WKU Claims 71-63 Victory Against Middle Tennessee

Saturday, January 11

Bowling Green, Ky.

2 PM

Western Kentucky University

-105,22 CUSA

Middle Tennessee

-106,22 CUSA

Middle Tenn.

Western Ky.

Photo by: Steve Roberts, WKU Athletics

1/11/2020 6:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score VIDEO: HC Greg Collins VIDEO: Dee Givens and Whitney Creech

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The WKU women's basketball team won its eighth-straight home game on Saturday, defeating Middle Tennessee 71-63 in Diddle Arena.

The Lady Toppers improved to 10-5 on the season and 2-2 in Conference USA. WKU is 6-0 at home this season as well with wins against Belmont, Central Michigan, Little Rock, Oklahoma, UAB and Middle Tennessee.

WKU had three players in double figures. Raneem Elgedawy led the Lady Toppers with 21 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. It was her seventh double-double of the season and the 18th of her career. Dee Givens had 18 points along with eight rebounds, five steals and two assists. Whitney Creech finished with 10 points, all of which came in the second half. Fatou Pouye came up with some crucial rebounds, recording seven boards in the game.

Meral Abdelgawad scored the first points of the game, getting a layup on a set piece from the Lady Toppers. Both teams went back-and-forth for much of the first quarter, but WKU was able to take a three-point lead into the second.

The Lady Toppers opened the second quarter outscoring Middle Tennessee 8-5 to extend to a six-point lead, but the Lady Raiders used a 7-0 run to take the lead. Sherry Porter came down a knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Lady Toppers back ahead, but the game went into halftime all tied at 31 points.

Middle Tennessee sank a pair of threes to open the third quarter to draw even early. WKU went on 6-0 run sparked by a layup from Elgedawy to permanently retake the lead. The Lady Toppers outscored the Lady Raiders 19-13 in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory.

WKU found an advantage in the post, scoring 44 of their 71 points in the paint and outscoring Middle Tennessee by 16 down low. The Lady Toppers also outrebounded Middle Tennessee, 43-29, in the game. With 19 offensive rebounds, WKU scored 19 second chance points against the Lady Raiders.

The Lady Toppers shot 42.4 percent from the field, but only 14.3 percent from 3-point range.

With the win, WKU has now won six-straight games in Bowling Green against Middle Tennessee and have won eight of the last 10 total games against the Lady Raiders.

WKU will hit the road again for a pair of games. The Lady Toppers will face Old Dominion on Jan. 16 and Charlotte on Jan. 18.

Season tickets and single-game tickets for Lady Topper basketball games are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased online (here) or by calling 1-800-5-BIGRED. Tickets can also be purchased in-person at the WKU Ticket Office located in E.A. Diddle Arena.

How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on WKU Lady Topper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on Twitter, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.