BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Here is video and a full transcript as No. 3-seed North Carolina met with the media on Thursday ahead of its Friday Sweet 16 clash with No. 2-seed Duke. For the Tar Heels, it was Coach Courtney Banghart, Alyssa Ustby and Reniya Kelly at the press conference. In addition, there’s video of dressing room interviews with Lexi Donarski, Indya Nivar, Maria Gakdeng, Lanie Grant & Grace Townsend. Also below is video and a full transcript of Duke’s press conference with Coach Kara Lawson, Reigan Richardson, Toby Fournier and Ashlon Jackson.
COURTNEY BANGHART: Thanks for being here today, guys. What an exciting event already, to have some of the best teams in the country going at it. Really exciting for us, as you all know, Reniya Kelly is from about 15 minutes from here. She’s from Hoover, and she’s had a great year for us and is a great part of our team. Just a neat story that here she is getting a chance to play in front of her home crowd.
It’s an event we know. It’s the second time we’ve been here in four years. It’s an opponent we know. At least in the first round and in the second round, most likely. It all begins, which is super exciting.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. The first one is kind of what you are saying, how much does it help playing an opponent now that you obviously are very familiar with and such in Duke? Second one is a bigger-picture one. The portal is open, which seems the dumbest thing ever since you’re in the middle of playing in a tournament right now, 16 teams left. What would you as coaches like to see the timing of this be? Opening it right before Sweet 16, to me, seems almost asinine.
COURTNEY BANGHART: Where do you want me to start? Which one? I forget the first question, to be honest. Oh, playing Duke.
Yeah, what’s helpful is, it’s quick turn-arounds because you don’t know who you are going to play until right before. And so to have a quick turn-around or a team you’ve already played that there’s a comfort there that’s helpful.
But, you know, to play in the Sweet 16, there’s just no bad teams. So you might have more familiarity, but familiarity doesn’t win games, right? So I think from a prep standpoint, there’s a little bit more comfort, both sides, as well as players having more familiarity with rosters and things like that.
It doesn’t make the game easier, and that’s what makes it so great.
As for the portal, the timing is tricky no matter when you put it because summer school starts up in a lot of places in early May. What was happening is people were transferring and then when they get there, they can’t get into summer school and, therefore, they can’t be eligible to play that year. So in order to get into summer school and to have all that taken care of and giving people the amount of time that they would need to get into the portal and to visit and to make their choices, apparently it butts up against some things like that for academic reasons, and for people that have invested in summer schools, and then they can’t get their kids to take the classes that they need to be eligible.
It has more to do, I think, with the academic calendar and our season than it does trying to put it — no one wants it during the Sweet 16. No one wants it in Elite Eight. No one wants it in the first round of the tournament or the season, but our season is so long that there’s really not a lot of other choices, given the summer school component for eligibility.
Q. You’ve talked about how the ACC can be a gauntlet in the regular season be, and really you have to win at least 12 games to even have a shot at winning the regular season title. Eight teams are in the tournament. There’s four here now. You are one of them. How does that conference slate really prepare you for this stage, not just the familiarity of playing Duke, but sort of going through all that?
COURTNEY BANGHART: Yeah, just tremendous. I was surprised that we only got in eight teams. Now you have four of them still playing. The Big 12 — or the Big Ten got 12, and they’ve got how many playing? Three, right? Do the math. The ACC has been an exceptional conference all year. It’s been really great for us to play against all different styles, all different — they’ve all been really close.
We feel battle-tested. We felt like when we played West Virginia, we had been prepared by the elite guards in our conference, so we give a lot of credit to the other teams that we played to prepare us for that win.
Then when we played Oregon State, they had great size, and we’ve got a lot of great size in our league. So, yeah, to your point, the ACC has been — they should be celebrating, as I know they are, the success of these programs because they’ve been integrally a part of the journey for all of us.
Q. Courtney, the last few years against Duke, you guys have played in a lot of close games and then this year, the ACC made Duke your only repeat opponent as well. I guess because of that adjustment and change, how much does that add to the significance? Obviously, this is the NCAA Tournament game, but even in the regular season, how much did that just kind of add to, I guess, the significance and the weight of some of these UNC-Duke games?
COURTNEY BANGHART: I don’t know if that adds to it, other than the fact that these are traditionally have been two of the heavy weights in the conference, right? That wasn’t Kara or I’s doing. We’re just in charge of it in this moment.
So I think if we were playing NC State, we would have the very similar answer, right, is that there’s been a lot of coaches — or in our case one — who have come before us that have created the fact that these games matter because both teams are always good. That’s what makes these rivalries so special.
I think the Duke-Carolina rivalry is so much bigger than me or this team, and that’s what makes it so fun too, but I don’t think the restructuring of the conference in terms of — I think Jeff Walls has been pretty vocal about, you should play everybody one time because that gives you your true tournament, your true champion, as opposed to some teams play people twice, which is an imbalanced schedule there. That’s way outside of my decision-making.
