When asked about the scandal on the ESPN program announcing the tournament field and matchups, Southard declined to comment, saying that she wanted the focus to be on the players and teams in the tourney. Assistant coach Bob Starkey was named interim head coach and guided the Tigers to their fourth consecutive Final Four.
Southard chose not to address the controversy surrounding the ESPN broadcast that revealed the tournament bracket and pairings, instead focusing on the players and teams participating in the event. As a result, assistant coach Bob Starkey was appointed interim head coach and successfully led the Tigers to their fourth consecutive Final Four.