Blue Raiders head south to battle Golden Panthers

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee women's basketball will begin its two-game road swing to the end the regular season with a 6 p.m. (Central) Wednesday tip at FIU Wednesday in Miami, Fla.

The Blue Raiders have won 11 straight, a streak which began with a 90-58 victory over the Golden Panthers inside the Murphy Center Jan. 13. During the run, Middle Tennessee has outscored its opponents by an average of 29.0 points per game, while tallying 100 points four times in the last six contests.

Head coach Rick Insell's squad clinched another outright Sun Belt East Division crown following Sunday's Senior Day and Pink Zone 100-78 win over South Alabama. The Blue Raiders currently boast a 20-5 overall and 15-1 league record. Middle Tennessee has won at least 20 games for seven consecutive seasons, extending a school record.

Academic All-Americans Alysha Clark and Brandi Brown continue to pace the Blue Raider offensive attack. Clark, the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year, tops the Sun Belt with 26.6 ppg and is second with 11.3 rpg, while Brown averages 13.9 ppg.

Fellow senior Jackie Pickel also averages 13.9 ppg and has pulled within 57 points of becoming the fourth Middle Tennessee player this season of netting 1,000 career points. Chelsia Lymon joined the elite club, becoming the 23rd overall Blue Raider to reach the milestone with a 13-point performance Sunday to go along with her school-record tying 14 assists for her first career double-double.

FIU also has been riding a hot streak as of late, winning its last six games to improve its record to 14-13 overall and 9-7 in the league. Four Golden Panthers average in double figures, led by 13.8 ppg from Elisa Carey and 12.3 ppg by Michelle Gonzalez. Carey is the top rebounder for head coach Cindy Russo's team with 9.5 per game.

Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter @MTAthletics for continued updates.