I think it’s a fact, I think, that these two teams have been so good for so long, and it’s Kara and I’s turn to make sure we take care of the rivalry with respect, integrity, and toughness.
Q. I want to ask about the turnover battle that seems like it’s going to be a key part of that game. What’s the key to winning the turnover battle tomorrow? Also, what are your feelings of playing an ACC team this early in the tournament?
COURTNEY BANGHART: Well, with these big conferences that’s the only way, right? I want teams to be seeded where they belong, and whoever you play, you play.
So when the conferences were a lot smaller, you had four major or five major power conferences. It was a little bit easier to shuffle around. This is what you get with big conferences where there’s so many heavy weights.
That’s fine to me. We’re a 3 seed. We’re playing a 2 seed, and all the 2 seeds are good, and all the 3 seeds are good. It doesn’t really matter who.
In terms of the turnover battle, that’s always a good statistic to care about. Like, if you turn the ball over, you’re not only giving up your offensive opportunity to score in that singular possession, but you are giving the other team a chance to score against a non-set defense. So that’s a statistic that both sides — it kind of is a double whammy if you’re the team turning it over, and it’s a double positive if you are the team who’s creating the turnover.
These are two of the elite defenses in the country. We’ve been able to generate turnovers at a rate that we’re proud of, which has helped. It will be key for — the ball control will be key for sure because of the fact that you want to make sure you’re getting opportunities to score in your possessions and not giving the other teams opportunities to score against a non-set defense.
Q. That West Virginia game, a similar kind of dynamic, do you think it’s going to help you?
COURTNEY BANGHART: Whenever you watch back your team and you watch them play, and in this particular, when you prepare for a team like Duke that you’ve played before, you get to watch yourself play against Duke rather than all the other teams play against Duke, or whoever we’re playing. What’s good is I think we’re better. They are too, and that’s what should happen. When you watch the game back from the first game or even the second game, like how we handled pressure was not good — not as good as we did against West Virginia. We’ve just gotten better. So have they watching them in the ACC tournament versus watching them in preparation for our second game. Be.
That’s what’s great, is when you have good teams that have continued the journey of being good is what’s made for TV and why our game is so strong.
Q. I want to ask a little bit about Alyssa. You have played Duke twice this season. First time she was in the game; second time, she was out with a knee injury. What is her impact going to be tomorrow in the offense and also keeping Duke from scoring as much as they can?
COURTNEY BANGHART: Yeah, for sure. When we didn’t have Alyssa and Reniya, the second time we played them, those are kids that typically, in the biggest battles that we play, have had a pivotal role. Also, they play a lot of minutes. So it helps with the fatigue, right?
You are taking 60 minutes, if you add the two together, at least probably more, 70 minutes, that were taken away. Then we had to — other people had to play so many more minutes than — maybe they had less rest and things like that.
So fatigue certainly settled in, especially towards the end of that third quarter, which is when the game — when they went on an 8-0 run. And so, having her, not only is she kind of a relentless contributor on both ends, but it means that you have the experience, and you have the toughness, and you have the two-way player, and you also have the minutes that you can then take back.
So people can really be a little bit more rested. Her and Reniya missing the game was a significant story for us in that game, and having them back certainly is better for us.
Q. Just following up on Doug’s question really to the portal. How did you and your staff kind of balance the transfer portal recruiting with game prep this week? Did you have people who were working the phones on Tuesday? Did you say, okay, after Wednesday, we’re not doing any more portal work? How are you guys kind of managing the work?
COURTNEY BANGHART: You always look at your own roster first and figure out what you think you’re going to have and what you are going to keep and all that.
Then you look at what you have coming in and how many spots you have and all that. So you certainly need to monitor the names. But if there’s some that are monitoring it so closely and reaching out to everybody, that’s not us. That’s just not our style.
We’re a little bit more targeted, and we’re also — it’s not a race. If you are finding your fit, it’s not a race. So I know there’s an urgency and everyone is, like, oh, the portal is opening. Yeah, and usually things done in haste are not always the most thoughtful things done. We are monitoring it to the point of knowing who is available that we think can help us, and we’re going to do that in due time, but we get to promote that we’re still playing basketball. So we don’t have as much time as everybody else. That’s a relevant fact, right?
We’re probably not as active as some of the others.
Q. Coach, I wonder if you could address two things. First, you talked about this being bigger than basketball in some ways because this is literally probably the most premier rivalry in college sports. I know you’re focused on the basketball part of that, but can you just talk about what that means to have these two meeting for the first time in the NCAA Tournament? Then the fact that you guys in a lot of ways are very similar in terms of both averaging about 70-some points, and your opponent is only averaging about 57. How does that make this matchup interesting in that you guys are similar in a lot of ways?
