The Daily News-Journal from Murfreesboro, Tennessee • B4

The Daily News Journal MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2020 4B Sports The Middle Tennessee State wom- basketball team was preparing to take the just shy of 11 a.m. for one last warm-up before its game against Louisiana Tech on March 12 when the news was delivered. With the players standing in the tun- nel at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, a referee ran toward them and said the re- mainder of the Conference USA Tourna- ment had been canceled. The league made the decision, as did others, in response to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus. was 10 minutes away.

Confused, the players looked back at the coaching wondering what to do next. MTSU coach Rick Insell said he want- ed to hear from a C-USA He soon found out that it was true. Within the next two hours, the and NCAA tournaments also would be can- celed. Charlie Creme had MTSU (21-9) as one of the next four teams in his NCAA Tournament bracket when the day began. What followed was the longest day of the season for Insell, his and his players.

coaches and my players were devastated by the Insell said. were very emotional and a lot of them were all crying. At that point, I felt like I had to stay strong because we had a long day ahead of us because we had to get back to The Lady Raiders arrived home at 8:30 p.m. and by that time nearly all of the sports world was at a standstill. For lone senior Charity Sav- age, it was a heartbreaking moment.

Savage averaged a double-double (10.9 points and 11.3 rebounds) and was com- ing the two best games of her career in the wins over North Texas and Char- lotte. was really tough and extremely frustrating because you prepare all of this time and over just like Savage said. almost seemed like a joke when they told us and I want to believe it. On one hand you under- stand and want everyone to be safe but on the other hand, unfair. lot of tears were shed.

Everyone on the team had worked so hard and then just over. Everything was just snatched away in one Insell hide how much pain he felt for Savage. was devastated for Insell said. had done so much and de- served better than that. But, part of the process and what we talked with her about.

we have to do is to regroup, go to work, get back to the situation where we can get a ring next year and, in that situation, share that ring with her. Insell said his approach to the situa- tion is: be back bigger and stronger than ever. one door closes, another opens and great things are going to happen. what you have to be- lieve and what I believe and always believed Reach Joe Spears at nett.com or 731-343-4923. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter MTSU's coach Rick Insell, left, and assistant coach Matt Insell talk to players during a break in the game against Kentucky on Nov.

10, 2019. HELEN MTSU found out season was over as it got ready to take Joseph Spears Murfreesboro Daily News Journal USA TODAY NETWORK TENNESSEE A day after the TSSAA suspended the girls basketball state tournament because of concerns about the corona- virus pandemic last week, high school athletes were on the baseball and soft- ball diamonds and soccer TSSAA said Board of Con- trol policy allow it to rule on stopping regular-season games. The jurisdiction covers state tournament play. was a decision in regards to the state tournament to do TSSAA assistant director Matthew Gillespie said. have the authority to do that because we were the ones running the tournament.

regards to the regular season, been a standing board policy. the schools are the ones that are in charge of their regular-season games and scheduling. I know when that policy was put in, but if a board pol- icy, up to the board to change On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee urged schools to close by Friday and remain closed until March 31. That came a week after Lee and Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said the state have the power to force closure of schools and instead the decision will be left up to local authorities.

recommendation includes all high school sports stopping. The oversight includes set- ting the day of practice. It also de- termines when the regular season be- gins and ends and sets game rules. Board member Jody Wright, a Ful- ton assistant principal and athletic di- rector, agrees with the policy prevent- ing the TSSAA from canceling or post- poning non-state tournament games. TSSAA governs high school athletics as far as they are an oversee- ing body, but to me it would kind of be like telling a (school) system that they play ball when they are out of school for said Wright, who is also boys basketball coach.

far as who controls that in the reg- ular season, that would be the local board of education. I think it would really be overstepping the bounds on the responsibility. tell you how to seed the (district) tournament. They tell you how many games you have to play. Those decisions are left up to the indi- vidual schools.

While I think there is a push for the state to come in and certainly say, you all do be- cause it makes job Wright said from a legal standpoint, not sure the Board of Control could have grounds to stop regular- season play. is nothing in our bylaws that say that we have the authority to man- age the day-to-day operations of each Wright said. 1, I think we want that kind of power. And I think the schools want us to have that kind of power. I think they want the autonomy to operate under the umbrella of the rules and guide- lines of the TSSAA.

nowhere does it say we can suspend athletics across the Why TSSAA can't halt the prep sports regular season Tom Kreager Nashville Tennessean USA TODAY NETWORK TENNESSEE Loretto players fans after a win in the state girls basketball tournament on Thursday. The TSSAA suspended the girls and boys state tournaments last week, but does not have the authority to stop regular-season play for spring sports. SAUL SENTINEL NASCAR Cup drivers are well into their season, which was postponed over the weekend because of concerns about the coronavirus. They're also keeping up with the latest develop- ments on the push to bring the sport back to Nashville. Speedway Motorsports one of the nation's top racetrack operators, is interested in bringing NASCAR back to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and is currently in negotiations with the city about getting a deal done.

The group wants to build a seat grandstand, expand the concourse and make several other improvements at the historic facility. Chase Elliott is on board Chase Elliott, who got his start at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway as a 13-year-old in 2009, is currently third in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup standings. He seventh in the last Cup series race, the FanShield 500 in Phoenix on March 8. Elliott has a special for Nash- ville Fairgrounds Speedway, where his father, Bill, also raced, and said he be- lieves NASCAR belongs in Nashville. "I've been a big supporter of that whole deal since day one," the younger Elliott said.

"I love the racetrack, love the area, love the town. I'm not sure there would be a much better for a new location than that for us and NAS- NASCAR drivers would support a move back to Nashville Mike Organ Nashville Tennessean USA TODAY NETWORK TENNESSEE With Richard Petty (43) on the pole, the drivers receives the flag to start the Nashville 420 NASCAR Grand National race at the Fairgrounds Speedway July 24, 1971. Petty went on to win the race before 18,500 fans. JIMMY ELLIS THE TENNESSEAN See NASCAR, Page 5B.