Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Middle Tennessee women’s coach Rick Insell

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Last Saturday the Middle Tennessee women’s team beat Rice by 3 PTS in the C-USA tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Blue Raiders lost 3 of 4 games by double-digits heading into early-March but turned things around over the past 10 days to claim the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 2016. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Coach Rick Insell about being a Hall of Famer and making the NCAA tourney.

You have won more than 1000 games during the past 4 decades: what is the key to being a successful coach? You need to have good players who buy into your system, which I have been fortunate to have. We have brought in some young ladies who understood what we wanted to do.

775 of those wins came at Shelbyville Central High School: what is the biggest difference between coaching in high school vs. coaching in college? I always thought that there was a big difference but my wife humbled me because she said she could not see any difference. Basketball is basketball: you need fundamentals, discipline, etc. Even if you have a good skill set you have to be sound in all facets of your game. Some players (both male and female) do not want to do that after doing their thing on the asphalt: you need people who understand what you want to do as a team.

110 of those wins came in a row: how on earth did you do that?! We never once scheduled a patsy who we thought was an automatic win. There were some of those in the conference but we scheduled the best non-conference teams that we could so that we would be ready to play in the postseason. You never saw Coach Pat Summitt play a rinky-dink team: she got beat a few years…but she dominated in the NCAA tourney. We did not view any 1 game as more important than another. I do not know if we ever mentioned the streak while it was happening, even though the media mentioned it. We won 72 in a row, then lost 1, then won 110 in a row.

In 2017 you were inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It was another humbling day, especially when I got the call from Debbie Antonelli. I talk to her a lot so I did not think anything of it, and then she let me know. It really took my breath away: you never start out coaching to get into the Hall of Fame or for money. Geno Auriemma and Tara VanDerveer are 2 of the best and I think that they would agree. We had a passion for coaching and being around young people and competition. I took the job at Shelbyville and was making $8000/year, which does not take a family far, but I just went out every day and coached. It is 1 of the most amazing awards that I have ever received.

You are the only coach in NCAA history to produce 3 consecutive NCAA scoring champions: what sort of offensive philosophy do you have? I had great players in Amber Holt/Alysha Clark and we got them the ball. Alysha had 4 other teammates who each scored 1000+ PTS so it was not like she was taking every single shot. I think Chrissy Givens was 2nd or 3rd in the nation the year before Amber. When I got the job at Middle Tennessee 16 years ago I was given a piece of advice by some college coaches that I could not bring my high school philosophy to the collegiate level. My wife stepped in and said I needed to do what I did best, so I took my same strategies that I used in high school.

You lost 3 of 4 games by double-digits heading into early-March: how have you been able to turn things around over the past 10 days? A lot of people do not understand this but we had to cancel a lot of non-conference games earlier this year, then went into quarantine for 26 days, came out of it…and missed 22 FTs in a 6-PT loss to Belmont! We later had 7 straight games on the road and then missed 1 week due to COVID and 1 week due to weather. We finally got healthy during the conference tourney and pulled together by winning some tough games. My assistants and I started working on our player’s minds and we felt that we were better than Rice, even though 1 of our best players (Alexis Whittington) went out and shot 1-13.

You only have 1 senior on the roster this year: were you surprised at your team’s success this year because you thought they were 1 year away from doing something special? No: I actually thought last year was going to be 1 of our better teams going into the NCAA tourney before it was cancelled. Early this year we felt that we would have a pretty good team and the young kids stepped it up.

This year Anastasia Hayes was named C-USA POY: what makes her such a great player? She is just gifted with a skill set that very few kids have. I have been coaching for 46 years and it amazes me when some young coaches talk about building a player’s skill set. I find it amusing because it is the good Lord who gave her the skill set she has. All you do is give them a platform to play on and try to allow them to play against the best competition in America. Her parents hauled her all over the country at an early age and she played against great competition. She was a WBCA All-American who signed with Tennessee during 1 of their best recruiting classes ever. She came back to Murfreesboro and knew my son Matt: she came to see what we had here and ended up signing with us. I think that she and her parents are very happy: the grass is not always greener on the other side. She could easily be the leading scorer in the nation but sacrificed that to deliver the ball to her teammates, which has led to our success this month.

In the C-USA conference title game last Saturday you had a 3-PT win over Rice: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? You never know when that last title will come, and the last 2-3 years we have been knocking on the door. We blew a 15-PT lead to Rice a couple of years ago and then they canceled the tourney last year. It was very special to win 1 with my son on my staff: we are fortunate to have him and hope we can keep him. I have a bunch of rings but now all of my players do as well.