COURTNEY BANGHART: Yeah. I mean, I remember when both Kara and I took over these programs. I think there was apprehension from some of the media about, gosh, I hope they get these programs back because of how much the Carolina-Duke rivalry is important.
When you take these jobs, you know that, and you hear it early. You sort of say, okay, yeah, it is important to put yourself and this program in its rightful place. Kara and I have done that to the point where we’re now playing for the first time ever in an ACC — in an NCAA Tournament. How cool.
I always go back to — I have been in the league six years. I think Kara has been in six, five, seven. I don’t know exactly how long she’s been. There’s been a lot of people who came before us that have made — if this was just right now and it was just about Kara and I, I mean, five years is like — it doesn’t matter in the trajectory of our game.
I celebrate along with all the sports fans that have been watching so many Duke-Carolina battles throughout the years and that we’re in charge of it in this moment. We did it. We got you guys an NCAA Tournament game between Carolina-Duke. I mean, if that doesn’t get your blood going, you should check it. You should get it checked because it should be really great for the sport.
Q. (Off microphone)?
COURTNEY BANGHART: Quite similar. Two teams that are tough, fast, experienced, have found ways to win, defensive-minded with toughness, and discipline, and accountability change directions quickly.
So I think that sometimes you play opponents where your styles are so different, and you try to say, well, I’m going to — that becomes a chess match. This becomes a battle, right? You have to be able to win both ways to be sitting where we’re sitting, but this will be more of a battle than it will be a this, then this, then this. That’s what March is for. It’s exciting.
Q. You talked about Reniya, and she’s a player that grew up ten minutes down the road at one of the best programs in the country for high school. Just how have you seen her kind of grow from year one to year two and being a full-time force in the starting line-up?
COURTNEY BANGHART: I remember getting Reniya, and I knew what I was getting when I started her her first game of her freshman year. Then she got hurt and missed a bunch last year. She’s exactly on the trajectory and the progression that I would have wanted and hoped for. It’s been earned.
You know, I’ve been to Hoover High School many times in order to get Reniya in the Carolina blue. I thought she was the most improved player in the ACC. If you look at her statistics from year one to year two and you look at how she runs our team, how little the team has changed and how much better we are, it’s because she’s been in charge of it.
She’s just an easy kid. She plays with great passion. She’s an easy kid to support. Even the way she was able to manage that kind of a slight injury to then be back and kind of be full form and really help us beat the Florida States of the world, et cetera, as we’ve played over the last few games.
I know she’s a crowned jewel of Hoover, and we’re certainly glad that she’s kind of taken over that role in Chapel Hill as well —
Q. Courtney, following along with the Reniya point, you played close to home when you were at Dartmouth. How important is it for her? She hasn’t had her family come to as many games as a lot of people. Just to see when you were in your playing games, just to see familiar faces in the crowd, what does that mean for you as a player?
COURTNEY BANGHART: I went to school real close to home because that was back before you could even watch on your phones and things like that. So, the only way I was ever going to be supported by my community is if I stayed close, and that was important to me.
When you still sell out Ivy League arenas, that’s a big deal. I think Reniya is really beloved by our community, and Carolina fans wrap their arms around our players. I think she feels like she does have her family even though it’s different than her biological family in Chapel Hill. To be able to have her high school community and some of the peripheral people that have been a part of building her be able to drive ten minutes and support her, again, if that’s not — if that doesn’t put a smile on your face, no matter who you are rooting for in the game, then you should get your heart checked because these kids come from their communities, and they go make a major difference at their institutions. It’s not often that they get to play in front of their home crowd.
Those times where it happens, it’s really, really neat. Really excited for her.
Q. I have a question for both of you. I’ll start with Reniya. What does it mean to you to be playing so close to home this weekend?
RENIYA KELLY: Yes, it means everything. I’m just going to explain this from the start. I played here my 8th grade, 9th grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, 12th grade and only lost one time, and it was my 9th grade year. So, this is like a full cycle for me. I’m really excited to be here, especially because my family and friends can come out and see me.
It’s really a blessing to be back home and be close. It’s, like, 20 minutes away from my house, so this is really close to me.
Q. Then, Alyssa, this is your final year as a grad student. How does it feel to be part of something — part of history playing Duke for the first time ever, your biggest rival, in March Madness?
ALYSSA USTBY: It’s something super special. There’s not a lot of firsts that can be done at Carolina because it’s such a rich program with a lot of great history. So, we’re just excited for the matchup and to be in the Sweet 16 again.
Q. Reniya, you’re about 4-1 in this building?
RENIYA KELLY: Yeah.
Q. What was it like playing here as a high schooler when the brackets came out? When did you know that there was a chance for you to maybe get sent here in the Sweet 16?
RENIYA KELLY: Man, I was praying about it. I wish I could go to Birmingham because I do not want to go to Washington. It’s just great. I just love this place so much because I have so much experience, and the atmosphere is always good here. So I’m really just happy to be back in this building really.
Q. Reniya, Duke, like West Virginia, is going to throw some pressure at you. How do you feel that this team is better at handling pressure from earlier in the season to this point?
RENIYA KELLY: I feel like all of the guards, all of the people on the court can handle the ball. So, I think from the last game I think we didn’t really handle the pressure really well. We just let them kind of, you know, get us shooken up, but I think this game we are more comfortable with handling the ball and pushing it up the floor.
Q. For both of you. What does it mean to have this be the next chapter in the Duke-Carolina rivalry since, obviously, it’s one of the biggest in sports to meet on this stage now to get to the Elite Eight? Playing the rival in Duke on the biggest stage now of the Sweet 16, one of the biggest rivalries in college basketball and college sports. What does it mean to be playing your rival to get to the next round?
RENIYA KELLY: Yeah. Obviously, everyone wants to win. The main focus is to win. Obviously, this is a big rival, and I think the fans are going to love it. The TV is going to love it. Everyone is going to love it. I just think we’re ready to win a game.
ALYSSA USTBY: I think it’s going to be cool to showcase on even a bigger stage what the Carolina-Duke rivalry is. Obviously, it’s always a gritty game. So it’s something that’s going to be pretty cool to show the rest of the country.
Q. Alyssa, what’s the challenge of preparing for a team for a third time? I know you and Reniya didn’t play that second game. How does that change maybe the preparation as whether you watch that film as tight or not?
ALYSSA USTBY: Yeah, that’s a great question. When you are this familiar with a team, your preparation looks a little bit different because, obviously, we know our personnel really well, we know who we’re playing against, we know their A and B options of scoring. So we kind of have to take another couple of steps further in our scheme and how we’re going to defend them and how we’re going to attack them offensively. So there’s definitely a different package of preparation compared to playing, like, West Virginia, which is the first time. We spent a lot more of our focus on who they are as individual players and kind of their overall theme. It’s a lot more detailed and takes a little bit more focus.
Q. Alyssa, those few games you missed towards the end of the season, having to sit out and watch the team from afar, is there any kind of perspective that you gained about this team having to do that and then reasserting yourself into the line-up?
ALYSSA USTBY: Yeah, I would say the only perspective I gained, which is something I already knew, is that we have a really deep bench, and we have a lot of girls that can step up on any given night. I think that’s really crucial for success in the March Madness tournament as long and grueling as it is because if someone is not having a great night, we know that somebody else will be able to pick up the slack.
So we have a really deep team, and that’s something that’s really special. So just reinserting myself into the line-up, I just continued to bring what I’ve brought all season and contribute to my team in whatever ways that’s needed.
Q. What did you learn playing Duke the first time about trying to limit turnovers, and what did you learn about watching in the second game? Did playing a game like you did on Monday against West Virginia, is that going to be helpful for you tomorrow?
RENIYA KELLY: So the first part, you asked me what did I learn from the first game? I think we can attack them more. I think we were so focused on their hedge that it got us out of rhythm on the basket to score. I think we do a better job of just — that’s the flow for them, just the hedge to get us out of rhythm. I think we’re going to attack that more this game.
When I was watching, I hate just sitting out. It was just really hard for me to watch because I wanted to go to war for my teammates, but I knew we had a deep bench, like Alyssa just said. I think everyone stepped up. We didn’t have enough firepower in the third quarter, and I think it really took us back.
Your third point, what did you say about —
Q. Did going through a game like you did Monday against a team that pressures a lot, would that be helpful for you tomorrow?
RENIYA KELLY: Oh, yes, for sure. West Virginia really set us up for success just because we need to get open and get the ball so we can run our offense and get down the court. Duke pressure isn’t the same as West Virginia, but it is similar. So I think we will be very prepared for Duke pressure.
Q. For either of you, Kayla McPherson was a key player and leader for you guys early in the season, and then, obviously, she went down with the injury. What, from your perspective, has been her transition to being more of a coach on the sideline for you guys, and maybe a moment that impacted you guys from her leadership perspective after her injury?
ALYSSA USTBY: Kayla is a really special piece to our team. She’s in a unique position because she knows exactly what it’s like to be a player because she’s still a player on our roster, and she is really good at digesting what coaches say and what they’re looking for and kind of being the bridge between the two.
She’s really helpful to have on the bench because at any timeout or stop and play, she’s talking to some of us on the court, telling us what she sees. Similar to Reniya, she has that point guard vision, and so she can read the game really, really well and help us make in-game adjustments before it needing to get to the coaches and us to figure out as a big group.
She’s just been super instrumental in our success, and we’re really grateful that she’s on our side.
Q. Alyssa, after Monday’s game, how long did it take to come down from that high? It did have to be one of the best experiences of your career.
ALYSSA USTBY: Yeah, it was very special obviously being my last time playing in Carmichael. I couldn’t have scripted a better night.
It didn’t take me too long. I mean, I knew that that’s obviously a big game that we want to celebrate but also understand that there’s more work to be done ahead. So, I just got to talk to my family after the game and then went home, did my usual routine, and went and got some sleep because we had school the next day.
Yeah, we’re just looking forward to more.
Q. Reniya, what is your favorite memory when you played here in those games? Do you remember shots specifically or anything like that?
RENIYA KELLY: I think it was my senior year. It was like 50 seconds left on the clock, and I subbed out. Everyone was just standing up and clapping for me. I was hugging all of my coaches and teammates. I was crying. I usually don’t cry, but it was my most memorable moment for me for sure.
Duke press conference
Q. Obviously, this is y’all’s third meeting with UNC this season, but it’s the first meeting in the NCAA Tournament. Just talk about how big is it to see these two programs come together here in the Sweet 16 for the first time.
KARA LAWSON: We haven’t really talked about that with our team in terms of a first meeting or anything. I didn’t know that until you said that. We’re fighting for a spot in the Elite Eight, and so whoever the opponent is, is the opponent.
At this time of year and I think with conferences getting bigger, I mean, we have 18 teams in our conference. I think over time, you’re going to see meetings earlier and earlier in the tournament. It’s just going to be a fact of kind of where we are. In college, I think there’s another one here on Saturday, right? Tennessee plays Texas in the conference in the Sweet 16. I think Tennessee men and Kentucky men play tonight in the Sweet 16.
I’m not really, like, moved either way by it. It’s not just another game. It’s an important game. It’s a game to get a step beyond where we were able to reach a year ago, and it’s a game to put yourself in position to play for a spot in the Final Four. That’s kind of how we’ve approached it, and trying to honor the value of the game with the right amount of respect and the right amount of preparation.
Q. Two questions. One, just a status update on Toby?
KARA LAWSON: Toby will play tomorrow.
Q. Second, obviously the transfer portal opened up on Tuesday. How are you and your staff kind of balancing portal recruiting with game prep?
KARA LAWSON: I haven’t done anything at the portal. I’m sure my assistants are doing that, but as far as me personally, I haven’t. I haven’t done anything. I’ve just been focused on the game.
Q. Coach, can you talk about, you know the Tar Heels very, very well and vice versa. Can you talk about what it’s going to be like to play them for the third time, and what do you think may be different from the first two times you played them this season?
KARA LAWSON: I mean, the main difference is Kelly and Ustby will play. They didn’t play in the second meeting. I think that’s probably the biggest difference. We’ve played them three times in a season before, I think maybe two years ago. It’s not uncommon to have that for teams over the years.
I don’t know. It feels like it’s a really big deal for the guys that we’re playing them three times. It’s not something we’ve really talked about or worried about.
There’s a familiarity, obviously, from a scout standpoint, from a personnel standpoint. You know the players. I think the games have — well, you know, my first year, we were terrible. We got our butt kicked both times by everybody in the league. Got our butt kicked by everybody in the league. Since that first year, I think the games have been really competitive when you look at the margins of the games and how good both teams have been. So that would be my expectation again tomorrow.
Q. If you remember back to your playing days at Tennessee when you got to the Sweet 16, which was, I think, every year, what were things that the coach would tell you as a team to get ready for a game like this, to get to the Elite Eight, to get to the Final Four, if you remember?
KARA LAWSON: I don’t know that I remember about this round specifically. Yeah, I mean, it’s so different now. So much more depth in the game now, I think. Back then, there wasn’t as much depth throughout the tournament.
I’m not trying to avoid your question. I can’t remember about what she said before the Sweet 16.
Q. I’m curious, how much the growth of Oluchi has helped you guys from year one to year two for you now? Just your thoughts on the way she’s grown her brand and the fashion aspect, her personal brand?
KARA LAWSON: I think Oluchi has grown a lot from her freshman to her sophomore year. She has a better understanding of what we’re trying to do on the court, understanding of the scheme, and also able to slow down a little bit, which I know it doesn’t look like she ever slows down, but she’s able to make more reads now. Whereas, I felt like her freshman year, she was just playing fast, faster than everybody all the time. That works to a certain point, but then you have to slow down and see what the defense is trying to do and make adjustments.
She’s a very hard worker. Every day, she comes in with the right level of focus and the right level of effort. That might seem like an, oh, yeah, okay, everybody does that. Everybody does not do that. If you can get yourself to be a player that does that, you can set yourself apart.
I mean, I don’t know how in depth you want me — I can get into the fashion. It’s not really my forte, believe it or not. But, you know, Oluchi has a great passion about it. As a coach, you just try to encourage your players to follow that, follow their passions, the thing that they spend a lot of time on. Basketball doesn’t have to take up their whole life. It’s healthy, and I think there’s room for other things to pursue. We’re fortunate, our creative team was able to kind of build that series with her and to be able to showcase the passion. And so, they work with all of our players in that way to just amplify the things that they’re interested in.
