Up next in 10
#UNC pre-Sweet 16 press conference with Courtney Banghart, Reniya Kelly and Alyssa Ustby
Mar 27, 2025
Subscribe to the Tar Heel Tribune channel so that you don't miss any videos.
View Video Transcript
0:10
Good morning and welcome to our first
0:12
press conference. Please make sure that
0:14
your cell phone is on silence and as a
0:17
reminder, video recording is not allowed
0:20
in this room. If you would raise your
0:24
hand, I've got two mic girls on both
0:26
sides and they will get you a mic. When
0:28
you receive the mic and you ask your
0:30
question, please state your name and
0:33
affiliation. At this time, Coach Bangart
0:35
will give us an opening statement and
0:37
then we'll take your
0:39
questions. Thanks for being here today,
0:41
guys. What an exciting event already uh
0:43
to have um some of the best teams in the
0:45
country going at it. Um really exciting
0:48
for us. As you all know, Raniah Kelly is
0:50
from about 15 minutes from here. She's
0:52
from Hoover. Um and she's uh had a great
0:54
year for us and is a great part of our
0:56
team. So, just a neat story that um here
0:58
she is getting a chance to play in front
1:00
of her her home crowd. Um you know, it's
1:03
a it's an event we know. It's the second
1:04
time we've been here in four years. It's
1:06
an opponent we know at least in the
1:08
first round and in the second round um
1:09
most likely. But you know, it all begins
1:12
which is super exciting. Okay, raise
1:14
your hand. We'll start right here on the
1:18
left my left.
1:20
Hey Courtney, Doug Fineberg, the
1:22
Associated Press. If I can ask you two
1:24
questions real quick. The first one is
1:25
kind of what you're saying. How much
1:27
does it help playing an opponent now
1:28
that you obviously are very familiar
1:30
with and such and Duke. Second one is a
1:32
bigger picture one is again we've talked
1:35
president
1:36
WBCA the portal's open which seems the
1:39
dumbest thing ever since you guys in the
1:40
middle of playing in a tournament right
1:41
now and 16 teams left. What would you as
1:44
coaches like to see the time of this be?
1:47
Because opening in right before Sweet 16
1:49
to me seems almost asinine.
1:52
Um, you know, where do you want me to
1:54
start? Which
1:55
one? I forget the first question to be
1:58
honest. Oh, playing Duke. Yeah. Um, you
2:00
know, what's helpful is it's quick
2:02
turnarounds. You know, it's quick
2:03
turnarounds when you get into the
2:04
tournament. Um, because you don't know
2:06
who you're going to play until kind of
2:07
right before. Um, and so to have a quick
2:09
turnaround to a team you've already
2:10
played, um, that there's a there's a
2:13
comfort there that's helpful. Um, but
2:15
there's, you know, there's to play in
2:17
the Sweet 16, there's just no bad teams.
2:19
So, you know, you might have more
2:21
familiarity, but familiarity doesn't win
2:23
games, right? Um, and so I think from a
2:25
prep standpoint, there's a little bit
2:27
more um comfort both sides uh as well as
2:30
players having more familiarity with
2:32
rosters and things like that, but it
2:34
doesn't make the game easier and that's
2:35
what makes it so great. Um, as for the
2:37
portal, I mean the portal, the timing is
2:38
tricky no matter when you put it because
2:41
summer school starts up at a lot of
2:42
places in early May. And what was
2:44
happening is is people were transferring
2:46
and then when they get there, they can't
2:48
get into summer school and therefore
2:49
they can't be eligible to play that
2:51
year. Um, and so in order to get into
2:53
summer school and to have all that taken
2:55
care of and and giving people the amount
2:57
of time that they would need to get into
2:58
the portal and to visit and make their
3:00
choices, apparently it butts up against
3:02
some things like that acade for academic
3:03
reasons and for people that have
3:05
invested in in summer schools and then
3:07
they can't get their kids to take the
3:08
classes that they need to be eligible.
3:09
So it has more to do, I think, with the
3:11
academic calendar um and our in our
3:13
season than it does trying to um put it.
3:16
No, no one wants it during the sweet 16,
3:18
no one wants it elite 8, no one wants it
3:20
in the first round of the tournament. No
3:21
one wants it during the season. Um, but
3:23
our season is so long, you know, that
3:24
there's really not a lot of other
3:25
choices given the summer school
3:27
component for advisability. To your
3:29
right,
3:31
investigation, you've talked a lot about
3:33
how the ACC is, you know, can be a
3:35
gauntlet, you know, in the regular
3:36
season. And you really, you have to win
3:38
at least 12 games to even have a shot
3:40
at, you know, winning the regular season
3:42
title. Um, you know, eight teams made
3:43
the tournament. There's four of them
3:45
here now. You're one of them. How does
3:47
that conference slate really prepare you
3:49
for for this stage? not just, you know,
3:51
the familiarity of playing Duke, but
3:53
sort of going through all that. Yeah,
3:55
just tremendous. You know, I I I was
3:58
surprised that we only got in eight
3:59
teams, you know, and now you got four of
4:01
them still playing, right? The Big 12 or
4:03
the Big 10 got 12 and they've got how
4:05
many playing? Three, right? Do the math,
4:08
right? The ACC has been an exceptional
4:10
conference all year. It's been really
4:11
great for us to uh play against all
4:14
different styles, all different um you
4:16
know, and they've all been really close.
