Game Info
WKU (14-5, 7-1 C-USA) at Middle Tennessee (14-4, 6-2 C-USA)
Saturday, Jan. 29 | 3 p.m.
Murfreesboro, Tenn. | Murphy Center
Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (ESPN 102.7) | Live Stats
Game Notes
About the Lady Toppers
- WKU suffered its first Conference USA loss on Thursday night at UAB, 86-70. Four Lady Toppers scored in double figures. Meral Abdelgawad led all scorers with 28 points, Alexis Mead added 17 points, Mya Meredith had 13 and Macey Blevins added 11.
- Mya Meredith earned her fourth consecutive C-USA Freshman of the Week honor on Monday. The rookie is the first C-USA freshman to win four straight since the 2010-11 season.
- The Lady Toppers pride themselves on defense and it's showing. WKU has 226 steals on the season, the 10th most in the nation, and their 11.9 steals per game is 14th in the NCAA. Both of those marks lead C-USA. WKU is also forcing 22.05 turnovers per game which is the 15th best rate in the country. The Lady Toppers are holding opponents to 26.9 percent from the perimeter which is 43rd nationally.
- On the offensive side, WKU shares the ball at a high rate, notching 287 assists on the season which leads C-USA and is 51st in the country. The Lady Toppers are the conference's highest scoring team, putting up 72.8 points per game. WKU is efficient on offense, leading the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (34.2%) and is second in the league in field goal percentage (43.5%).
- Abdelgawad is the leading scorer in C-USA, averaging 20.5 points per game, good for the 12th highest rate in the nation. Her 390 total points scored on the season also leads the league and is 13th nationally. Her 49 steals are second in the conference and is 24th among all NCAA players. She's shooting 54.1 percent from the field on the season, which is second overall in the conference and the top percentage for a C-USA guard.
- WKU has five true freshmen on the roster and the rookies have made an impact. The freshmen are scoring 54.0 percent of WKU's points through 19 games. Meredith is leading the way, averaging 13.5 points per game and Alexis Mead is behind her with a 10.6 points per game average.
- Meredith's 40 steals this season is the fourth most in C-USA and she's the top freshman scorer in the league. Mead has 67 assists on the season, the most of any freshman in the league and the fifth most overall.
- Abdelgawad is the lone senior and upperclassman for WKU. The Lady Toppers are the only team in Conference USA with only one upperclassman. All other teams have at least four.
- The 2021-22 season is the 60th for WKU women's basketball.
Series History vs. Middle Tennessee
- Middle Tennessee is WKU's most played opponent in program history. The two teams have played a total of 78 times.
- WKU is 33-45 all-time against Middle Tennessee. In the last 10 meeting, the Lady Toppers are 6-4.
- The Lady Toppers are 9-27 in Murfreesboro against the Lady Raiders all-time. In Bowling Green, WKU leads 23-15.
- In 2021, the Lady Toppers hosted the Lady Raiders in Bowling Green for a pair of games in January. Middle Tennessee won both of those matchups.
Middle Tennessee Notes
- The Lady Raiders are third in the C-USA East division standings with a 6-2 record. Middle Tennessee also has the league's top NET ranking at No. 50. The Lady Raiders are 7-0 at home this season.
- Middle Tennessee is giving up only 55.3 points per game, the second fewest of any C-USA team. The Lady Raiders are averaging 9.6 3-pointers per game on the season.
- Dor Saar has made the most 3-pointers in the league, averaging 2.72 per game.
- Middle Tennessee has four players averaging double digit points. Kseniya Malashka is the team's top scorer, averaging 13.5 points per game. Saar is putting up 12.6 points, Courtney Whitson is averaging 12.5 and Jalynn Gregory is scoring 11.1 points.
- Whitson is the team's leading rebounder, pulling down 7.5 boards per game.
Up Next
- WKU will return to Bowling Green to host Charlotte and Old Dominion.
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.
