MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – In a season where Middle Tennessee State (23-6, 15-1 CUSA) has boasted one of its best defensive teams in program history, it was fitting that the last home game of the year was a defensive showcase. The Blue Raiders defeated the UTEP Miners (10-17, 3-13 CUSA) 57-35.
 

Leading the defensive charge once again were several graduating seniors who were celebrated after the win. Courtney Blakely finished with a +22 rating and recorded season highs in steals (five) and rebounds (eight). Jalynn Gregory helped contain UTEP's top-scoring threat, Ivane Tensaie, to just three points. Anastasiia Boldyreva had a season-high eight blocked shots, surpassing 100 total blocks for the second consecutive year. Fellow post player Elina Arike limited UTEP's second-leading scorer, Luisa Vydrova, to just four points on 2-of-7 shooting and grabbed three rebounds against the team she began her collegiate career with.
 

After Gregory hit a three on the game's first possession, UTEP responded with a 9-0 run to take a 13-6 lead with just under 2:30 to play in the first quarter. The Miners' starters all contributed during that span, with Vydrova leading the way with four points, two rebounds, and an assist. Middle Tennessee answered with a pair of three-pointers from Savannah Davis and Ta'Mia Scott and a layup from Boldyreva to regain the lead at 14-13 heading into the second quarter.
 

The Blue Raiders carried that momentum into the second quarter, pushing the lead to double digits at 24-13 by the under-four-minute media timeout. Middle Tennessee held UTEP scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting during that stretch. Blakely tallied four steals in the quarter, while Scott led the offensive charge with eight points, including a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. UTEP finally broke the drought when Heaven Samayoa-Mathis hit a three-pointer with 2:58 left in the half. Middle Tennessee entered the locker room up 26-20, with Scott leading all scorers with 16 points. Boldyreva had four points and six rebounds at the break, while Blakely had four assists and four steals. The Blue Raiders forced eight UTEP turnovers and shot 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.
 

Middle Tennessee's defense continued to dominate in the third quarter, holding UTEP to just five points on 2-of-19 shooting. The Blue Raiders extended their lead to 34-25 heading into the fourth, with Scott still leading all scorers with 18 points and four rebounds. Boldyreva was dominant in the paint, increasing her block total to seven while also grabbing nine rebounds.
 

In the fourth quarter, Gregory found her rhythm, scoring 10 points, including four three-pointers, to help seal the victory. The Blue Raiders shot 8-of-20 from beyond the arc, including 3-of-4 in the fourth quarter. Scott finished with a game-high 25 points and four rebounds. UTEP shot just 25.9% from the floor.
 

By the Numbers
— 15: The Blue Raiders have recorded at least 15 Conference USA wins for the third straight season.
— 100: Boldyreva's season-high eight blocks pushed her past 100 for the season. Her 106 blocks currently lead the nation.
— 5, 8: Blakely's season highs in steals and rebounds, respectively.
— 125: The number of wins senior Jada Grannum has been a part of, the second-most in program history.
— 131: Number of games Gregory has played and started in her career. She has started every game she has played.
 

Blue Raider Notes
This year's graduating class is the winningest four-year class in program history with 108 wins and counting.
 

From Head Coach Rick Insell
"Every senior day is tough," Middle Tennessee State head coach Rick Insell said. "It's an emotional day. It's something you think about all week. (Boldyreva) gave us a scare when she got hurt early, but she came back and had eight blocked shots. That was big. (Gregory) started knocking down shots, and (Blakely) did a great job running the offense. Arike did a lot of things that don't always show up in the box score—passing, boxing out, and setting good screens. We started slow but got it together for a solid win. Any time you hold a Division I team to 35 points, that's huge. (Blakely) and Gregory played well defensively, and (Scott) had a big game on both ends."

From Junior Guard Ta'Mia Scott
"Before the game, I was thinking about how the seniors helped me when I wasn't playing as much earlier in my career," Scott said. "Now it's my turn to do the same for them. I wanted to play really hard for them. We missed some easy shots early and gave up too much to close the first half, but we fought back, got into a rhythm, and finished strong."

Up Next
Middle Tennessee's final road trip of the regular season begins Thursday night against Liberty. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT and can be streamed on ESPN+ and heard on the Blue Raider Network.