4:17
I mean, uh we feel battle tested. Uh we
4:20
felt like when we played West Virginia,
4:21
we had been prepared by the elite guards
4:23
in our conference. So we give a lot of
4:24
credit to the other teams that we played
4:26
to prepare us for that win. Um you know,
4:28
and then when we played um Oregon State,
4:30
they had great size and we've got a lot
4:32
of great size in our league. So yeah,
4:33
the to your point, Mitch, the ACC has
4:35
been um they they should be celebrating
4:37
as I know they are the success of these
4:39
programs because they've they've been
4:40
intricately a part of the journey for
4:41
all of us.
4:44
We're going to go to the very back.
4:46
Yeah. Uh Jeremiah Holloway with Inside
4:48
Carolina. Courtney, of course, you know,
4:49
the last few years against Duke, you
4:51
guys have played in a lot of close games
4:52
and then this year the ACC made Duke
4:55
your only repeat opponent as well. I
4:57
guess like, you know, because of that,
4:58
you know, adjustment and change. How
4:59
much did that just like add to the the
5:02
significance? Obviously, these, you
5:03
know, this is the NCAA tournament game,
5:05
but even in the regular season, how much
5:07
did that just kind of add to the, I
5:09
guess, significance and the weight of
5:10
some of these UNCC Duke games? I don't
5:12
know if it that honestly bud I don't
5:15
know if that adds to it in that other
5:17
than the fact that um these are
5:18
traditionally have been two of the
5:20
heavyweights in the conference right and
5:22
that wasn't Cara our eyes doing right
5:24
we're just in charge of it in this
5:25
moment um and so I think you know if we
5:28
were playing NC State we'd have the very
5:30
similar answer right is that there's
5:31
been a lot of coaches that have come or
5:33
in our case one but who've come before
5:35
us that have that have created the fact
5:37
that these games matter because both
5:39
teams are always good that's what makes
5:40
these rivalries so
5:42
Right. And um I think the Duke Carolina
5:44
rivalry is is so much bigger than me or
5:47
this team. Um and that's what makes it
5:49
so fun, too. But I don't think the
5:51
restructuring of the conference, you
5:53
know, in terms of, you know, I think
5:54
Jeff Walls has been pretty vocal about
5:56
you should play everybody one time
5:58
because that gives you your true
5:59
tournament, you know, um gives you a
6:01
true champion as opposed to playing some
6:03
teams play people twice. So there's a
6:04
pretty imbalanced schedule there. Um but
6:06
that's way outside of my decision-
6:07
making. Um, you know, but I think it's
6:10
it's the fact I think that these two
6:11
teams have been so good for so long and
6:13
it's just it's Karen and I's turn um to
6:15
make sure we take care of the rivalry
6:17
with respect, integrity, and toughness.
6:19
Okay, at this time we're going to go to
6:20
Zoom. We have any questions for those
6:22
participating on
6:30
Zoom? Okay, back up front. Hey, Courtney
6:34
Ariel Bil Tribune. I want to ask about
6:37
the turnover battle. That seems like
6:38
it's going to be a key part of that
6:40
game. What's the key to winning the
6:42
turnover battle tomorrow? And also, what
6:44
are your feelings of playing an ACC team
6:47
this early in the tournament? Well, with
6:49
these big conferences, that's the only
6:51
that's the only way, right? I I want
6:53
teams to be seated where they belong and
6:55
whoever you play, you play. Um and so
6:57
when the team when the conferences were
6:59
a lot smaller, um you could you you had
7:02
four major or five major power
7:05
conferences. it was a little bit easier
7:06
to suff uh to shuffle around. But this
7:08
is what you get with so many with big
7:10
big team big conferences where there's
7:11
so many heavyweights. So that's fine.
7:13
You know, to me uh you know, we're we're
7:16
a three seed, we're playing a two seed,
7:17
and all the two seeds are good and all
7:18
the three seeds are good. It doesn't
7:20
really matter who. Um but in terms of
7:22
the turnover battle, you know, that's
7:23
always a good statistic to care about,
7:25
right? Like if you turn the ball over,
7:27
you're not only giving up your offensive
7:29
opportunity to score in that singular
7:31
possession, but you're giving the other
7:33
team a chance to score against a non-set
7:36
defense. So that's a statistic that both
7:38
sides, it kind of it's a double whammy
7:41
if you're the team turning it over, and
7:42
it's a double positive if you're the
7:43
team who's created the turnover. Um, and
7:45
so that's a, you know, these are two of
7:46
the elite defenses in the country. Um,
7:48
and so we've both been able to generate
7:50
turnovers, um, at a rate that we're
7:52
we're proud of, which has helped. Um,
7:54
and so it'll be key for the ball control
7:56
will be key um, for sure because of the
7:59
fact that you want to make sure you're
8:00
getting opportunities to score in your
8:01
possessions and you're not giving the
8:02
other team opportunities to score
8:03
against a non-set defense.
8:07
Off that West Virginia game, a similar
8:09
kind of dynamic going to help you. Yeah.
8:11
You know what what's good is whenever
8:13
you watch back your team and you watch
8:14
them play and at this particular when
8:16
you prepare for a team like Duke that
8:17
you've already played before, you get to
8:19
actually watch yourself play against
8:20
Duke instead of all the other teams play
8:22
against Duke all the time or the other
8:23
whoever we're playing. Um and what's
8:26
good is I think we're better. You know,
8:27
they are too. And that's what should
8:29
happen, right? Is that when you watch
8:31
the game back from the first game or
8:33
even the second game, like how we
8:34
handled pressure was not good. Not as
8:37
good as we did against West Virginia.
8:38
We've just gotten better, right? and so
8:40
haven't they. Watching them in the ACC
8:42
tournament versus watching them in
8:43
preparation for our second game. Uh, and
8:45
that's what's great is when you have
8:46
good teams that have continued the
8:48
journey of of of being good is what's
8:50
made for for TV and why our game is so
8:52
strong.
8:55
Hi Courtney. