MTSU women romp into NCAA Tournament
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Middle Tennessee picked the perfect time to play one of the best games its coach had ever seen.
Patrice Holmes scored 18 points to help the Lady Raiders earn a trip to the NCAA tournament with a 79-57 win over Western Kentucky on Tuesday in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
“We played as good a 40 minutes as we’ve probably ever played,” Middle Tennessee coach Stephany Smith said. “To end a conference tournament with a championship and a ticket to the NCAAs. You’ve got to be pleased with that.”
Chrissy Givens added 12 points and six rebounds for the Lady Raiders (23-7), who twice lost to Western Kentucky in the regular season. Middle Tennessee also avenged an 86-83 loss to the Lady Toppers in last year’s Sun Belt tournament championship.
“This is a game we’ve been waiting for for a whole year. Why wouldn’t you come out and execute like that?” said Tia Stovall, who had 11 points and six rebounds for Middle Tennessee.
Tiffany Porter-Talbert and Charlotte Marshall scored 14 points apiece for the Lady Toppers (18-13), who shot 37.5 percent (24-of-64).
The Lady Raiders started the game with an 11-0 run as the Lady Toppers missed their first eight shots. Marshall made a 3-pointer from the top of the key to end Western Kentucky’s drought four minutes into the game.
However, Jennifer Justice hit three 3s in the next two minutes and Middle Tennessee rebuilt its double-digit edge.
Justice came into the game only 4-for-28 from 3-point range this season.
“When Jennifer is hitting those 3s like that, I think it’s going to be a pretty good night,” Holmes said.
The Lady Toppers, meanwhile, never found their shooting touch. They finished the first half 9-of-32 from the field (28 percent) and trailed 35-22 at halftime.
“Things just weren’t going our way,” Porter-Talbert said.
Western Kentucky hit three of its first six shots in the second half, and closed the deficit to seven points.
The Lady Raiders started to having flashbacks to their 79-71 loss to Western Kentucky on Feb. 26. Middle Tennessee blew a 13-point lead in that game.
This time, the Lady Raiders answered the Lady Toppers’ spurt with a 6-0 burst that pushed the lead to 43-30 by the 12-minute mark.
“I was really proud of our character and maturity,” Smith said.
Middle Tennessee was never threatened again. Holmes’ 3-pointer with 9:22 left put the Lady Raiders up 56-37, and the Lady Toppers got no closer than 15 the rest of the way.
One play characterized the whole game for Western Kentucky.
Near the seven-minute mark of the second half, Porter-Talbert scooped up a loose ball and raced to the other end for an uncontested layup. The shot bounced hard off the backboard, grazed the rim and missed.
“It really just wasn’t our day,” Porter-Talbert said.
The Lady Raiders, members of the Ohio Valley Conference until 2000, will make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1998.
“You play the entire season for this moment,” Smith said.