Middle Tennessee falls 80-78 to FIU in double overtime

Thursday, March 5

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

15-14,10-7CUSA

FIU

18-10,11-6CUSA

OT 1

OT 2

FIU

Middle Tenn.

3/5/2026 9:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Anthony Fiorella / MTSU Athletic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee (15-14, 10-7 CUSA) scored 34 points off turnovers and held FIU (18-10, 11-6) to just eight points off turnovers, but was unable to overcome a Panther team that shot over 50% from the field and from deep in an 80-78 loss in double overtime.

Middle Tennessee took an early 20-16 lead after the first quarter, shooting 60% from the field and 50% from deep. Alayna Contreras had nine points, sinking both field-goal attempts and going 4-for-4 from the free throw line with an assist. Savannah Davis had two steals in the quarter, and Macie Phifer had three points with a rebound and two assists.

FIU also came out of the gates hot and was able to continue it through the entirety of the first half as the Panthers shot 12-of-20 as a team and went on an 8-0 run until Gracie Hamby came off the Blue Raider bench to give her team a shot in the arm. Hamby stole a pass and drew an immediate foul and sank both of her free throws to stop the run and keep her team within striking distance, as FIU took a 33-30 lead into the locker room. Hamby had two points, two rebounds and a steal in three minutes to close out the half. Contreras had 12 points at the half to tie FIU's Rhema Collins as the games' high scorers.

In the third quarter, with Blair Baugus in foul trouble, Alayna Contreras was able to dribble-drive into the paint and both score and kick it out to the perimeter to help the Blue Raiders out to their largest lead of the game at 55-48 going into the final quarter. The biggest benefactor of Contreras' court vision was Carsyn Swaney, who came off the bench for the first time in the third quarter and hit a couple of big threes, including a buzzer-beater off an assist from Contreras, to give her a quick six points in the quarter.

Down the stretch, FIU's hot shooting helped them finish regulation at 61% from the field to force overtime despite losing the turnover battle heavily at 22-13, also allowing 32 points to Middle Tennessee off turnovers coming out of regulation. In the first overtime, both teams combined to shoot just 2-for-15 from the field to keep the score stalemated at 73 prior to the second overtime where FIU hit a big game-tying three pointer and then kept Middle Tennessee off the board over the final 2:35.

Contreras finished with 22 points, three rebounds and four assists. Swaney and Hamby had a couple of career-best nights off the bench as Swaney scored a career-high 12 points and Hamby scored three points in a career-high 11 minutes and grabbed a career-high five rebounds. Phifer had 19 points and pulled down seven rebounds.

Coach's Comments 

By the Numbers 

8: Free throws made by Blair Baugus, a new career-high. Baugus hit a majority of those down the stretch, playing with four fouls.

11: Career-high in minutes for Gracie Hamby, who scored a career-high three points and pulled down a career-high five boards, including one in double-overtime that led to a three-point play for Swaney to put Middle Tennessee up three.

12: Career-high in points for Carsyn Swaney.

50: Alayna Contreras played all 50 minutes, a career-high.

UP NEXT: 
Middle Tennessee will close the regular season at home Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. tip with Missouri State. The game will be on ESPN+ and the Blue Raider Network.

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