Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
An expected big win over Alcorn State provides big opportunities in the week ahead for the Blue Raiders
11/18/2024 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
With the score never in doubt, many of the reserves for Rick Insell’s women’s basketball program were tested on Sunday.
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee women's basketball 80-48 win over Alcorn State on Sunday was not only a game the Blue Raiders "should've won", head coach Rick Insell said. It was a game MTSU should've won "as big as we won."
But even though the mismatch between the two programs that finished 40th and 309th in last season's NET was what everyone in the Glass House thought it would be on Sunday afternoon, the veteran head coach still had plenty he wanted to get better.
"We don't need to be in February form right now," Insell said. "And we're not. So, we've got a long way to go."
One might be forgiven after watching the defense MTSU's starters played in the first half, holding the Braves to just 11 points and five field goals in the game's first 20 minutes, for thinking that the Blue Raiders were already firing on all cylinders.
Folks could see the hosts dissect the zone Alcorn State played, finding wide open shooters like Jalynn Gregory (19 points, 5-for-12 for three) on the perimeter or moving the ball to set up isolations for Anastasiia Boldyreva (19 points, 7-for-11 shooting) on the block and think that MTSU was already ready for prime time.
And watching Courtney Blakely attack off the dribble, getting to line nine times and making all nine tries while scoring 17 points on Sunday, one could say the pieces are already in place for another deep postseason run.
That all might be true. It probably is true, in fact, at least when it comes to the starting five that Insell historically relies heavily on to win games. But Sunday was about more than just the starters, it was about evaluating a bench that got many of their first opportunities for extended minutes this season.
"They've got to come along," Gregory said. "We need them to come along and they're slowly but surely getting it, and you can see little bits of it every day."
Defense and rebounding, Insell said, are the ways to get on the court and stay on the court if you're a substitute and there were flashes of both on Sunday. Particularly from Jada Grannum, who grabbed nine rebounds in her 16 minutes on the court while also dishing out one assist on the offensive side. It's the type of performance Insell wants out of the fifth-year player "every night" if he can get it.
Jada Harrison also showed some sharpness running point for Blakely, scoring nine points off the bench while also grabbing seven rebounds. The redshirt freshman earned praise from Insell post-game, along with an acknowledgment she still needs to "take control" of the team as the floor general.
Getting on the court in the first place for Insell isn't easy, even when MTSU is facing three consecutive opponents that finished below 220 in the NET a season ago, a set of games that started against the Braves. Insell specifically pointed to defensive breakdowns in the fourth quarter, when only reserves were in the game, as something that he expected to be better.
"Everybody works on those every day," Insell said. "Not only does Ta'Mia (Scott) and Jalynn and (Blakely) need to get it right, they need to work to get it right when they're in there too and I expect that."
One element that's easy to see is not as smooth with the bench compared to the starters is the Blue Raider offense, which does rely heavily on set plays. Gregory said that there can be a learning curve to the offense, but it's one that the team needs to embrace.
"Once they really buy into what we do, I think it becomes easy," Gregory said. "But just them buying in to really wanting to do it and understanding and knowing where the ball is supposed to go, it's just a lot of learning."
With a quick turnaround to Tuesday's game against Tennessee Tech, Insell said that the preparation will be similar to a Saturday CUSA game, or a game in the CUSA or NCAA Tournament. A good mental test for all of the Blue Raiders so early in the season and one that the coaching staff will be examining closely.
"We'll evaluate everything that goes on from right now til after the game against Tennessee Tech," Insell said. "That's something we'll look at as a staff."
