling up Western Kentucky in the second quarter to push pass the Hilltoppers, 82-70.
Tied at the end of the first quarter, the Lady Raiders (28-4) quickly adjusted, slowing the transition game of the Lady Toppers (19-13) and exploiting the holes in WKU's havoc defense, shooting a scorching 10-for-14 from the field in the quarter, including a 4-for-7 clip from beyond the arc, to score 32 points in the second quarter. WKU attempted to keep pace, but were suffocated by Lady Raiders at every turn, shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 1-for-7 from three to score just 16 points, allowing MTSU to control the game 47-31 at halftime.
With the huge lead, MTSU needed to just control the pace the rest of the way, edging WKU in the third quarter thanks to a buzzer-beating put-back layup from Alexis Whittington. The Lady Toppers were able to get some turnovers in the fourth quarter to try to get back in the game, but a slowed down offense from MTSU was enough with the huge lead to claim the conference title.
Jalynn Gregory was named MVP of the Tournament after scoring a team-leading 24 points, lighting it up from the outside with a perfect 5-for-5 night for three and a perfect 7-for-7 day at the free throw line. In her final Conference USA Tournament game, Alexis Whittington came to play, scoring 16 points while hauling in six rebounds, shooting 4-for-6 beyond the arc and playing her trademark shutdown defense. Kseniya Malashka was MTSU's other All-Tournament Team honoree, scoring 14 points, 10 of them in the second quarter, to provide a post threat against WKU.
By the Numbers
17: Saturday's win was Middle Tennessee's 17th conference tournament win in program history. Nine of those conference tournament wins have come under Head Coach Rick Insell and four of those titles have come in Conference USA.
46-31: The rebounding advantage for MTSU. Playing against WKU's guard-heavy lineup, the Lady Raiders feasted on the glass, with 17 of those 43 rebounds coming on offense, resulting in 13 second chance points.
15-15: Savannah Wheeler and Jalynn Gregory's night at the free throw line, helping take advantage of an aggressive WKU defense and punish fouls at the free throw line.
Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Insell
"When (CBS) did the interview with me at the end of the first quarter, I could hear Matt (Insell) back behind me, he was so loud and upset at the way we were playing. I went back and said 'Hey, you need to calm down a little bit.' He said, 'I am calm!' I said, 'Really?'
"I looked over at the scoresheet at halftime, we scored 32 points in that quarter to their 16, so that was a big, big quarter for us. Big quarter. And he got their attention, we went out and started executing our offense. We started hitting the open man and we hit some open shots.
"Very proud of our young ladies. They've been under the gun all year long and now we don't get to prove that we had an at-large bid. Proud to represent Middle Tennessee State University."
Player's Perspective – Jalynn Gregory
"I didn't even know what they were announcing. Then I hear my name and everybody looks at me. They said 'Go up there!' I was really in shock. But I was more worried about winning the championship than anything else."
Up Next
Middle Tennessee will await the announcement of where the Lady Raiders will play in the NCAA Tournament, which will be revealed on Sunday's selection show. Join the team at The Boulevard at 6 PM on Sunday for a live show featuring Head Coach Rick Insell and an assortment of players, and stick around for a selection show watch party at 7 PM.
Follow the Lady Raiders
Follow Middle Tennessee Women's Basketball on social media on Facebook (/MTSUWBB), Twitter (@MT_WBB) and Instagram (@mt_wbb).
Tied at the end of the first quarter, the Lady Raiders (28-4) quickly adjusted, slowing the transition game of the Lady Toppers (19-13) and exploiting the holes in WKU's havoc defense, shooting a scorching 10-for-14 from the field in the quarter, including a 4-for-7 clip from beyond the arc, to score 32 points in the second quarter. WKU attempted to keep pace, but were suffocated by Lady Raiders at every turn, shooting just 35.7 percent from the field and 1-for-7 from three to score just 16 points, allowing MTSU to control the game 47-31 at halftime.
With the huge lead, MTSU needed to just control the pace the rest of the way, edging WKU in the third quarter thanks to a buzzer-beating put-back layup from Alexis Whittington. The Lady Toppers were able to get some turnovers in the fourth quarter to try to get back in the game, but a slowed down offense from MTSU was enough with the huge lead to claim the conference title.
Jalynn Gregory was named MVP of the Tournament after scoring a team-leading 24 points, lighting it up from the outside with a perfect 5-for-5 night for three and a perfect 7-for-7 day at the free throw line. In her final Conference USA Tournament game, Alexis Whittington came to play, scoring 16 points while hauling in six rebounds, shooting 4-for-6 beyond the arc and playing her trademark shutdown defense. Kseniya Malashka was MTSU's other All-Tournament Team honoree, scoring 14 points, 10 of them in the second quarter, to provide a post threat against WKU.
By the Numbers
17: Saturday's win was Middle Tennessee's 17th conference tournament win in program history. Nine of those conference tournament wins have come under Head Coach Rick Insell and four of those titles have come in Conference USA.
46-31: The rebounding advantage for MTSU. Playing against WKU's guard-heavy lineup, the Lady Raiders feasted on the glass, with 17 of those 43 rebounds coming on offense, resulting in 13 second chance points.
15-15: Savannah Wheeler and Jalynn Gregory's night at the free throw line, helping take advantage of an aggressive WKU defense and punish fouls at the free throw line.
Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Insell
"When (CBS) did the interview with me at the end of the first quarter, I could hear Matt (Insell) back behind me, he was so loud and upset at the way we were playing. I went back and said 'Hey, you need to calm down a little bit.' He said, 'I am calm!' I said, 'Really?'
"I looked over at the scoresheet at halftime, we scored 32 points in that quarter to their 16, so that was a big, big quarter for us. Big quarter. And he got their attention, we went out and started executing our offense. We started hitting the open man and we hit some open shots.
"Very proud of our young ladies. They've been under the gun all year long and now we don't get to prove that we had an at-large bid. Proud to represent Middle Tennessee State University."
Player's Perspective – Jalynn Gregory
"I didn't even know what they were announcing. Then I hear my name and everybody looks at me. They said 'Go up there!' I was really in shock. But I was more worried about winning the championship than anything else."
Up Next
Middle Tennessee will await the announcement of where the Lady Raiders will play in the NCAA Tournament, which will be revealed on Sunday's selection show. Join the team at The Boulevard at 6 PM on Sunday for a live show featuring Head Coach Rick Insell and an assortment of players, and stick around for a selection show watch party at 7 PM.
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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