Between unexpectedly being swept at home last weekend and the strong stances shared during a team meeting Monday, the message is clear regarding what Western Kentucky must do moving forward.

The start of a four-game stretch against Conference USA’s top teams means the Lady Toppers have to right the ship this weekend to set themselves up for the best possible scenario in March.

Their first opportunity comes against their oldest rival Thursday night. WKU has enjoyed a recent stretch of wins against Middle Tennessee, but nothing suggests automatic victory this season. WKU (14-11 overall, 8-3 C-USA) will play MTSU (18-6, 9-2) for the 73rd time Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (CUSA.tv, 102.7 FM).

“After those two losses, it’s time to take care of business, stop playing and get the job done,” WKU guard Sherry Porter said. “It’s going to take a lot of heart. We just have to step up and do it.”

Last weekend, for the first time since the 2012-13 season, WKU lost back-to-back home conference games with a shellacking by Rice and a late collapse against North Texas on Saturday.

WKU’s 8-3 record in conference is tied with Marshall for third in C-USA. Middle Tennessee sits alone in second behind league leader Rice.

A win at Middle Tennessee would give WKU six straight for the second-longest streak in the series that started in 1924.

WKU left with a 76-60 win last February when it visited the Murphy Center thanks to one of its better defensive performances. Before Wednesday’s practice, WKU coach Greg Collins and players recalled that stout effort that secured a crucial road win and said that performance should be mimicked Thursday.

“We were up pressuring them on defense and they couldn’t get a shot off,” WKU guard/forward Dee Givens said. “We watched film from last year’s game and saw we were very active and they had a hard time getting shots off. That’s how we’re going to try to play tomorrow.”

Trying and executing are different things. A visibly frustrated Collins spoke after WKU’s last defeat about a lack of effort defensively through rebounding. The Lady Toppers have been outrebounded by double digits the last two games and rank last in the league allowing 20.1 defensive rebounds per game and the second-worst rebounding margin in C-USA at -3.9.

That setback defensively translates to the second-worst scoring defense in C-USA at 72.6 points allowed per game. And although scoring hasn’t traditionally been a problem this year with the Lady Toppers scoring a league-best 74.9 points per game, WKU will need its top playmaker against the Lady Raiders after two games worth of setbacks.

Givens’ 18.1 points per game ranks third in the league, but the Lexington native combined to shoot 3-for-19 for 12 points against the Owls and Mean Green. Givens was a force in her last trip to Middle Tennessee with 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots playing alongside experienced seniors.

“It was tough because I haven’t been in that situation all year,” Givens said. “But I was in it last year with inconsistency, so I think I’ll bounce back quick and not let it get to me.”

An overall bounce back is what Collins hopes to see with the road trip starting with Middle Tennessee and UAB on Saturday.

“After we had a team meeting and got some things straight, the effort has been really strong,” Collins said. “The attention to defensive rebounding is better … still not sure the execution is better. We’ve had better practices with defense, it just hasn’t carried over to the game yet.”

Middle Tennessee enters with three-year starter Alex Johnson leading the way inside at 14.9 points per game. Longtime coach Rick Insell has added a crucial point guard piece in graduate senior A’Queen Hayes at 15.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Hayes transferred from Eastern Kentucky after starting out at Ole Miss playing for Insell’s son Matt, who is now a Middle Tennessee assistant coach.

MTSU’s two C-USA losses so far have been to Rice and Saturday at Old Dominion.

“The lone two games they’ve lost in our conference have been to teams that defended them the best,” Collins said. “If we’re going to have a shot to be in this thing, we have to find a way to defend quick guards and Alex Johnson in the post. It’s going to come down to defense and rebounding again.”

Western Kentucky (14-11, 8-3) at Middle Tennessee (18-6, 9-2)

6:30 p.m., Thursday, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Probable starters

Western Kentucky – Sherry Porter, g, 5-7, so. (6.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg); Whitney Creech, g, 5-8, jr. (5.0 ppg, 3.1 apg); Meral Abdelgawad, g, 5-11, fr. (9.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg); Dee Givens, f, 6-1, r-jr. (18.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg); Raneem Elgedawy, f, 6-4, so. (16.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg)

Middle Tennessee – Alex Johnson, f, 6-0, sr. (14.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Taylor Sutton, g, 5-4, fr. (11.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg); A’Queen Hayes, g, 5-8, g-sr. (15.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg); Jess Louro g, 5-10, sr. (5.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg); Anna Jones, g, 6-1, so. (6.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg)

Online – CUSA.tv

Radio ESPN 102.7 FM or 1450 AM

Coaches Greg Collins (14-11 first season), Western Kentucky; Rick Insell (335-118 14th season, 335-118 overall) Middle Tennessee.

Series Middle Tennessee leads the series 41-31 (WKU won the last meeting 76-60 on Feb. 15, 2018, in Murfreesboro, Tenn.).

Last time out

Western Kentucky lost 76-67 to North Texas on Saturday; Middle Tennessee lost 70-65 at Old Dominion on Saturday.{&end}