Middle Tennessee returns to road for next game

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee women's basketball team is back on the road this weekend as it travels to Lafayette, La., to face Louisiana in a 2 p.m. Saturday tip in the second away Sun Belt contest of the first three games.

The Blue Raiders have begun the league campaign with a 2-0 record after knocking off South Alabama and North Texas, improving to a league-best 11-4 overall.

Freshman Ebony Rowe leads the charge after posting her fifth consecutive double-double, and eighth overall, with 15 points and 21 rebounds in the 83-63 win over the Mean Green Wednesday evening inside the Murphy Center. The 21 boards are the most by any player in the Rick Insell era and tie for fourth in school history.

Sophomore Kortni Jones also had her best game as a Blue Raider against North Texas, recording a career-best 24 points, including four 3-pointers. Senior Anne Marie Lanning provide MT with a trio in double-figure scoring with 21, her second-straight tilt with at least 20.

The Ragin' Cajuns, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Errol Rogers, own a 9-7 overall and 2-1 league mark entering Saturday. Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team honoree Mercedes Johnson led Louisiana with 36 points in their win over Troy Wednesday, joining the school's 1,000-point club.

Middle Tennessee leads the all-time series 15-0 with Insell perfect in seven tries during his previous five seasons.

Dick Palmer will call all the action on the Blue Raider Network of stations, WGNS (100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM), WMOT (89.5 FM) and WBRY (96.7 FM, 1540 AM).

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