DRC Lady Eagles hungry for another ty at Middle TN

OldTimer · March 2, 2004

Women's basketball: Lady Eagles hungry for another try at MT

08:27 AM CST on Tuesday, March 2, 2004

By Brett Vito / Staff Writer

The North Texas women’s basketball team let a chance to knock off Middle Tennessee slip through its fingers earlier this year.

The mistake is one the Lady Eagles hope to avoid this weekend in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. UNT will face the Lady Raiders in a first-round game at 11 a.m. on Sunday at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky.

UNT jumped out to an 11-point lead at halftime of its first meeting with Middle Tennessee before the Lady Raiders rallied for a 64-55 win at the Murphy Center.

"We played well against them down there," UNT coach Tina Slinker said. "They are a very athletic team, but we match up well with them."

UNT’s starting backcourt of Jill Medlock and Erika Bobo led the Lady Eagles in their first meeting with Middle Tennessee. Medlock led UNT with 13 points, while Bobo had 11. Sophomore guard Jamie Armstrong added 10 points off of the bench.

Slinker said UNT will need to take advantage of its interior tandem of Kim Blanton and Mia Ajekwu to knock off Middle Tennessee in the teams’ second meeting.

Blanton leads UNT with an average of 11.8 points a game, while Ajekwu is scoring five points a game. Ajekwu stands 6-3, while Blanton is 6-1. Krystle Horton is the only player on Middle Tennessee’s roster who is taller than 6-1. The freshman is 6-2.

Blanton scored eight points in the first meet between the teams, while Ajekwu added five points.

UNT’s game against Middle Tennessee could be one of the most interesting in the first round. The Lady Raiders are the fourth seed in the tournament, while UNT is the fifth seed.

Spencer is considered UNT’s best draft prospect. The three-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection was named the Most Valuable Player of the Gray team during the Blue-Gray Classic on Dec. 25.

Spencer also participated in the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis earlier this month.

The 6-3, 230-pound middle linebacker posted a solid performance at the combine that included a 4.62 second 40-yard dash.

Spencer said he was happy with his performance at the combine and will only go through a few drills designed to test players’ agility today.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870.