BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Middle Tennessee (14-12, 9-5 CUSA) endured a loss to Western Kentucky 7-18 (3-11 CUSA) , falling 70-65 on Saturday afternoon.  

From the outset, Middle Tennessee struggled to gain momentum, trailing 9-6 after the first quarter. WKU seized control in the second, delivering a strong 21-point effort and heading into halftime with a 30-19 lead. 

The Lady Toppers widened the gap to as much as 20 points in the third quarter, leading 55-38 as they entered the final period. 

Despite their efforts, the Blue Raiders faced an uphill battle, though they showed promise to stretch in the fourth, outscoring WKU 27-15. Middle Tennessee shot 42.1 percent in that quarter and managed to cut the deficit to five points in the closing seconds, thanks to back-to-back three-pointers from Macie Phifer. Yet, the attempted comeback ultimately fell short, leaving a sense of heartbreak. 


Coach's Comments:  

By The Numbers  

3: Three players from Middle Tennessee reached double figures. 

27:  Fourth-quarter points scored by the Blue Raiders, their highest-scoring period of the game. 

36: Total rebounds for Middle Tennessee, out-rebounded Western Kentucky University 36-32.