MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — WKU women's basketball (13-10, 10-4 C-USA) fell on the road to Middle Tennessee (19-4, 12-2 C-USA) on Thursday night in a high scoring 94-81 game.
"Eighty-one points is enough to win the game, but it's not when you give up 49 at halftime and 94 for the game," said head coach Greg Collins. "This would have been a big one. It would have given us a chance to be tied for first (place in C-USA standings), but we didn't get the job done. So, now we have to regroup. As much as we wanted to win this game, we have to hit the reset buttong and focus on the next two games at home."
Sophomore Mya Meredith led WKU in scoring with a season high 21 points on 5-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc and 8-of-9 shooting from the floor. It was the fifth 20-point game of her career. Freshman Acacia Hayes scored 17 points and tied her season high in assists with four. Aaliyah Pitts connected on four 3-pointers for 14 points. Jaylin Foster flirted with a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
The Lady Toppers broke a school record with 16 made 3-pointers in the game, topping the previous record of 14 reached five times, including twice this season. WKU shot 50.0 percent from beyond the arc (16-of-32), which is a season high for the Lady Toppers.
WKU has now made 203 threes overall this season which ranks as the fourth most all-time at WKU. All the top five seasons on the 3-pointers made list came during Collins' time at WKU as an assistant and head coach.
Pitts scored WKU's first six points, making back-to-back threes to open the game. The first quarter was back-and-forth, but the Lady Toppers were able to take a 7-point lead twice in the frame. The Blue Raiders closed out the quarter on an 8-3 run to cut the WKU lead down to one going into the second quarter.
The Lady Toppers opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run behind threes from Hayes, Meredith and Karris Allen, giving WKU a 10-point lead. Middle Tennessee responded with a 10-0 run of their own to tie the game. Another Pitts three put WKU back ahead but five straight points from the Blue Raiders swung the game back in their favor. Hope Sivori knocked down a three to put WKU back ahead, but a 7-0 run from Middle Tennessee gave the Blue Raiders back the lead.
Down seven at halftime, Pitts' fourth three to open the third quarter brought WKU back within four. Middle Tennessee extended that lead, but WKU clawed back within one with 1:55 left in the period and then tied the score with 52 seconds. During that stretch, Meredith scored 11 points.
WKU tied the score again to start the fourth quarter with a three from Hayes. Middle Tennessee responded with a three, but WKU came back down and scored a two to cut it back to one. The Blue Raiders rattled off an 8-0 run to go ahead by nine and would ultimately outscore WKU 25-15 in the frame.
The Lady Toppers will return to action on Thursday, Feb. 16 against Charlotte in Bowling Green. The Lady Toppers have not played at home since Jan. 28 with three straight road contests.
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on Lady Topper Hoops, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on Twitter, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
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