Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
COLUMN: “We always knew she was a competitor”
12/17/2023 7:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Savannah Wheeler’s big game on Sunday was only the exclamation point on her graduation weekend
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Savannah Wheeler pauses nearly five seconds as she ponders her first question at the presser table in the auxiliary gym on Sunday.
It's not an unusual moment for the Lady Raider guard, who's consistently thoughtful in her responses post-game, even when her 25-point night with five made three-pointers almost speaks for itself in a 25-point win over Stephen F. Austin.
However, she wasn't asked about just the game this Sunday, but also what she did in the Murphy Center the day before, walking across the graduation stage to shake MTSU President Dr. Sidney A. McPhee's hand, her Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies claimed before her two years in Murfreesboro after transferring from Marshall were over.
Which moment was more fun? The guard's pause gave way to a smile.
"Honestly?" she said, "Both days were great. I'm thankful too, that my family got to come down and see it all and support me through everything."
Even amid the excitement of graduation, the pressure of having family in town, Rick Insell said that Wheeler found a way to keep her focus on the game at hand throughout the end of her final exam week as an undergraduate student.
"Big weekend for her," Insell had acknowledged a few minutes before his leading scorer had made her way from the radio interview. "She's had some great practices; she's been in tune to what's going on. She played great defense, and she shot the ball extremely well today."
"Shot the ball extremely well" might be an understatement. On Sunday, Wheeler was the engine that drove MTSU's offensive firepower in the first half of Sunday's win, scoring 19 points in the game's first 20 minutes, nearly outscoring the Ladyjacks on her own during that time frame. She was 7-for-12 from the floor, but a scalding 5-for-7 beyond the arc, punishing SFA's matchup zone with plenty of wide open threes that found nothing but net.
It was the type of game she had so many times with the program she started her career with, the Marshall Thundering Herd, where she made the All-CUSA Freshman team during the 2019-20 season and followed that up with back-to-back All-CUSA selections, including a first-team selection in 2021-22, a year in which she finished 17th nationally in scoring while averaging 20.2 ppg.
The scoring prowess made her stand out even as an opposing player in the Glass House, where she averaged 16.7 points per game with Marshall, a rarity against a Lady Raider team that usually does a pretty good job keeping the ball out of the other team's leading scorer's hands. When she decided to transfer from Marshall after the 2021-22 season, the fact the Lady Raiders were able to sign her was a no-brainer for all parties involved.
"We always knew she was a competitor," Insell said. "We always knew she was a great shooter. But it takes more than being a competitor and a great shooter to be an all-around basketball player."
Wheeler's more than held up her end of the bargain, of course, making the All-CUSA First Team last year and entering her final season of college basketball as the preseason favorite for player of the year in Conference USA. And she's grown on the court, Insell noted post-game, pointing out her strength on defense and in reading the offense MTSU runs as big areas where she's improved since donning the Blue and White.
"When we need points, if we need a defensive steal, she goes and gets them," Insell said. "She handles the ball against the press, she makes good reads. I'm really excited about where she's at with her game."
Beyond the court, however, is where Wheeler's mind goes when she's asked how she's grown since coming into the program.
"The coaches do a great job of relating basketball to life," Wheeler said. "That's something I was never really taught, coming from Marshall. They've really made an impact in my life. Not just the coaches, but the girls here. Just the friendships that we've made, the bonds that we have, it's something I'm definitely going to cherish."
It was an emotional day on Saturday, Wheeler said, as she walked across the stage to become an alumnus of the school that's given her so much. How wonderful it is that we, as Lady Raider fans, can witness her giving so much back to her alma mater.
Particularly now that, for at least the rest of December, she can spend time only focusing on basketball.
"That's going to give us more time to get treatment and get up a lot more shots for our players," Wheeler said. "I'm the type that once it's over, we move onto the next. Now that the semester is over, we can just focus on basketball before we get to go home for break."
It's not an unusual moment for the Lady Raider guard, who's consistently thoughtful in her responses post-game, even when her 25-point night with five made three-pointers almost speaks for itself in a 25-point win over Stephen F. Austin.
However, she wasn't asked about just the game this Sunday, but also what she did in the Murphy Center the day before, walking across the graduation stage to shake MTSU President Dr. Sidney A. McPhee's hand, her Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies claimed before her two years in Murfreesboro after transferring from Marshall were over.
Huge Shoutout to @savwheeler4 on graduating today!!! I am very proud of her and even more proud she's a Blue Raider #BLUEnited pic.twitter.com/3ZlVy7qn8r
— Matt Insell (@minsell) December 16, 2023
Which moment was more fun? The guard's pause gave way to a smile.
"Honestly?" she said, "Both days were great. I'm thankful too, that my family got to come down and see it all and support me through everything."
Even amid the excitement of graduation, the pressure of having family in town, Rick Insell said that Wheeler found a way to keep her focus on the game at hand throughout the end of her final exam week as an undergraduate student.
"Big weekend for her," Insell had acknowledged a few minutes before his leading scorer had made her way from the radio interview. "She's had some great practices; she's been in tune to what's going on. She played great defense, and she shot the ball extremely well today."
"Shot the ball extremely well" might be an understatement. On Sunday, Wheeler was the engine that drove MTSU's offensive firepower in the first half of Sunday's win, scoring 19 points in the game's first 20 minutes, nearly outscoring the Ladyjacks on her own during that time frame. She was 7-for-12 from the floor, but a scalding 5-for-7 beyond the arc, punishing SFA's matchup zone with plenty of wide open threes that found nothing but net.
It was the type of game she had so many times with the program she started her career with, the Marshall Thundering Herd, where she made the All-CUSA Freshman team during the 2019-20 season and followed that up with back-to-back All-CUSA selections, including a first-team selection in 2021-22, a year in which she finished 17th nationally in scoring while averaging 20.2 ppg.
The scoring prowess made her stand out even as an opposing player in the Glass House, where she averaged 16.7 points per game with Marshall, a rarity against a Lady Raider team that usually does a pretty good job keeping the ball out of the other team's leading scorer's hands. When she decided to transfer from Marshall after the 2021-22 season, the fact the Lady Raiders were able to sign her was a no-brainer for all parties involved.
"We always knew she was a competitor," Insell said. "We always knew she was a great shooter. But it takes more than being a competitor and a great shooter to be an all-around basketball player."
Wheeler's more than held up her end of the bargain, of course, making the All-CUSA First Team last year and entering her final season of college basketball as the preseason favorite for player of the year in Conference USA. And she's grown on the court, Insell noted post-game, pointing out her strength on defense and in reading the offense MTSU runs as big areas where she's improved since donning the Blue and White.
"When we need points, if we need a defensive steal, she goes and gets them," Insell said. "She handles the ball against the press, she makes good reads. I'm really excited about where she's at with her game."
Beyond the court, however, is where Wheeler's mind goes when she's asked how she's grown since coming into the program.
"The coaches do a great job of relating basketball to life," Wheeler said. "That's something I was never really taught, coming from Marshall. They've really made an impact in my life. Not just the coaches, but the girls here. Just the friendships that we've made, the bonds that we have, it's something I'm definitely going to cherish."
It was an emotional day on Saturday, Wheeler said, as she walked across the stage to become an alumnus of the school that's given her so much. How wonderful it is that we, as Lady Raider fans, can witness her giving so much back to her alma mater.
Particularly now that, for at least the rest of December, she can spend time only focusing on basketball.
"That's going to give us more time to get treatment and get up a lot more shots for our players," Wheeler said. "I'm the type that once it's over, we move onto the next. Now that the semester is over, we can just focus on basketball before we get to go home for break."
Players Mentioned
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