What do you think about being a #14 seed? I do not get into that and never have. We have been a 5 before and a 12 before. We are 17-7 and lost a few games so you never know about the Committee but I have never complained about what seed we got. I think that we are a dangerous team and if we play like we are capable of playing and take care of the ball then we got a shot to win a game or 2. This team does not care about size/records/tradition: we won more game on the road this year than at home.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Marist JR G Sarah Barcello

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Last Saturday the Marist women’s team beat St. Peter’s by 39 PTS in the MAAC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Red Foxes only lost 3 games all year by a combined 14 PTS en route to claiming the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since they made 9 in a row from 2006-2014. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Sarah Barcello about being a good scorer and making the NCAA tourney.

You were born/raised in Arizona: what made you choose Marist? They have an amazing team: I met my future teammates and they were unbelievable. The combination of athletics and academics is also great.

You play for Coach Brian Giorgis: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He knows how to win. I have learned a lot from him because he has been around the game for so long: he is an unbelievable coach.

You played in 33 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I was playing behind someone who got injured. I had some amazing senior leaders who took me under their wing and taught me the system.

You finished that year by making the MAAC All-Championship team: where does that 30-PT loss to Quinnipiac rank among the most devastating losses of your career? That is up there, for sure. It has added fuel to the fire for the championship that we just won.

You led your team with 12.9 PPG this year: what is the key to being a good scorer? Great teammates. Allie Best is a phenomenal PG and I would not be getting the ball without her. You just have to get open and make shots.

What is it like to be a college basketball player during a pandemic? It has definitely been challenging because it is not normal. Having good people around me is what helped me get through it.

Last Saturday in the MAAC tourney title game you had 9 PTS/4 STL in a 39-PT win over St. Peter’s: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It was unbelievable! I have never had that experience before in college so it showed that our hard work had paid off. We were throwing water on our coach in the locker room and were so happy.

You lost 3 games all year by a combined 14 PTS: how close did you come to going undefeated?! We were definitely close. It was a goal that we tried to reach but all that matters is winning a title.

You missed a few games earlier this year with a foot injury: how is your health doing at the moment? I am hanging in there.

How do you feel about being a 15-seed? I had heard rumors that we would be a 14-seed but we are just happy to be in the tourney and hope to make some noise.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Baylor SR G DiJonai Carrington

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Yesterday the Baylor women’s team beat West Virginia by 26 PTS in the Big 12 tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Bears only lost 2 games all year by a combined 9 PTS en route to claiming the school’s 18th NCAA tourney bid in a row. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with DiJonai Carrington about playing for a pair of Hall of Famers and making the NCAA tourney yet again.

In 2016 you were named a McDonald’s All-American: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Lauren Cox/Sabrina Ionescu/other)? I definitely have to go with Sabrina. We are friends and she really thrived during the NCAA tourney and will do so in the WNBA once he gets healthy.

You played 35 games as a freshman and scored 2 PTS vs. South Carolina in the Final 4: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start, and how close did you come to beating the eventual champ? I knew that I had to be ready every game to play my role and do whatever the team needed from me that day. It was such a tough loss for us: we had the lead for the 1st 20 minutes and had opportunities to win that game but ultimately came up short.

You graduated from Stanford last year with a pair of degrees in African and African American Studies and Psychology: why did you pick those subjects, and what is the career plan once you are done with basketball? I was always interested in psychology growing up while watching shows like “Lie To Me” about a behavioral psychologist. Once I got to college I took an African-American Women’s Lives class and was just intrigued by all of the information I had not been taught during high school. I wanted to know my history, both who I am and where I came from.

You only played in 5 games last year due to a knee injury but were awarded a medical hardship and later decided to transfer to Baylor: how is your health doing at the moment? I am great and have not felt this healthy in years. I am excited but still doing preventative rehab.

You have played for a pair of Hall of Fame coaches in Tara VanDerveer/Kim Mulkey: are they very similar or very different kinds of coaches, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from either of them? There is nothing similar about the 2 in their coaching styles/personalities. I have learned so many different things from each of them and am blessed to have played under both of them. Tara’s motto was that scoring could make up for a multiple of sins…and Kim’s is that playing defense will keep you on the court!

What is it like to be a college basketball player during a pandemic? It is definitely tough. I live by myself and am alone a lot when I am not at practice. College is a time where you want to be around your friends/teammates who you are used to spending every moment with, so to try to keep safe/healthy while not having your community around you is not easy. We are blessed that we did not have our season cut short but we feel bad for last year’s seniors who did not have that opportunity.

Last Sunday in the Big 12 tourney title game you scored 14 PTS in a 26-PT win over West Virginia: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It is very exciting: that is the expectation here but we never take it for granted. We knew that we would have to come out every game and play hard for 40 minutes, and that is what we did. Now our focus is on the NCAA tourney so we did not have too much time to celebrate.

