Middle Tennessee Women’s Basketball delivered a night to remember Friday at the Murphy Center, not just because of the 63–54 win over Liberty, but because it marked Head Coach Rick Insell’s 500th NCAA Division I victory. If you were listening on WGNS, you heard every moment — just like you do for every Lady Raider game.

Five hundred wins is no small feat. In women’s basketball, only a handful of active coaches have reached that mark at a single school, and Insell now stands among just six of them. It’s a milestone that speaks to longevity, consistency, and a level of success few ever achieve.

The game itself opened with a spark. Blair Baugus knocked down the first bucket of the night with a jumper in the paint, setting the tone for a strong first quarter. Middle Tennessee held the lead from the opening tip through the end of the frame, heading into the second up 17–12. Baugus was already in double figures by then, pacing all scorers with 10 points.

The second quarter brought a burst from beyond the arc. Savannah Davis and Alayna Contreras combined for nine quick points, fueling a 7–0 run that kept Liberty off the board for more than three minutes. But the Flames clawed back, taking their first lead of the night just before halftime and heading into the locker room up 29–27. Even so, Baugus remained the top scorer on either side with 11 at the break.

Kirston Verhulst wasted no time reclaiming momentum in the third, opening the half with a three-pointer that put the Blue Raiders back in front. The teams traded punches throughout the quarter, but Middle Tennessee edged ahead 43–40 heading into the final period.

From there, the Blue Raiders took over. They poured in 20 points in the fourth quarter and forced Liberty into mistake after mistake, turning 19 Flames turnovers into 22 points. Three players finished in double figures: Baugus with a game‑high 22, Contreras with 15, and Macie Phifer adding 13. The defense was just as sharp, racking up 11 steals on the night.

A milestone win, a home‑court celebration, and a reminder of why the Lady Raiders remain one of the most consistent programs in Conference USA — all of it unfolding on a night when history and hard work met at center court.