Middle Tennessee 84, Western Kentucky 73

3/7/2006 8:23 PM

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - Rick Insell feels like he took a big step toward repaying Middle Tennessee for their gamble of hiring a high school coach to take over the women's basketball program.

Chrissy Givens had 24 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Lady Raiders to their third straight NCAA tournament berth with an 87-43 victory over Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game Tuesday.

Insell, who won a state record 10 championships in 28 seasons at Tennessee's Shelbyville High, earned an NCAA berth in his first season with the Lady Raiders.

``It took some guts to do what they did, and I feel very thankful that they believed in me and they stood behind me and have given us what we need to be successful here,'' Insell said.

The Lady Raiders were coming off an NCAA tournament victory last year when coach Stephany Smith left for the same job at Alabama. Athletic director Chris Massaro and president Sidney McPhee chose to hire Insell.

Middle Tennessee (20-10) earned its 10th NCAA berth and became the first Sun Belt team to win three straight tournament titles since Western Kentucky in 1991-93. The Lady Raiders won three straight titles for the first time since 1983-85 when they were in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Insell called the victory big for high school coaches all over the country who have been passed over for college jobs.

``With the success we have had this year and going to the NCAA tournament, I think more athletic directors across the country will look at some more of these people - male and female - that are great coaches at that level and bring them into the collegiate game,'' Insell said.

This was the third time in four years these teams have met for the league's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

The Lady Toppers (24-6) had their 13-game winning streak snapped after scoring the first eight points and squandering an 18-4 lead. Now they must hope their RPI in the Top 20 is enough to earn an NCAA at-large berth.

``Out of a 40-minute basketball game, the Lady Toppers played about a 15-minute basketball game,'' Western Kentucky coach Mary Taylor Cowles said.

Tia Stovall added 19 for Middle Tennessee, Monique Martin added 15, Starr Orr had 11 and Krystle Horton 10.

Tiffany Porter-Talbert led Western Kentucky with 20 points. Crystal Kelly added 17, and Tifany Zaragoza and Charlotte Marshall each had 10.

The Lady Raiders outshot the Lady Toppers 56 percent to 46 percent, and outrebounded them 34-29. Middle Tennessee also shot 24-for-27 at the free-throw line, compared to Western Kentucky's 13-for-18.

Playing on their home court, the Lady Raiders used a 32-17 run to take their first lead at 36-35 on a layup by Stovall.

``We went with a different offense that put the ball in Chrissy's hands, and she took it over,'' Insell said.

With the score tied at 39 at the break, Martin hit a jumper in the opening minute of the second half that gave Middle Tennessee the lead for good. The Lady Raiders eventually led by as much as 72-57.

The Lady Toppers tried to rally late with a 9-2 run, but Givens - the league's player of the year and tournament MVP - hit a pair of free throws with 2:09 left to push the lead to 76-66.

Western Kentucky never got closer than eight again.

``A mountain was put in front of us, and we climbed over it,'' Givens said.