You only lost 2 games all year by a combined 9 PTS: how close did you come to going undefeated? We had opportunities to win both of those games but we learned a lot from them: you cannot win games when you put your opponent on the line 40 times. I could not play in the Iowa State loss due to COVID protocol but the Cyclones made tough shots/big plays so you have to hand it to them.

Your sister Diarra played college basketball, your brother Darren played college football, your mother Vickie ran track, and your father Daren spent 8 years in the NFL: who is the best athlete in the family? That is a tough question. In their primes I would say my mom: track bodies are so different and she was also a bodybuilder so she had the physique. Then again, it is not easy to be an NFL safety for 8 years! I am blessed to have those genetics.

What kind of seed do you think you deserve, and what kind of seed do you think you will get? We are not worried about it because we feel that we can beat whoever we face if we play together for 40 minutes. I am expecting a 2-seed: there are about 8 teams who can make an argument for a 1-seed and we are 1 of them. We will come out and show everyone what we are made of.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Colgate SR G Jack Ferguson

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Yesterday Colgate beat Loyola MD by 13 PTS in the Patriot tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Raiders had a 2-PT loss to Army in their 2nd game of the year and won 13 in a row since then to claim the school’s 2nd NCAA tourney bid in 3 years. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Colgate SR G Jack Ferguson about almost going undefeated and making the NCAA tourney for the 2nd time in his career.

You were born/raised in Indiana: what made you choose Colgate? Colgate was my best option as far as both academics and athletics so it was a pretty easy decision for me.

You play for Coach Matt Langel: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He is a really smart guy who knows the game really well. He is able to build a relationship with his players/staff and really cares about us, which makes it easy for us to trust him.

You played in 30 games as a freshman: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I was not expecting to do that but I guess they liked the way I could shoot the ball. I was even skinnier back then, if you can believe that!

In the 2019 NCAA tourney you scored 7 PTS in a 7-PT loss to Tennessee: how close did you come to pulling off the upset, and what did you learn from that game that will help you this time around? We were really close: Tennessee was a really good team but in the final minute they had some guys step up and make some big shots. We learned that we can compete with anyone in the country so we will use it as a learning experience.

In January you scored 8 PTS in a 2-PT loss to Army: it is a meaningless loss (because it did not prevent you from making the postseason) or a devastating loss (because you were literally a few points away from being undefeated), or other? It really does not affect us at all in the grand scheme of things…but it would have been nice to be undefeated.

What is it like to be a college basketball player during a pandemic? When we have a normal practice schedule and 2 games each weekend it is okay, but wearing masks has been weird. Whatever challenge presents itself we will just try to take advantage of the opportunity.

Last Sunday in the Patriot tourney title game you scored 16 PTS/3-4 3PM in a 13-PT win over Loyola MD: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It meant a lot. We won it 2 years ago but last year we did not come out on top, so this entire year we kept that loss in the back of our minds and used it as motivation. It is both exciting/relieving: we knew that we were the best team in the league. The locker room was a blast, but we did not have a lot of time to celebrate because we had to head to the airport.

Your team is #1 in the nation with 26.1 3P% allowed: what is the key to guarding the 3-PT line? It helps that we were able to play Patriot league teams that are historically good shooters, so we placed an emphasis on making them drive the ball toward our big men inside.

I believe you are the 1st NCAA tourney team ever to have not played a single non-conference game: is it weird? I am not sure if it will matter. We do not know exactly how good we are so it will be interesting to see how we match up this Friday. It is really hard to compare us to other teams like Arkansas.

What do you think about getting a #14-seed, and what do you know about Arkansas? I do not know if I expected anything better or worse. I have not done much research about Arkansas but we both have fast-paced offenses and it will be a tough challenge.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Morehead State dancer Cali Clark Blevins

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Jon Teitel

On Saturday Morehead State beat Belmont by 15 PTS in the OVC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Eagles lost 19 games last year but bounced back this year to claim the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid in a decade. In addition to shining a light on the players who got the job done on the court, it is also important to recognize the spirited students who have worked just as hard on the sidelines, such as band members/cheerleaders/dancers. Earlier this week HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Cali Clark Blevins about preparing for med school and not being able to join the basketball team in Indianapolis this week.

You grew up in Kentucky: what made you choose Morehead State? I chose Morehead State because I received the Honors scholarship to come here. I also really liked the campus and the neuroscience program.

You joined the dance team as a freshman, which was also Shanna Coleman’s 1st year as coach: how close have you 2 become over the past 4 years? I think we have become pretty close over the past 4 years. Shanna is definitely the best coach I have ever had out of all the teams I have been on. I see Shanna as my coach, friend, and role model!