She’s got a lot of charisma, so she’s very well-spoken and has a great personality. I think all of that combines to something that she should be able to carve out a little bit of a niche for herself.
Q. Kara, Alyssa Ustby didn’t play in the last game for Carolina, the last time y’all faced them, but she’s somebody who you have sort of had to prepare for every time faced Carolina in your five years. What kind of challenge does they present for y’all on both ends of the floor?
KARA LAWSON: Yeah, good player, very productive over her time, scores it well, rebounds it well, makes really good hustle plays. Then, obviously, being a fifth year senior, the experience, you know, that she has and that Gakdeng has on the front court. If you are looking at the roster, that’s probably the experience differential. They’re very experienced in the front court, and we’re all freshmen and sophomores in the front court. That’s a challenge physically that we’ll have to meet. We’re capable of meeting it. Obviously, we’ve been freshmen, sophomores all year. We didn’t just become that right now. We’ll have to definitely meet that challenge.
So, yeah, been productive for a long time in this league, and she’ll definitely make an impact on the game. It’s not — the way she plays, you can’t take her out of the game, if that makes sense. She impacts the game in a lot of areas.
Q. I think earlier you mentioned that that second game against UNC, Kelly and Ustby didn’t play. I’m curious how differently you watched that film than the first game when they’re obviously a different team. Is there a difference in how you watch that film in preparation of this game?
KARA LAWSON: I mean, sure. Certain personnel have certain tendencies, so they might be running the same actions, but a tendency with a player with one guard might be different in how they run the action than the other. So the good thing is, you obviously have film on them since that game, since they’ve been back, and certainly obviously with first and second round games this past week.
So, yeah, I don’t know that you watch it differently, but you have an awareness that they’re not there and there are more minutes of players that maybe won’t play as many minutes this game. So understanding the rotation and all of that, so …
Q. Coach said she didn’t know, but this is y’all’s first meeting with UNC in the NCAA Tournament. I know it’s y’all’s third — looks like you don’t know either. I just want to say hearing that, this matchup, what does it mean to you guys to be facing them for a third time this season in the Sweet 16 on such a big stage?
REIGAN RICHARDSON: I feel like just seeing the work that both of us have put in just to be here on this stage in the Sweet 16 is just amazing. I feel like, yes, it’s our third time competing against each other, but the rivalry is just super competitive, and we’re just really excited to play against one another.
TOBY FOURNIER: I think I speak for all of us when I say this, but we’re all super excited to play them again. They’re a great team, super competitive, offensively, defensively. I feel like it’s a great matchup for us. We’re super excited. I think we’re both super prepared, and I think it’s going to be a great game.
ASHLON JACKSON: They pretty much already said everything, but I’m super excited. Also, just having two ACC teams hash it out, being able to play for the Elite Eight. Yeah, there’s no better feeling in the world, of course, playing our rival. We’re super excited just to see what type of game it will be. It will be super competitive, I know, for sure.
Q. I’m curious your thoughts on Oluchi’s fashion and being able to set her own kind of brand, her creativity with herself? I’m curious your thoughts on that and what that’s been like to be around.
REIGAN RICHARDSON: I mean, one thing about Luch, she’s always going to put on a fit to go anywhere we go. She’s always one to really dress up and do whatever with the team.
Just being able to have that platform for her is really amazing. She’s really into fashion. I know I speak for all of us, we’ve all been on her little channel, Get Ready With Luch, or whatever. It’s awesome to see how her platform is expanding in that aspect because it’s something she’s really passionate about, and I’m happy to see she’s doing what she loves.
TOBY FOURNIER: I would say the same thing. You know, love Luchi. I love when she loves something. It was really fun to do that with her. I was just in her latest episode. I don’t know if you guys saw it. The March Madness edition. It was fun to be part of.
We went shopping. I was trying to pick stuff up. She would slap my hand down. You know, she definitely has a passion for it. It’s great to watch. It’s really fun to be a part of, and I’ll always support her in everything she does, so…
ASHLON JACKSON: Like they said, I love Luch. Just her being able to set her mind to something and still go through with it, I love it, and I love it for her.
That’s really right up my alley as far as fashion stuff because, you know, I love putting on a fit too everywhere. No, but, like, having Luch — because I was on one of her episodes as well. Having Luch style us, it was just amazing. Like I said and like they said, whatever she puts her mind to, it’s gold for her. I will always support her in whatever she does. I love Luch.
Q. Toby, you’re feeling better. I wonder if you could give us an update on how you are feeling and how eager you are to get back out on the court after not playing the second round?
TOBY FOURNIER: You know, I’m feeling great. I’m here. I’m well-rested, well-hydrated. I’m ready to go.
