HUNTSVILLE, Ala. − Courtney Whitson ran a gamut of emotions after Middle Tennessee State women’s basketball won the Conference USA Tournament.
Whitson, who will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in her career, went from being elated to admitting she was “overwhelmed” while her teammates and coaches were still cutting the net down Saturday at Probst Arena following the Lady Raiders’ 67-51 win over Liberty.
The real emotions will sink in later.
“It’s just surreal,” said Whitson, a five-year starter, who was on the 2020-21 MTSU team that reached the NCAA Tournament, as well as a year ago. “It just makes everything − the highs and lows − worth it. These are the moments I’ll remember the rest of my life. I think it may mess with my mind a little bit (later).
“But it’s been a great journey, a great story … and it’s not over yet.”
“I’m just at a loss for words right now,” added fellow fifth-year player Savannah Wheeler. “
MTSU (29-4) will find out its seed and first-round destination Sunday. It will be mostly celebrating until then.
Coach Rick Insell said he was going to enjoy a cigar.
“I’m just really proud of our basketball program right now,” Insell said. “When you look at a program, you don’t just look at the players. You look at the leadership, the fan base, the players, the support help, assistant coaches. I’ve said this over and over … I’ve got the best group of coaches in the nation, our fan base is unbelievable and the players never let me down all season.”
MTSU women’s basketball goes wire to wire
MTSU became only the second Conference USA team to go unbeaten in the regular season and the tournament title as well. Rice did it in 2018-19.
Like they have the entire tournament, the Lady Raiders started slow in the title game. But they went on a 20-4 run late in the second quarter to take control, as Liberty (18-16) got no closer than seven the rest of the game.
Four Lady Raiders finished in double figures, led by junior center Anastasiia Boldyreva (21 points, six rebounds). Sophomore Ta’Mia Scott scored 16 and had three blocks and Jalynn Gregory had 11 points and seven rebounds.
For tournament MVP Savannah Wheeler (15 points, nine assists), a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament in her two years with the program has validated her decision to come to MTSU.
“This is why I came here … to win,” said Wheeler, who spent her first three seasons at Marshall before transferring. “It’s just an incredible feeling. (The two years) have been special. A lot of teams, coaches in the conference, they don’t know what we go through outside of everything. Our coaches push us every single day.
“We’re not lucky. We spend hours and hours going at each other, not just competing with other teams, but against ourselves.”
MORE: How Rick Insell’s non-move helped MTSU women’s basketball advance to CUSA championship
Gregory and Boldyreva were also named to the CUSA All-Tournament team. All-Tournament selection Bella Smuda scored 21 points with 15 rebounds to lead Liberty.
The NCAA Tournament appearance will be MTSU’s 12th under Insell, who took over the program in 2005-06. He has guided the Lady Raiders to either the NCAA or WNIT each of his 19 seasons, with the exception of the 2019-20 postseason that was canceled due to COVID-19.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU women’s basketball, Rick Insell clinch March Madness berth again
