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Memphis, Tennessee: Tigers Beat Middle Tennessee 47-38 for First Win Over the Blue Raiders Since 1999

Memphis held Middle Tennessee to 13 points in the second half at Elma Roane Fieldhouse on Friday night, ending a seven-game losing streak in the series and a 27-year wait.

By Orbit Post2 min read
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Memphis, Tennessee: Tigers Beat Middle Tennessee 47-38 for First Win Over the Blue Raiders Since 1999

Key points

  • The Memphis women's basketball team beat Middle Tennessee 47-38 on Friday night at Elma Roane Fieldhouse, the Tigers' first win over the Blue Raiders since March 11, 1999.
  • The game was tied 25-25 at halftime after a first half with eight lead changes.
  • Middle Tennessee shot 27 percent from the field and 16 percent from three-point range, and turned the ball over 17 times, mistakes Memphis converted into 15 points.

The Memphis women's basketball team beat Middle Tennessee 47-38 on Friday night at Elma Roane Fieldhouse, the Tigers' first win over the Blue Raiders since March 11, 1999.

The game was tied 25-25 at halftime after a first half with eight lead changes. Memphis opened the third quarter with a 6-0 run and outscored Middle Tennessee 22-13 across the second half. A second 6-0 run midway through the fourth quarter, during a Middle Tennessee scoring drought of nearly five minutes, pushed the Memphis lead to 43-32 and settled the game.

A defensive win, 27 years in the making

Middle Tennessee shot 27 percent from the field and 16 percent from three-point range, and turned the ball over 17 times, mistakes Memphis converted into 15 points. The Blue Raiders' 38 points were the second-fewest scored in program history.

Blair Baugus played all 40 minutes for Middle Tennessee and led her team with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Mya Kone added nine points and Maayan Cohen seven off the bench, while Stanislav Kabernick had a team-high nine rebounds.

2-0 under a new coach

The win moved Memphis to 2-0 for the first time since the 2021-22 season and gave head coach Hana Haden her second straight win to open her tenure. The Tigers opened the season on Monday with a 78-42 win over LeMoyne-Owen at the Fieldhouse. Senior guard Anjanae Richardson led Memphis in that opener, tying her career high with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, with six rebounds and three steals. Friday's win followed the same pattern, defense first: Middle Tennessee was held scoreless for nearly five minutes of the fourth quarter while Memphis built the lead that closed the game.

The last Memphis win in the series came in the first round of the 1999 WNIT, a 71-61 home win in which Tamika Whitmore scored 29 points and took 13 rebounds. Middle Tennessee won the next seven meetings between the schools, a streak that stood for 27 years until Friday night.

Middle Tennessee fell to 1-1 and plays at Tennessee on Thursday. Memphis is back home with a 2-0 record and a defense that has allowed 42 and 38 points in its first two games.

Timeline

  1. Mar 11, 1999Memphis beats Middle Tennessee 71-61 at home in the first round of the WNIT. Tamika Whitmore scores 29 points with 13 rebounds. It is the Tigers' last win over the Blue Raiders for 27 years.
  2. Nov 2, 2026Memphis opens the Hana Haden era with a 78-42 win over LeMoyne-Owen at Elma Roane Fieldhouse.
  3. Nov 6, 2026Memphis beats Middle Tennessee 47-38, outscoring the Blue Raiders 22-13 in the second half to end a seven-game losing streak in the series.

Sources