What MTSU women's basketball's Rick Insell said about officiating in March Madness loss
Middle Tennessee State women's basketball coach Rick Insell had probably one of his shortest opening statements during a postgame news conference, following the 83-56 loss to LSU in the NCAA Tournament Albany 2 Regional in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"Well . . . I've been doing this for about 48 years," he said. "And I can remember one or two games like this. I don't know how many games I've (coached), with AAU and travel team . . . It's hard to overcome 37 free throws to nine. That's my opening statement."
No. 11 seed MTSU (30-5) committed 31 fouls to LSU's 16, and the Tigers hit 26 of 37 at the free-throw line. The Lady Raiders had three starters foul out, including 6-foot-6 center Anastasiia Boldyreva with a minute left in the third quarter.
Those were big factors in No. 3 seed LSU (30-5) overcoming a nine-point, third-quarter deficit and roll to what ended up being a blowout win.
When asked later about the foul situation, Insell responded: "You want me to get fined?
"You had three Final Four officials there. I've had that two or three times in my career, maybe one time in college . . . very seldom do you see that. I don't know that we had maybe one player foul out this year. How many did we have tonight? Three?"
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Insell has stuck to his primary rotation of about six or seven players all season, which includes the starting five playing the bulk of the minutes. Four of the five averaged at least 35 minutes a game this season, and Boldyreva averaged 30.
He didn't change that philosophy even during the dire foul trouble his team was in during the second half. Starters Ta'Mia Scott and Courtney Whitson fouled out in the fourth quarter, and three other players had four fouls when the game ended.
"Like Coach said, it's hard to overcome that kind of deficit at the free-throw line," said Whitson, a five-year starter who finished with 10 rebounds.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU coach Rick Insell on foul trouble vs. LSU in March Madness
