LADY RAIDER BB WBIT, 1st round: Middle Tennessee (26-8, 10-5) @ Belmont (22-12, 10-3) (ESPN+), 6:30PM, Thursday, March 20, 2025

[SpaceRaider]

Blue Raiders, Bruins set for Mid-State matchup in the WBIT - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

Thursday, Mar. 20 | 6:30 p.m. | Curb Event Center | Nashville, Tenn. MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS 26-8,

goblueraiders.com

• WATCH: ESPN+
• STATS: LINK
• LISTEN: WGNS (LINK)
• MT Game Notes
• Belmont Game Notes

 

[SpaceRaider]

47.2%

 

[MTOleBlue]

Would be a nice time to get our first win at Curb Event Center tomorrow. Hope everyone can make the game. 6:30 is a good time.

 

[SpaceRaider]

Bruins to Host WBIT First Round Matchup with Middle Tennessee Thursday Night - Belmont University

Belmont Women's Basketball Earns Second-Straight WBIT At-Large Bid, No. 3 Seed in Upper Right Quadrant

belmontbruins.com

Bruins Begin National Postseason Quest Thursday Night in WBIT Opening Round at the Curb - Belmont University

Third-Seeded Belmont Hosts Familiar Mid-State Foe Middle Tennessee in WBIT First Round

belmontbruins.com

 

[MTOleBlue]

Gameday! Hope we have a big crowd tonight.

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

Tennessean article on the game in December:

Belmont women's basketball beats MTSU for the fifth time in six games

The Belmont women's basketball team outscored MTSU down the stretch 12-2 to claim a 65-52 win Saturday at Curb Event Center.

www.tennessean.com

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

MT has the lead 17-16 at end of first period

 

[SpaceRaider]

Gregory 'called' for third foul, 4:39 2nd period

 

[SpaceRaider]

officiating seems a little one sided

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Maybe I'm just jaded having watched the men's NCAAs all day, but the sound just seems off. Balance isn't right between Belmont's announcers and the crowd. Even with a smaller crowd the right mic placement can make it seem filled. I'm guessing this is school run with their play by play guy like a typical E+ broadcast.

And I agree on the officiating. Not playing our best ball either though. Belmont was on a 12-0 run till that last foul with Ta'Mia making both shots.

 

[SpaceRaider]

Belmont huge run 2nd period

33-25 at half

Team Comparison

STATISTIC	MT	BU
FG%	30%	43%
FGs	10-33	13-30
3FG%	27%	42%
3FGs	3-11	5-12
FT%	100%	67%
FTs	2-2	2-3
TOs	4	3
PtsOffTO	4	0
TotReb	21	20
DefReb	13	15
Off Reb	8	5
2ndChPts	4	6
BenchPts	0	6
PtsPaint	14	14
FstBkPt	0	3
Blocks	2	2
Steals	1	3
Assts	4	7
Times Tied:	2
Time Tied:	1:20
Lead Chg:	7
LeadTime	11:32	7:08

 

[SpaceRaider]

This looks like any other loss to Belmont which there has been way too many the last few seasons

I have no faith in a come back

 

[SpaceRaider]

"offensive ineptitude" - Kyle on the MT radio

 

[MTTim]

"offensive ineptitude" - Kyle on the MT radio

That's being nice

 

[SpaceRaider]

Gregory fouled Belmont player with her forehead

 

[MTOleBlue]

Same story - offense a total disaster...

 

[MTOleBlue]

Maybe I'm just jaded having watched the men's NCAAs all day, but the sound just seems off. Balance isn't right between Belmont's announcers and the crowd. Even with a smaller crowd the right mic placement can make it seem filled. I'm guessing this is school run with their play by play guy like a typical E+ broadcast.

And I agree on the officiating. Not playing our best ball either though. Belmont was on a 12-0 run till that last foul with Ta'Mia making both shots.

Their mic is pointed directly above at the student section, which is where their announcers sit.

 

[SpaceRaider]

can't shoot, can't rebound, can't defend

 

[MTOleBlue]

CAB is an electric player, but man oh man is our offense a hot mess this year... Not all on the PG, but that's where a lot of the offensive production has to start...

 

[MidTennMtneer]

can't shoot, can't rebound, can't defend

There is zero rebounding and I swear we get called for a foul literally everytime Belmont has the ball.

 

[MTOleBlue]

There is zero rebounding and I swear we get called for a foul literally everytime Belmont has the ball.

They play their bench and they focus on their offense. That is the difference between our two teams and why they have beaten us over and over again, and are doing better this game too.

 

[MTOleBlue]

This is an absolute embarrassment. I hope whoever is coach next year decides to focus on the offense because this has been painful to watch.

 

[SpaceRaider]

52-33 end of third

 

[tyler90wm]

CAB is an electric player, but man oh man is our offense a hot mess this year... Not all on the PG, but that's where a lot of the offensive production has to start...

Agreed, really changed the dynamic of the offense from last year. Wheeler was a huge scoring threat which only helped all the other players score too, especially Nas in the paint.

 

[Hop45]

When Team A puts the ball thru the net and Team B can't, Team A wins every time.

 

[tyler90wm]

Since resuming the series with Belmont in 2018, we're 1-5 (not including today). Prior to that, the series was dominated by MT (16-0)

 

[MTOleBlue]

Agreed, really changed the dynamic of the offense from last year. Wheeler was a huge scoring threat which only helped all the other players score too, especially Nas in the paint.

Pretty much every single team has left Blakely wide open from 3 which has caused our offense to be an absolute dumpster fire since everyone can pretty much double or triple team Nas for the ENTIRE time we have the ball...

 

[SpaceRaider]

Gregory fouls out at
8:50 mark

 

[MTFAN61]

In its previous game Murray St destroyed this Belmont team 83-62.
Never thought I would see such an ill prepared women's basketball team at MT as this one.

 

[MTOleBlue]

In its previous game Murray St destroyed this Belmont team 83-62.
Never thought I would see such an ill prepared women's basketball team at MT as this one.

The most disappointing thing is -- it's not a bad team by any stretch of the imagination. Totally uncoordinated, no idea of what to do on offense, which falls 100% on Rick Insell. No excuses for this.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Well, now there is no choice but to play the bench. Everyone is fouling out.

 

[SpaceRaider]

4:52

Belmont 59-39

Embarrassing performance, poor, poor

 

[SpaceRaider]

there has to be changes

 

[MTTim]

Another one and done in a post season tournament.

 

[TruBluCop]

it looked like they really didn't care about winning.

 

[MTTim]

there has to be changes

Agree. We both know the morons in charge will take the easy path forward.

 

[SpaceRaider]

Another one and done in a post season tournament.

Doubt we even make post season next year

 

[MTOleBlue]

I mean, I'm sure they cared a lot about winning but they were not prepared to do so by Rick Insell's strategy.