LADY RAIDER BB Middle Tennessee (12-2, 5-0) vs Rice (10-3, 1-3), 6PM, Wednesday, July 11, 2023

[SpaceRaider]

Location: Houston, Texas
Founded: 1912 Enrollment: 8,212
Colors: Blue & Gray Nickname: Owls
Series: MTSU leads 8-4
Facility: Tudor Fieldhouse
Head Coach: Lindsay Edmonds
Record at Rice: 14-13 (1) Overall: Same 2021-22 Record: 14-13 2022 Postseason: None
Starters Ret./Lost: 5/0 Letterwinners R/L: 9/2

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[SpaceRaider]

2022-23 C-USA Standings​

TEAM	CONF	GB	OVR
Middle Tennessee	5-0	-	12-2
UTEP	3-1	1.5	10-3
Florida International	3-1	1.5	8-5
Charlotte	3-2	2	7-7
Florida Atlantic	2-2	2.5	9-4
Western Kentucky	2-2	2.5	5-8
Louisiana Tech	2-3	3	9-6
Rice	1-3	3.5	10-3
North Texas	1-3	3.5	4-10
UTSA	1-3	3.5	3-10
UAB	1-4	4	9-5

 

[SpaceRaider]

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Tigers and Bears on the move in SEC, Big 12 - The Next

With the College Football championship game this week, we are hitting some of the Big 12 and SEC highlights across women's basketball.

www.thenexthoops.com

 

[MTFAN61]

Have some concerns about this game. Anticipate 1 of 2 things, Either a total Blue Raider blowout or a dogfight to the end. Rice is a prideful team that's lost 3 of last 4. They're in dire need of a victory & know all their woes started with their 1st loss to the Raiders after an undefeated start. The coaches have done a good job keeping the players centered this year. Hoping seasoned players like Whittington, Whitson, & Malashka will help to keep younger players prepared for a vengeful team as well. This will be important, I'm expecting we'll get Rice's best shot Wednesday night.

 

[tyler90wm]

Have some concerns about this game. Anticipate 1 of 2 things, Either a total Blue Raider blowout or a dogfight to the end. Rice is a prideful team that's lost 3 of last 4. They're in dire need of a victory & know all their woes started with their 1st loss to the Raiders after an undefeated start. The coaches have done a good job keeping the players centered this year. Hoping seasoned players like Whittington, Whitson, & Malashka will help to keep younger players prepared for a vengeful team as well. This will be important, I'm expecting we'll get Rice's best shot Wednesday night.

I have the same feeling as you. Rice is a good WBB team that will be hungry for a win and to prove they can compete with us. I'm expecting a tough game tonight.

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[MTOleBlue]

Have some concerns about this game. Anticipate 1 of 2 things, Either a total Blue Raider blowout or a dogfight to the end. Rice is a prideful team that's lost 3 of last 4. They're in dire need of a victory & know all their woes started with their 1st loss to the Raiders after an undefeated start. The coaches have done a good job keeping the players centered this year. Hoping seasoned players like Whittington, Whitson, & Malashka will help to keep younger players prepared for a vengeful team as well. This will be important, I'm expecting we'll get Rice's best shot Wednesday night.

Agreed. Hope we're ready to play!

 

[MTOleBlue]

ESPN+ stream has NOT STARTED YET.

Update: Now it's working. Missed the first few minutes though

 

[MTFAN61]

Ladies look rusty early on. Need to bring CAB in off the bench

 

[MTOleBlue]

These are the worst referees I've seen in several years. Just called Gregory for a travel WHILE SHE WAS DRIBBLING. Literally cannot make it up. Announcers very confused... as is everyone watching I think

 

[MTOleBlue]

Blowout is on. 65-40 at the end of 3Q

 

[SpaceRaider]

WBB @ MTSU

The Parliament: The #1 Board for Rice Owls sports on the internet.

csnbbs.com

 

[SpaceRaider]

These are the worst referees I've seen in several years. Just called Gregory for a travel WHILE SHE WAS DRIBBLING. Literally cannot make it up. Announcers very confused... as is everyone watching I think

The refs should never be allowed to call a basketball game of any sort ever. They were horrible.

 

[MTFAN61]

I expect there was a soft & loving halftime motivational talk by the coach. It apparently worked😄

 

[MTOleBlue]

I'm glad we got a huge blowout win over them. They are #2 team in CUSA in the NET rankings at #84 (we are first at #22). This will help a LOT in the NET I think. Hopefully they turn their season around and win out in conference play now that we've beaten them both times LOL.

How about Anastasiia?? What a great game -- and great confidence to go in there and dominate the post. I LOVE seeing her progress and abilities on full display. She's clearly working hard and even compared to last year, she's come a long way. Love having her on the team especially with Malashka out there at the same time. Just a tremendous post presence.

In the broadcast, the ESPN+ announcers noted that we should be in the Top 25 very shortly if we keep winning with the possibility of a top 16 seed in NCAAs within reach. That should absolutely be the ultimate goal. They also said, outside of the top 1-4 teams, we can match up with and have a good chance to beat anyone in that poll ahead of us. I agree, this is the best team we have had in a looooooong time! Love it!!

 

[Blue Raider Lightning]

A W is a W. Ugly first half, yet proud of our scrappiness. Couldn't shoot worth a lick but kept fighting and had the lead. Then Wham! Second half beat down. Still waiting for this team to play 4 complete quarters. Whomever is on the other end of that one is in for a whoopin.

