Blue Raiders set to host UTEP and NM State

Thursday, January 8

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

UTEP

1/7/2026 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Thursday, Jan. 4 \| 6:30 p.m. \| Murphy Center \| Murfreesboro, Tenn.

	MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS 7-7, 2-0 CUSA	vs	UTEP MINERS 9-4, 1-1 CUSA

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: LINK \| RADIO: WGNS (LINK) \| MEDIA CENTER: LINK

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee returns to Murfreesboro for its Conference USA home opener against UTEP on Thursday, Jan. 8 inside the Murphy Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on the Blue Raider Network and broadcast on ESPN+.

GAME 15

» Thursday, January 8 - 6:30 p.m.
» Murphy Center
» Murfreesboro, Tennessee

SERIES HISTORY

» This marks the 20th meeting in series history between the Blue Raiders and Miners.
» MTSU owns a 16-3 lead over UTEP in the all-time series.
» The Blue Raiders won the previous meeting 57-35 on March 1, 2025, in Murfreesboro on Senior Day.

BLUE RAIDER NOTES

» MTSU enters the matchup coming off of a 69-47 road win over Jax State. Four Blue Raiders scored in double figures: Alayna Contreras led the way with 21 points on 8-of-20 shooting, adding four assists and two steals while playing 39 minutes.Savannah Davis scored 14 points, knocking down four triples, while contributing six rebounds and a block in 30 minutes. Blair Baugus posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, also tallying three steals and three assists. Macie Phifer finished with 11 points on efficient shooting, adding four assists and a block in 36 minutes.
» Baugus was named CUSA Freshman of the Week – fifth time – after leading the Blue Raiders to a 2-0 road week to open CUSA play with wins at Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State. The Waynesboro, Tenn., native averaged 19 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, becoming the only CUSA player to record back-to-back double-doubles. She posted a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds at Kennesaw State before adding 13 points, 10 boards and three steals at Jacksonville State.
» With non-conference play complete, Blair Baugus and Macie Phifer have established themselves as two of the top freshmen in CUSA. The duo has combined to earn four Freshman of the Week honors, providing immediate production and consistency for the Blue Raiders on both ends of the floor. Baugus enters league play averaging 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.4 steal while ranking among the conference leaders defensively. Phifer has added 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds.
» The Glass House has been one of the toughest places to play, with Middle Tennessee posting a 57-5 home record across the last four seasons.
» Middle Tennessee is one of only a handful of Division I programs that do not feature a single returning starter on the roster. According to available national data, Santa Clara is the only program in the country bringing in more newcomers while also returning zero starters.
» Senior Alayna Contreras was selected to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team. The Minneapolis, Minn., native started all 33 games last year and led UMKC in scoring (17.3 ppg), minutes, field goals made, three-pointers made and free throws made.
» Middle Tennessee was picked third in the CUSA preseason poll. This marks only the sixth time in Rick Insell's 21 seasons — and just the fourth time in CUSA — that the Blue Raiders have not been selected as the preseason favorite.

SCOUTING THE MINERS

» UTEP the matchup with a 9-4, 1-1 CUSA record. The Miners split the opening weekend of CUSA play, defeating Delaware 82-71 before falling to Liberty 66-88 at home.
» Four Miners are averaging double figures in scoring, Ivane Tensaie (11.5), Ndack Mbengue (11.0), Sirviva Legions (10.7), and Mary Moses Amaniyo (10.3).
» Amaniyo and Mbengue are each averaging near double-doubles, with Amaniyo leading the team at 9.5 rpg and Mbengue close behind at 9.2 rpg.
» Portia Adams is handing out a team-high 3.2 assists per game, with Heaven Samayoa-Mathis contributing 2.7 apg.
» Samayoa-Mathis leads the team in steals at 1.6 spg. Amaniyo is shooting a team-best 52.5 percent from the floor, Adams leads from beyond the arc at 40.5 percent, and Zita is hitting a team-best 91.7 percent from the charity stripe.
» UTEP was picked to finish in a tie for eighth with UTEP in the league's preseason poll. A season ago, the Miners finished in a tie for ninth with a 4-14 conference mark.

FOLLOW THE BLUE RAIDERS

Follow Middle Tennessee Women's Basketball on social media on Facebook (/MTSUWBB), X (Formerly known as Twitter) (@MT_WBB) and Instagram (@mt_wbb).

Saturday, Jan. 10 \| 12 p.m. \| Murphy Center \| Murfreesboro, Tenn.

	MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS 7-7, 2-0 CUSA	vs	NM STATE AGGIES 5-9, 1-1 CUSA

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: LINK \| RADIO: WGNS (LINK) \| MEDIA CENTER: LINK

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee is set to host NM State on Saturday, Jan. 10, inside the Murphy Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT. The game will air on the Blue Raider Network and broadcast on ESPN+.

GAME 16

» Saturday, January 10 - 12 p.m.
» Murphy Center
» Murfreesboro, Tennessee

SERIES HISTORY

» This marks the 10th meeting in series history between the Blue Raiders and Aggies.
» MTSU owns a 7-2 lead over NM State in the all-time series.
» The Blue Raiders won the previous meeting 63-41on Feb. 27, 2025, in Murfreesboro.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES

» NM State enters the weekend with a 5-9, 1-1 CUSA record. The Aggies also split the opening weekend of CUSA play, falling to Liberty 62-67 before defeating Delaware 64-57 in overtime at home. NM State will travel to WKU on Friday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. before taking on the Blue Raiders on Saturday.
» Lucia Yenes is leading the Aggies in scoring with 13.7 points per game, while Imani Warren is the only other player averaging double figures (13.1 PPG).
» Morane Dossou is grabbing a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game, while Warren leads the team in steals (2.4).
» NM State was picked to finish 10th in the league's preseason poll. A season ago, the Gamecocks finished in fourth with a 10-8 conference mark.