Lady Raiders Head To Troy Wednesday

MURFREESBORO - Middle Tennessee women's basketball will take its nine-game winning streak on the road Wednesday when it travels to Troy, Ala., for a Sun Belt East Division matchup with the Troy Trojans at 7 p.m.

The Blue Raiders can clinch the East Division with a win. MT currently holds a three-game lead over Western Kentucky with four games remaining. A victory would assure the Blue Raiders of at least a tie record-wise for the crown, while holding the tiebreaker over the Lady Toppers following a season sweep.

Middle Tennessee, with its 18-5 overall and 13-1 Sun Belt mark, will also lock up a top-three seed in the upcoming conference tournament with a triumph. The top three seeds at the event, held March 6-9 in Hot Springs, Ark., receive an opening round bye and begin play Sunday, March 7.

Senior All-American Alysha Clark, a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, leads the Sun Belt with 25.1 ppg and 10.8 rpg. She is one of just eight players around the country to pace her respective conference in both categories.

Clark and fellow seniors Brandi Brown and Jackie Pickel average in double figures, giving the Blue Raiders a trio in the Sun Belt's top 10. Brown averages 14.4 ppg, while Pickel averages 14.0 ppg.

Troy brings an 11-13 overall and 4-10 ledger into the contest. The Trojans, who have dropped their last five games, are led by Donette McNair's 13.3 ppg and 9.6 rpg. Brittnie Davis averages 12.3 ppg, while Kirsten Smith is next with 4.3 rpg.

Middle Tennessee owns an 11-0 all-time series lead against Troy. The Blue Raiders captured a 75-60 win last year at Troy, which featured a national-high, school record and Sun Belt Conference-tying mark of 50 points by Clark.