Blue Raiders journey to Missouri State and FIU

Thursday, Feb. 5 | 6:30 p.m. | Great Southern Bank Arena | Springfield, Mo.
	MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS 12-9, 7-2 CUSA	at	MISSOURI STATE LADY BEARS 13-8, 5-3 CUSA
WATCH: ESPN+ | STATS: LINK | RADIO: WGNS (LINK) | MEDIA CENTER: LINK

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Middle Tennessee will journey to Springfield, Missouri, to tackle the Missouri State Lady Bears on Thursday, Feb. 5, inside Great Southern Bank Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for six:30 p.m. CT. The recreation will air on the Blue Raider Network and broadcast on ESPN+.

GAME 22

» Thursday, February 5 – 6:30 p.m.

» Great Southern Bank Arena

» Springfield, Missouri

SERIES HISTORY

» This marks the fourth assembly in collection historical past between the Blue Raiders and Lady Bears.

» MTSU owns a 3-0 lead over Missouri State within the all-time collection.

» The Blue Raiders gained the earlier assembly 79-54 on Nov. 26, 2022, within the Las Vegas Thanksgiving Invitational. .



BLUE RAIDER NOTES

» MTSU enters the matchup coming off a 81-58 residence win over WKU. Four Blue Raiders scored in double-figures: Alayna Contreras poured in a season-high 25 factors in 37 minutes, capturing 8-of-16 from the sphere and 5-of-10 from three, whereas shelling out six assists. Macie Phifer recorded a career-high 20 factors and 7 rebounds in 36 minutes, going 6-of-13 from the ground, 3-of-7 from past the arc and an ideal 5-of-5 on the line. Blair Baugus posted her ninth double-double with 15 factors and a career-best 17 rebounds in 37 minutes, including a block and two steals. Kirston Verhulst completed with 15 factors on 5-of-8 capturing, together with 4-of-6 from three, in 33 minutes, together with 4 rebounds and two assists.

» Continuing her standout freshman season, Middle Tennessee guard Blair Baugus was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Week – her seventh CUSA Freshman of the Week award this season. 

» MTSU has loved nice success on the street underneath Head Coach Rick Insell. The Blue Raiders are 185-98 general on the street underneath Insell, for a 66 p.c successful ledger. Insell’s groups are 80-23 on the street in CUSA play (76 p.c), and 138-34 (79 p.c) in convention street video games general (Sun Belt and CUSA). 

» With a 63-54 win over Liberty, Coach Insell earned his five hundredth profession NCAA Division I victory, turning into certainly one of simply six energetic coaches with 500 Division I wins at a single college — and the one coach nationwide with 500+ Division I and 500+ highschool wins. 

» The Blue Raiders are 153-18 (.893) underneath Head Coach Rick Insell when connecting on 10 or extra Three-Point Field Goals in a recreation.

» Middle Tennessee is certainly one of solely a handful of Division I packages that don’t characteristic a single returning starter on the roster. According to obtainable nationwide knowledge, Santa Clara is the one program within the nation bringing in additional newcomers whereas additionally returning zero starters.

» Senior Alayna Contreras was chosen to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team. The Minneapolis, Minn., native began all 33 video games final yr and led UMKC in scoring (17.3 ppg), minutes, area objectives made, three-pointers made and free throws made.

» Middle Tennessee was picked third within the CUSA preseason ballot. This marks solely the sixth time in Rick Insell‘s 21 seasons — and simply the fourth time in CUSA — that the Blue Raiders haven’t been chosen because the preseason favourite.

SCOUTING THE LADY BEARS

» Missouri State enters the matchup with a 13-8, 5-3 CUSA document. The Lady Bears break up final week, defeating Delaware on the street 79-54 earlier than falling to Liberty 60-52.

» A pair of Lady Bears are averaging double figures in scoring: Kaemyn Bekemeier (17.8) and Lainie Douglas (13.2).

» Bekemeier is additionally grabbing a team-high 8.4 rebounds per recreation, whereas Maycee James is handing out a team-best 2.6 assists per recreation.

» Missouri State was picked to complete fourth within the league’s preseason ballot in its first yr within the league.

FOLLOW THE BLUE RAIDERS

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

 

Saturday, Feb. 7 | 12 p.m. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center | Miami, Fla.
	MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS 12-9, 7-2 CUSA	at	FIU PANTHERS 12-8, 5-4 CUSA
WATCH: ESPN+ | STATS: LINK | RADIO: WGNS (LINK) | MEDIA CENTER: LINK

MIAMI, Fla. – Middle Tennessee will stay on the street to face FIU on Saturday, Feb. 7, contained in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT. The recreation will air on the Blue Raider Network and broadcast on ESPN+.

GAME 23

» Saturday, February 7 – 12 p.m.

» Ocean Bank Convocation Center

» Miami, Florida

SERIES HISTORY

» This marks the fiftieth assembly in collection historical past between the Blue Raiders and Panthers.

» MTSU owns a 39-10 lead over FIU within the all-time collection.

» The Blue Raiders gained the earlier assembly 65-44 on March 8, 2025, in Miami, to clinch their third consecutive CUSA Regular Season Championship.



SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

» FIU enters the weekend with an 12-8, 5-4 CUSA document. The Panthers break up final week, defeating Liberty on the street 74-61 earlier than falling to Delaware 51-48. FIU will host WKU on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. earlier than taking up the Blue Raiders on Saturday.

» Rhema Collins is main the Panthers in scoring with 18.6 factors per recreation, whereas Parris Atkins is the one different participant averaging double figures (17.4 PPG).

» Collins can also be grabbing a team-high 9.9 rebounds per recreation, whereas Grecia Ferrer Leal is handing out a team-best 3.9 assists per recreation.

» FIU was picked to complete sixth within the league’s preseason ballot. A season in the past, the Panthers completed in sixth with a 7-11 convention mark.