Defending national runner-up on deck for Middle Tennessee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - In the midst of its longest road trip of the season, the Middle Tennessee women's basketball team heads to Louisville, Ky., Wednesday to face the defending national runner-up Louisville Cardinals at 6 p.m. Central inside Freedom Hall.

The Blue Raiders will be playing their second of a three-game road swing after opening the set Thursday at Xavier. The trio of contests will conclude Sunday at South Dakota State.

Middle Tennessee enters the game having alternated wins and losses through the first six contests for a 3-3 record. Senior Alysha Clark continues to pace the Blue Raiders with 23.3 ppg and 12.2 rpg, ranking eighth and sixth nationally in the respective categories.

Jackie Pickel netted a season-best 22 points, one shy of her career high, in MT's last game at Xavier. She hit five of the Blue Raiders' 13 3-pointers against the third Top 10 opponent on the early season slate.

Becky Burke leads Jeff Walz's Cardinals team with 15.1 ppg, while Monique Reid is hauling in a team-best 7.4 rpg. Louisville brings a 5-2 record to the contest and is coming off a 60-55 victory over Utah Sunday.

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