What does your team do at basketball games during a normal year? Usually we would dance on the sidelines, perform during a routine during timeouts, and perform the fight song on the court. This year we danced in the stands, which I actually liked a lot because I felt like we could engage with the crowd more.

What do you think the role of a college dance team is today, and how has it changed over time? The dance team at Morehead State used to be a student group until it was moved under Athletics about 6 years ago. Back then the dance team’s role was to do some sideline dances/routines at basketball and football games. Since Shanna has become the coach we have a greater presence at games and do timeout performances. We also participate in promotions, community service, and events both on and off campus.

How do you like basketball, and is that your favorite sport? I love watching basketball and it is definitely my favorite sport to dance at! This year it was especially great to see how far our basketball team has come and how well they play together as a team.

You have a 4.0 GPA in the honors program: how do you balance your work as a dancer with your work in the classroom? Dance helps motivate me to get my homework done and gives me a nice break because dancing is so fun.

You are a senior and will attend medical school this fall: why did you choose medicine, and what is the long-term plan? I chose medicine because I want to help people with neurodegenerative diseases. My long-term plan is to become a geriatric neurologist and open up my own practice.

Last Saturday the Eagles had a 15-PT win over Belmont in the OVC tourney title game: how excited is the student body about winning a championship, and how big a deal is the team now after 4 straight losing seasons? Students are very excited/proud of the team for winning the OVC tournament. This is a super-big deal in our small town and everyone is excited to watch them play in the NCAA tournament!

Due to COVID you will not be traveling with the team to Indianapolis this week: how frustrating is it to be a dancer for a great basketball team during a pandemic? It is pretty frustrating that we will not get to go to Indianapolis, especially because it is my senior year, but we will still be cheering on the Eagles from home.

You are playing West Virginia on Friday: any predictions? I think the Eagles will play their best and it will be a great game to watch!

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews Ohio dancer Aimee Gjurkovitsch

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Jon Teitel

On Saturday Ohio beat Buffalo by 15 PTS in the MAC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Bobcats started 3-4 in conference play but have won 9 of their past 10 games to claim the school’s 1st NCAA tourney bid since 2012. In addition to shining a light on the players who got the job done on the court, it is also important to recognize the spirited students who have worked just as hard on the sidelines, such as band members/cheerleaders/dancers. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Aimee Gjurkovitsch about being a dancer and not being able to join the basketball team in Indianapolis this week.

What made you choose Ohio? Being from Ohio I always heard a lot of good things about the school. There are a lot of good campus organizations to get involved with and I just fell in love with the campus when I visited.

You have been on the dance team 4 years: how does dancing as a freshman compare to dancing as a senior (if at all)? With each game you get more comfortable: I was more intimidated as a freshman but have become more confident as a senior, especially with sideline dances.

You have been a captain for 3 of those years: how do you like being a captain, and what is the key to being a good leader? I have grown as a leader and have loved being a captain and seeing the growth within myself. We are a student-led organization so I run practice and make sure that everyone is in the same place at the same time. I am very thankful for the opportunity.

What does the dance team do at basketball games during a normal year? We would create a tunnel when the team runs out and then are just dancing/cheering on the team to get the crowd into the game.

What do you think the role of a college dance team is today, and how has it changed over time? The current role is to create a fun/interactive environment for the crowd. We are essential to game-day preparation and have a huge role: if we were not there then it would be very different. Dance teams have not always been a known aspect but have gotten more recognition over time.

You are a communications major in the Scripps College of Communication and marketing minor: why did you pick those subjects, and what is the post-graduation plan? OU is known for its communication school. I did not have a set career path when arriving here but just found a route into PR/advertising. I will also be getting a certificate in social media and am currently searching for a job.

How do you like basketball, and is that your favorite sport? It is my favorite sport: growing up near Cleveland when LeBron was there was fun. I love being able to dance on the court at the games.

Last Saturday the Bobcats had a 15-PT win over Buffalo in the MAC tourney title game: how excited was the student body to received its 1st NCAA tourney bid since 2012? It has been awesome! Even people who did not go to games in the past have shown their support.

Due to COVID your team has been unable to participate this season and you will not be traveling with the team to Indianapolis this week: how frustrating is it to be a dancer for a great basketball team during a pandemic? It is really upsetting but it is nobody’s fault. It is hard, especially since I am a senior and this is my last chance, but we are still happy/excited for the team. We filmed some pre-recorded halftime routines that were shown at the MAC tourney.

You are playing defending champion Virginia on Saturday: any predictions? All I will say is Go Bobcats!

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