Q. Just for Reigan, is there something you remember about your guys’ Sweet 16 loss two years ago that just has stuck with you, the mindset, approach, a memory from the locker room afterwards that is informing this experience that you are currently going through at all?
REIGAN RICHARDSON: Yeah, you know, it’s two different years, being in the Sweet 16 last year and the Sweet 16 this year, but one thing that I remember about last year is just how much we — the memories that we shared all start flooding back in that locker room. Like, just from the season that we’ve been through and everything that we’ve been through, it kind of came again at that moment. Yeah, there were tears, but it was also — it wasn’t just tears of sadness. It was tears of joy just knowing that we’ve been through that journey together.
So going into the Sweet 16 this year, you know, we’re just focusing on the team that we have at hand and just looking forward to competing.
Q. For any of you, what is it like playing for Coach, from the standpoint of what is she like in of practice, out of practice for you guys?
ASHLON JACKSON: I’ve said it multiple times. Playing for her, it’s everything for me. I pretty much can speak for everyone that wears a jersey that says Duke.
I would say for me, she really brought out a side of me and a side of my game that I never knew that I truly had. She instilled this confidence within me on and off the court, I would say. Just playing for her, you know, to share her same passion and to share her same, like, grit, there’s no other team that I would rather play for, no other coach I would rather play for.
Like I said, the way she coaches, you know, it’s like you would do anything for her. You would run through a burning house just for her. But, no, I love it because it’s really genuine. Like I said, I can speak for most of us here but just having that and having that type of coach, it’s the best feeling in the world.
TOBY FOURNIER: I would say the same thing as Ash, kind of just to reiterate. I feel like one thing about Coach Kara is, she’s going to prepare you for the next level. Being a freshman this year, that really helps me. I’m so glad I chose here just because she really knows how to prepare you for games. She knows how to prepare you for the level of competitiveness that you are going to see when you face certain teams.
I feel like she’s never going to tell you a lie. She’s going to tell you exactly what you need to know, and she’s going to tell you the truth. I have a lot of trust in her. I know that she has a lot of trust in me, and that’s kind of what our relationship is like.
So I’m really lucky to have her as a coach, and I hope to just see our relationship grow from here.
REIGAN RICHARDSON: Yeah, I second everything that they’re saying. You know, Coach has not only helped us on the court, but also off the court. I know I can speak personally about it. She’s helped me be able to talk to you in this kind of setting like this, because I know my first year, I would never be able to sit up here on stage and talk to you.
But she’s instilled so much confidence in each and every one of us and just being able to play for her and having her coach us is a blessing, for real.
Q. Do you guys have a plan to watch the men’s game later? Has that been discussed at all, how you’re going to do it? And any preview you want to give about Duke-Arizona on the men’s side?
ASHLON JACKSON: I will speak for us. Yes and no, because it’s so late, and we do have a game tomorrow.
Yes, we support them 100 percent. We will be tuned in until, you know, our eyes close tonight. So, yeah. I don’t know what y’all will say.
TOBY FOURNIER: I will say the same thing. I obviously want to watch it. What time is it?
ASHLON JACKSON: 9:30.
TOBY FOURNIER: Yeah, it is a little late. My cut off is at 10:00. We love Sports Zone. Those are our boys. We’ll watch the first 30 minutes, have a little watch party, and then go to bed.
Q. (Off microphone)
ASHLON JACKSON: We will be watching the whole game.
TOBY FOURNIER: We’ll be tuned in.
REIGAN RICHARDSON: I’m sure it will come up once we get back to the locker room.
Q. This is for Ashlon. Can you talk about just the emotion? Obviously, it’s a Sweet 16, so there would be emotion no matter who you are playing, but because you know the opposing team so well and you’ve had these two sort of grind-it-out battles with them, how do you sort of balance that emotion with staying within yourselves and playing the way you want to play?
ASHLON JACKSON: That’s a great question. I would say — I say it all the time, but just staying Duke. You know, just staying us.
We know the game tomorrow will be like a lot of highs, a lot of lows, but as long as we just stay connected, stay together, I feel like we could push through whatever it is that we may face. Yeah, like I said, just focusing on us and focusing on the big thing that we want to get to. So I would also feel like that is going to be key for us tomorrow.
Q. What do you feel like it is about the ACC that has helped prepare you to reach here, but also go further in this tournament?
REIGAN RICHARDSON: I feel like a lot of teams in the ACC where everybody is great offensively and defensively, and I feel like we’re all just super competitive. Regardless of the opponent we’re playing, we’re just going to compete each and every day. That helps us throughout the season.
TOBY FOURNIER: I mean, I would say the same thing. The ACC is super competitive and very physical. I would like to say very physical again because coming in as a freshman, coming from high school and just facing, you know, girls that have been in college for four years, it’s lot to adjust to. I think that’s really helped prepare me just for this next level and competing in March Madness as well.
