MURFREESBORO, Tenn. –KK Rodriguez made her return to play after missing 21 games in the 2023-24 season, but it came in a losing effort as Middle Tennessee dominated SIUE 85-41 Wednesday morning at the Murphy Center.
 
Rodriguez opened the score off a turnaround jumper in the first quarter and knocked down two free throws in at the 2:20 marker.
 
SIUE went to 1-6 with the loss. MTSU improved to 7-2.
 
MTSU went on a 35-point run that was broke in the second quarter after Meegan Fahey made two free throws, followed by a jumper from Macey Silvey and a layup from Halle Smith pulling the Cougars back 39-10.
 
MTSU advanced their lead off a three-point jumper from Jalynn Gregory to put the Blue Raiders up 43-13 with 2:19 left in the second.
 
Before the break Brianna Wooldridge made a turnaround jumper and one free throw, while Rodriguez made two free throws bringing the Cougars to 46-18.
 
MTSU's Savannah Davis hit a three-point shot off a fast break making the score 49-17 before the end of the first half.
 
The second half started off with a layup from MTSU putting them at 51-17 before Jaiden Bryant made a three-pointer keeping the Cougars in the game.
 
MTSU maintained a steady lead through the rest of the of the game before the Cougars made a final push in the last two minutes with Fahey making back-to-back driving layups and Emiyah Cobb contributing a layup to end the game.
 
Wooldridge led the Cougars with nine points. Fahy chipped in six points. The Cougars had 25 points off the bench compared to the Blue Raiders 23 points off the bench.
 
SIUE continues on the road at Evansville December 8.