Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Lady Raiders Ready For NCAA Tournament Play
3/17/2023 2:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Middle Tennessee takes on Colorado Saturday at 6 PM
DURHAM, N.C. — The ball will be tipped, and the Lady Raiders will be there, as the No. 11 seeded Middle Tennessee women's basketball team starts NCAA Tournament play on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT against No. 6 seed Colorado in Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium.
MTSU (28-4) will be making their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament in three seasons after earning Conference USA's automatic bid by winning last week's conference tournament in Frisco, Texas. The Lady Raiders enter postseason play the winners of 10 straight games.
A win on Saturday would place MTSU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for sixth time in program history and for the first time since 2007. MTSU has never advanced past the second round in the NCAA Tournament.
How MTSU Got to the NCAA Tournament
• After winning the regular season title with an 18-2 conference record in Conference USA, Middle Tennessee earned C-USA's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament with an 82-70 win against WKU in the Conference USA Tournament title game.
• MTSU virtually dominated the field in the C-USA Tournament after having already stormed through the regular season.
• MTSU's margin of victory in the tournament was 16.3 points per game
• The Lady Raiders defeated Charlotte (84-53) in the quarterfinals, UTEP (68-62) in the semifinals, before disposing of rival WKU (82-70) in the title game.
• MTSU averaged 78 points per game, while holding their three opponents to an average of 61.7 per outing.
• Four Lady Raiders averaged double figures in the conference tournament, led by Jalynn Gregory's 17.7 ppg. Savannah Wheeler (13.3), Kseniya Malashka (13.0) and Alexis Whittington (12.0) also averaged double figures scoring. Courtney Whitson averaged 9.3 ppg, and Courtney Blakely added 7.7 per game to lead a balanced attack.
• The conference tourney championship was the 17th in program history and the ninth under HC Rick Insell.
ON THE COURT
Statistical Leaders
Points – Kseniya Malashka (15.2 PPG)
Rebounds - Courtney Whitson (7.9 RPG)
Assists - Savannah Wheeler (3.1 APG)
Steals - Jalynn Gregory (1.7 SPG)
Lady Raider NCAA Tournament Notes
• Middle Tennessee makes its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance.
• MTSU's 20 appearances are tied for 20th most among teams in this year's field of 68.
• The Lady Raiders are in the postseason for the 18th consecutive year. They have been in the NCAA Tournament in 13 of those seasons, along with five WNIT appearances.
• Rick Insell has taken the Lady Raiders to 16 consecutive posteason appearances (11 NCAAs and five WNITs). The 2020 postseason was canceled due to COVID-19.
Scouting the Buffaloes
• Colorado is returning to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004, when the Buffs went to four straight tournaments from 2001-04.
• The Buffaloes earned a No. 6 seed after being selected for an at-large bid from the Pac-12 conference, where Colorado finished third in conference play. The Buffs made it to the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals, where they lost to Washington State, 61-49.
• Colorado was well represented on the All-Pac-12 teams, led by senior forward Quay Miller, who leads the Buffs in both scoring (13.2 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg).
• Sophomore Aaronette Vonleh, sister of former NBA lottery pick Noah Vonleh, was the Pac-12's Co-Most Improved Player after transferring to Boulder from Arizona. Vonleh averaged 12.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
• Guard Jaylyn Sherrod is one of five players in the country averaging at least 10.0 points (11.2), 5.0 assists (5.0) and 2.0 steals (2.5) per game, earning both All-Pac 12 and All-Defensive team honors from the conference.