ASHLON JACKSON: I agree with everything they just said, the level of competition. And also, being in the ACC knowing every Thursday or Sunday, it’s up for grabs. Like, whoever plays the hardest, whoever makes the least amount of mistakes, whoever stays together, those are normally the teams that win.
I would say just having to be able to prepare week to week for those type of teams, yeah, like I said, it’s a monster in the ACC. I love the level of competition that it continues to build and build each year, yeah.
Q. You guys are the upper-class players. I wonder how you sort of helped Toby as a freshman, what you’ve been able to do to sort of share your experience and knowledge with her? Then, Toby, what’s it been like to have these two as teammates in your first season in college?
ASHLON JACKSON: I really don’t know how to answer that. Toby, how about you give us insight about how we helped you? I don’t know…
TOBY FOURNIER: I think the girls around you are what get you through your freshman year. Like, there’s going to be ups and downs in basketball because playing Division I basketball is hard. Mentally, physically, there’s a lot that you are doing every day. The girls that I’ve had around me, these strong women that I’ve been able to look up to, it’s been incredible, especially these two beside me. I feel like they’ve helped me through everything.
There are so many different plays that you have to memorize. They would help quiz me before games or practices. Like, things that I need to remember. So having them and then, obviously, the other girls that aren’t here right now, has completely transformed the player that I am.
ASHLON JACKSON: I feel like, also, knowing instinct, her play and playing beside her, and knowing what she’s capable of, and knowing what she can bring each and every day, I feel like that’s a blessing for us because there are certain talents that she has that we don’t have or vice versa. And saying that we have been in college for longer than she has and knowing how, like, things work and don’t work as far as on the court, just being able to help her navigate a little bit through all of that, it has been really, really fun strictly because, like, I tell her all the time, her growth from when she first started here to now, like, it’s tremendous.
I’m just super proud of her because she’s going to continue to show that she’s a great player.
REIGAN RICHARDSON: Yeah, I second that. There’s going to be a lot of ups and downs, especially for Toby, her freshman year. We all know what she’s capable of. And in those moments, we try to instill a lot of confidence in her, even though she don’t need it because she’s a very confident player herself. But in moments where we all make sure that she knows that we’re there and we got her back.
Q. I just wanted to hear your thoughts on you upper classmen having come through the tournament before, what it’s like being back, and how that’s felt so far? Then, Toby, for you as a freshman, what’s that been like so far?
REIGAN RICHARDSON: Yeah, you know, being back in the same position we were last year, it’s a great feeling. It’s a blessing just to be in this position, to be in the Sweet 16. We’re all just taking it one game at a time. We’re just all excited to compete with one another for another game.
ASHLON JACKSON: Yeah, I mean, I agree with Reigan. We’ve been here before, it’s a blessing. You know, the excitement, it’s always going to be there. Maybe a little bit of nerves as well, but, you know, just being able to compete at this level, coming back-to-back. Like she said, it’s a blessing.
We just can’t wait to continue to compete within the tournament.
TOBY FOURNIER: I think that people try to tell you what to expect in the tournament, but you don’t really know until you experience it yourself. So I’m kind of waiting on that. We had the ACC, you know, champs (smiling). I feel like that is going to help transition into this competition as well just because of the level of competitiveness, and then facing the same teams that are also in the Sweet 16 as well.
So I think that prepared me as much as I can be prepared, but I don’t think you really are until you experience it yourself.
Q. Just talk about the challenge of facing an opponent three times and what has y’all’s preparation looked like going into this matchup? Is it any different than it has the past two?
TOBY FOURNIER: I feel like the preparation is relatively the same just because we’re very prepared as a team every single time we play them because we know what they bring to the table.
I think playing them a few times has definitely helped because we know what to expect. I mean, you can never really know what to expect in a game like this, especially during March Madness, but as much as we can. I think that’s definitely helped us before, and it’s going to be a competitive game.
REIGAN RICHARDSON: Yeah, I feel like since the first time we played them, they got better. Since the second time we played them, they got better. I feel like you don’t really know what to expect, like Toby said, going into the game. We know they’re going to bring their A game. They’re going to bring their competitiveness, their energy, and we’re just going to have to match that.
ASHLON JACKSON: I agree with what Reigan said. This is a great team, a great coach. Like she said, they’ve gotten better from the first game, the second game. We just know they’re going to compete and leave it all on the floor. They’re going to bring their best and for us to continue to compete at the level that they’re going to compete at. But, yeah, the preparation was pretty much harder, I would say, because it’s March Madness. Anybody can beat anybody.
Yeah, just being prepared for that and prepared for tomorrow’s game is really what we’ve been focusing on. We’re going to continue to challenge ourselves and continue to stay the course and stay us in order for us to compete for it tomorrow.
Transcript courtesy of ASAP Sports
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