Feature Photo by Rusty Miller
Story by Jacob Burgess
Basketball season is just around the corner as MTSU women’s hoops tips off on Nov. 4.
Going into the season, Middle Tennessee looks to build off of a historic 2023-2024 campaign. The Blue Raiders dominated their conference last season, holding a perfect 16-0 record against Conference USA opponents. Additionally, MTSU posted its second-best record in team history, finishing 30-5 overall.
After an impressive regular season, the Blue Raiders defeated the University of Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The 71-69 victory marked the program’s first March Madness win since 2007. MTSU’s magical season came to a close in the round of 32, by means of an 83-56 loss to Louisiana State University.
Despite the successful season, longtime MTSU head coach Rick Insell isn’t satisfied. Going into this year, the 73-year-old ball coach has his sights set on history.
“My goal since I’ve been here, I’ve been here twenty years and I think Matt will tell you the same thing is our goal is to get to the Final Four,” Insell said.
The 2024 lineup subtracts two starters and one role player from 2023 while adding five new players to the roster.
Insell’s rotation habits put Middle Tennessee in tight spots in the biggest moments. Against LSU in the round of 32, with multiple players in foul trouble Insell was forced to put in less experienced players for the final stretch of game.
Insell used eight players for most of the season and had the same starting lineup from the start of the season to the end. The starting lineup has lost two members and two of the role players transferred out.
Players who know the playbook and fit well out there with the rest of team will play, and I want to play more players but only if they know what is happening. Savannah Davis is one of those players along with Jada Harrison and Stanisliva Kabernick, Insell said.
With the Middle Tennessee coaching staff needing to replace two starters and find quality role pieces, the rotation will likely be larger than last season early on. Two exhibition games give the coaches a chance to find those new players without risking a loss on the record.
After the first exhibition against UT Southern, the five to six starters showed who they were, Insell said. The rest of the team is pretty good and will be needed to help win basketball games Insell said.
Transfers Courtney Blakely and Elina Arike started with Davis and Jada Grannum came off the bench early. In total 12 players saw time in the pre-season matchup giving the coaching staff plenty to look at in the film room.
“I wanted my guys coming off the bench to be more entuned with what was going on, I’m not happy with that,” Insell said.
With the Blue Raiders regularly being a team playing into March, their schedule looks to face the toughest opponents possibly.
Middle Tennessee agreed to a four-game contract with the University of Tennessee with the first game being a neutral location matchup last season. The Blue Raiders knocked off the Volunteers winning 73-62.
Middle Tennessee will travel east to Knoxville to play the Vols this year in an early season match up on Nov. 12.
“I’ve always wanted to play in-state rivals they just don’t want to play us,” Insell said. “I think that is growing the game of women’s basketball inside our state when we did that, we should be playing Vanderbilt, University of Memphis and doing that we are growing the game inside the state, we are willing to play anybody, they are just not willing to play us.”
Middle Tennessee starts its season on Nov. 4, on the road against Northern Kentucky. The first home game is Nov. 8, against Grand Canyon.
Jacob Burgess is the lead sports reporter for MTSU Sidelines
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