University of Tennessee Athletics
Double-Double Debut for Middleton
November 14, 2014 | Women's Basketball
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- As freshman debuts go, the effort from the three Lady Volunteer newcomers Friday night will do.
Kortney Dunbar, Alexa Middleton and Jamie Nared all scored in double-figures in their first official game at Tennessee. In a big night for the three, it was Middleton that stole the show.
The Murfreesboro, Tennessee-native scored 20 points and pulled down six rebounds, but it was her work handling the ball that drew the real attention. With point guards Andrea Carter and Ariel Massengale sitting out, much of the responsibly for running the point came to the freshman, who became just the 18th Lady Vol to start the opening game of her career. She responded with an 11-assist performance that set a Tennessee record for most assists in a freshman debut.
"I told her if I had known, I probably would have taken her out because she probably broke one of my records," head coach Holly Warlick said. "I'll try and keep up with that next time."
The record did not go back quite that far, Jody Adams had the previous mark of nine in her 1989 debut.
For her part, Middleton was only interested in talking about the way her teammates finished plays, with several of her assists coming on fast-break plays to Nia Moore and Bashaara Graves.
"You can't get put down for an assist if the person you pass it to doesn't score," Middleton said.
True, but do not let the humility fool you. The other half of the stat that makes the 11 assists so impressive: Zero turnovers.
"It definitely jumps out, especially for a freshman," Basharra Graves said of Middleton's prefect assist-to-turnover ratio. "She just came out and balled out and I'm so proud of her, I'm proud of Nia, I'm proud of everybody for the way we came out today."
Middleton also had three steals as Tennessee dialed up the pressure from start to finish.
"We talked about being more aggressive on the guards, applying more pressure," Middleton said. "That's what we've worked on and hat's what we've stressed in practice."
Middleton was one of four players to record a double-doubles, the most in a game in program history, along with Moore, Graves and Isabelle Harrison. Her 20 points were the most in a debut since Meighan Simmons scored 22 against Louisville in 2010.
There was no time during the game to consider the records. With the roster already diminished with players sitting out, injuries to Jasmine Jones in the first half and Harrison in the second cut the rotation down to six. The numbers did not impact the style or the pace, even with a large margin on the scoreboard.
"When you are running up and down the court, pushing the ball, and playing good defense, you are going to get winded," said Middleton. "But we make sure in practice we are running and doing those situations. I guess just being out there for the first time, my first collegiate game, the excitement and running up and down the court. But, we made it, we're alright."