 

[MTFAN61]

These are the worst referees I've seen in several years. Just called Gregory for a travel WHILE SHE WAS DRIBBLING. Literally cannot make it up. Announcers very confused... as is everyone watching I think

Never saw so many fouls called. Zero flow to the game in 1st half. Hope to never see those refs again. Glad to see no injuries & get the rust off Wheeler

 

[MTOleBlue]

Never saw so many fouls called. Zero flow to the game in 1st half. Hope to never see those refs again. Glad to see no injuries & get the rust off Wheeler

Yeah it was great to see Savannah really pick it back up after starting off a little slow and rusty. Proud of all of these ladies. And Anabel getting 5 minutes of playing time on her 21st birthday, too! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANABEL!! What a great present

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[MTFAN61]

Liked hearing the post game confirmation that Lanae Riley had not been playing due to red shirt this year. Great optimism for next year when Rick stated she looks so good in practice he almost pulled her red shirt. With her 6' 2" frame I totally get it.

 

[blueboro007]

Agree with all that the officiating was CRIMINAL. I know we've had one guy on many occasions, but it just seemed they wanted to see who could call the most fouls during the game. I have come to expect terrible officiating in women's games but this was in a league of it's own. With that said, it obviously turned into a sloppy game but I guess a 30 point win in a game like this should makes us happy. Just hope these bozo refs lose directions to the Murph.

 

[tyler90wm]

I'm really trying to temper my expectations this year but this team, by all appearances, is just special. They have an ability to overcome adversities in game and win in many different ways; that's what I've been so impressed with this year. It's going to be a grind from now until March, it's hard to stay perfect in conference play, but dang I'm excited!

 

[MTFAN61]

Liked hearing the post game confirmation that Lanae Riley had not been playing due to red shirt this year. Great optimism for next year when Rick stated she looks so good in practice he almost pulled her red shirt. With her 6' 2" frame I totally get it.

As a follow up would like to pose question to fellow poster's This is an excellent team, best we've had since Gonzaga ncaa win years ago. I feel our present make up can make it through CUSA ok. Question is come tourney time we likely will be going against the major power teams, ie the Tennessee's, Ohio State's, & the South Carolina's of the basketball world. The one thing they have that we don't seem to have is the 6' 2" to 6' 3" strong athletic power forward in the trenches. Though she's an unknown quality & a freshman Lanae Riley could be a huge benefit come those times if she's producing as well in practice as coach says she is. Only half the season is done & 4 years of availability is a long time. I'm not sure if we'll ever have such a complete team again & as good as this one for some time. I'm practically thinking pull the red shirt because of what benefit she could provide come tournament time against those powerful teams. I feel we need that physical athleticism down low come middle of March. Your thoughts on pulling Lanae's red shirt or just let things play out?

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

thoughts on pulling Lanae's red shirt or just let things play out?

I'm of two views on this. MT has not been hurt by the transfer portal at this point but as time goes by will. Rather play them while we have them than lose them later to transfer. Also understand the coaching staff need to build for the future as well. I'm sort of left to trust this staff (unlike FB) on letting things play out.

 

[crassyblue]

I was excited about what Lanae could do when I saw the first video with her posting up and making shots inside Ebony Rowe-like. I think you have a good idea, but Coach Insell knows himself he probably wouldn't play her much with the players we have now. It's a stretch for him to get past the first 6 that he normally plays now.
In his post game talk last night a reporter simply remarked about how the combo of Anastasia and Malashka looked good together. Coach Insell immediately started talking about how Courtney Erikson and Alexis were not coming out of the starting lineup just because they didn't score much last night. That wasn't the question, but in my opinion Courtney and Alexis are critical to a lot of things on the floor we don't see, but that doesn't mean they have to average playing 40 minutes a game. They can average 35 minutes a game and be in at different times to keep themselves fresher. Having Anastasia and Malashka in at the same time worked to solidify our rebounding and defense last night, but it wouldn't work every time. I understand that, but I would like to see a few different formations and not hold to one or two people never coming out of the game until they have 4 fouls.

 

[MTOleBlue]

As a follow up would like to pose question to fellow poster's This is an excellent team, best we've had since Gonzaga ncaa win years ago. I feel our present make up can make it through CUSA ok. Question is come tourney time we likely will be going against the major power teams, ie the Tennessee's, Ohio State's, & the South Carolina's of the basketball world. The one thing they have that we don't seem to have is the 6' 2" to 6' 3" strong athletic power forward in the trenches. Though she's an unknown quality & a freshman Lanae Riley could be a huge benefit come those times if she's producing as well in practice as coach says she is. Only half the season is done & 4 years of availability is a long time. I'm not sure if we'll ever have such a complete team again & as good as this one for some time. I'm practically thinking pull the red shirt because of what benefit she could provide come tournament time against those powerful teams. I feel we need that physical athleticism down low come middle of March. Your thoughts on pulling Lanae's red shirt or just let things play out?

I've got mixed feelings about this. In theory, we've got 3-4 folks who can play the PF position (Courtney, who should be in most of the game, plus Kseniya, Alexis, and maybe Jada if Kseniya/Anastasiia are in at the same time). Alexis is the smallest of the bunch and Jada is perhaps not quite as athletic, but that's a quality group. Not sure burning Lanae's redshirt is necessary