NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - MIDDLE TENNESSEE VS COLORADO

March 18, 2023

Rick Insell

Savannah Wheeler

Anastasiia Boldyreva

Cameron Indoor Stadium

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Media Conference

Colorado - 82, Middle TN State - 60

>>> Welcome, tonight, we have from Middle Tennessee State, head coach, Rick Insell, Anastasiia Boldyreva and Savannah Wheeler. We will start with a quick opening statement from Rick Insell, and questions for the student-athletes. Then we will release them back to the locker room with their teammates. Thank you.

RICK INSELL: I thought that Colorado came out, and really, really played a great game. I mean, I think they were averaging five threes a game. What did they hit tonight? I don't have a stat sheet. 15, 13. 13 threes. You know, we played pretty good defense. Then I thought on the -- our offensive end, they were very aggressive with us, not allowing us to get into our offense. They were fouling now. They were aggressive. They did a good job. Their game plan was excellent, caused us problems early. They knocked down some shots early on. I thought offensive rebounds was a big key, too. Eight offensive rebounds in the first half or first quarter, I can't remember that. You can't do that. My girls, they didn't quit. They kept playing and executing, and I was really proud of them. They have had a heck of a season. We had them under the fire and under the gun all year long. They have done a good job.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes, please.

Q. Savannah, it seemed like the length of Colorado was something you had to adjust to early. How quickly did you have to figure out how to run the offense with the extra size Colorado had?

SAVANNAH WHEELER: Just like what coach was saying. They were aggressive with the post players up top setting screens. All we had to do is try to match their physicality. Credit to them. You know, they did a great job of defending them. I thought we had a heck of a year. I'm really proud of this group, proud that I came here, and just ready to get back to work for next season.

Q. For both of you. What did you do so well in the second quarter, that got you back in the game? I think you cut to five after the rough start.

THE MODERATOR: Start with Savannah, then Anastasiia, please.

SAVANNAH WHEELER: I would say, we were getting a lot of deflections in the first half. In the second quarter, I felt we were pretty active on the defensive end. They out-rebounded us. I thought our fight was definitely there. I would probably say, several deflections in the first half was beneficial for us in the first half.

ANASTASIIA BOLDYREVA: I will agree with Savannah. The worst thing we did, was we didn't box out. Specifically, me. That is why they out-rebound us. They had a good percentage of threes, even though it was our hands and we lost the shooters. So, after the second half, we went down again. First half, sorry.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions?

Q. Savannah, when you play a team that is not a great three-point shooting team and they start knocking down threes, how do you guys adjust to that?

SAVANNAH WHEELER: I mean, if they hit one or two, okay. After the second one, you have to start jabbing at them. My girl, she hit the first two in the first quarter. When that happens, you have to adjust a bit to the person. Credit to them. They came out hot for sure. Overall, it takes an adjustment to your person to know who you are guarding.

Q. Savannah, along with that, when you are a three-point shooting team and you are not hitting them. How frustrating is that when they are not falling?

SAVANNAH WHEELER: I mean, it is frustrating, you have to keep shooting. Keep running offense. When threes aren't falling, start finding other ways to make an impact in the game. Whether it is shooting pull-up jumpers, or getting to the free-throw line. So, you know, just keep shooting the threes or finding other ways to impact the game.

Q. Anastasiia, we saw you learn a lot during last year's WNIT run. What do you think you will take away from this post-season experience this season?

ANASTASIIA BOLDYREVA: For me, the most important thing is to get more physical. To get tougher in the post, and especially on the defensive end, especially on rebounds, just for the work for the summer.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions for the student-athletes? Ladies, you are welcome to go back to the locker room. Congratulations on a fantastic season.

THE MODERATOR: Now we will open it up to coach Insell.

Q. The three-point defense, obviously, had mental lapses in the third quarter. Was it just a mental breakdown, what was going on there?

RICK INSELL: The young lady, she was relocating. We lost her about three times in a row. Bam, bam, bam, she killed us. She just works hard without the ball. We knew she was a great player. We knew she was a great shooter. We had players that just lost her. You don't do that stuff intentionally. You are going in there, rebounding, you got your mind on getting aggressive and getting up in them. Next thing you know, she slides to the left, slides to the right, you close to stop penetration, and she knocks down a three. Great job by them. Great job.

Q. Whether their three-point shooting, it seemed like in the first half, they were right in front of you. You could have reached out and touched them. Was that extra frustrating for you?

RICK INSELL: Oh God. It is frustrating. Our coaching staff is one of tops in the country. They have done a fantastic job all year long. We had them pegged. We didn't expect them to go hit that many threes. We intended to shut off a couple of the shooters. The first one we shut out, she hit two threes right in a row. When we came out, had to apply the pressure a little bit to her, they were able to reuse the size inside. We are still in the game. You can overcome a couple of threes.

It is tough to overcome. The first half, they hit 11, maybe. It is tough to overcome that, that is 33 points, guys. You know.

>> You were able to get turnovers, I think they had 17, tonight. 19 points off turnovers. They were able to get 17 points off turnovers, 8 for you guys. What did Colorado do so well to convert the turnovers into points?

RICK INSELL: I have to go back and look at the film. We had several deflections that we had in our hands. I think a big one, I don't think they intentionally kicked the ball. They kicked it, got it back, and scored on that. We had a defensive breakdown underneath on an inbounds play, then had two three-point plays off rebounds, off free throws. We knew they were tough and excellent. We planned for that. The young ladies -- we went to sleep. Allowed them to get a couple of three-point plays off that. We went from a five or six-point game to a 13-point game just like that. It was not because our young ladies were not hustling. They were hustling. They just made the plays. They are a good basketball team. They are in a tough conference, much like us. Tonight was their night. Like I told our players, they played extremely well. We didn't play that bad, but they played extremely well. My hat goes off to them.

Q. Coach, you got outrebounded by 14 tonight. When you play a team that has the size of Colorado, how do you game plan to try to win the rebounding battle?

RICK INSELL: We played teams all year long that had more size than us. It didn't bother us, we have big motors, big hearts. We don't talk about the size difference. We give them what they are, and we go about our business. It comes down to the want to. Our players, they have successfully had a great season. My hat's off to our players, also. We have been in the fire. We won some big games. We won our conference, three games in a row in our conference tournament. I am very proud of them. Just very proud of them.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else for coach Insell?

RICK INSELL: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, coach.