The Lady Raiders improved to 12-5 overall and 4-0 in Sun Belt play, the first undefeated mark after four games since joining the SBC and the best start to conference play since the 1995-96 squad began 8-0.

Middle Tennessee got 11 points in the first half from Givens, as the sophomore recorded four of the team's 11 steals in the opening 20 minutes. The Lady Raiders held South Alabama to just 17 points in the half, USA's lowest point total of the season in either half and the lowest for a Lady Raider opponent this year, for a 10-point Middle Tennessee lead at the break.

In the second half, South Alabama pushed the tempo by pressing full-court, but Middle Tennessee put the game away by shooting 63 percent in the first 12 minutes of the half.

Senior Patrice Holmes scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half while Krystle Horton added 10 points and seven rebounds. Givens tied her career-high with eight rebounds and four steals, as well, with Holmes and Horton both collecting four assists. The Lady Raiders recorded 15 assists on 25 baskets in the game.

"We were tenacious on the defensive end of the floor tonight," head coach Stephany Smith said. "That's where everything else came from.

"The scouting report demanded some major-league communication and we came to the forefront. We were very aggressive on the defensive end of the floor and caused South Alabama problems."

Givens was a big part of the defensive effort, with the Lady Raiders registering 14 steals in the contest overall and holding the Lady Jags to 40 percent shooting from the floor.

"Our defense took a lot of communication and it was a big part of our win tonight," Givens said. "They were just putting [the ball] right there, so I took it and went. We were doing well on the defensive end and able to get out on the fastbreak."

The Lady Raiders host Louisiana-Lafayette Thursday and New Mexico State Saturday at Murphy Center.

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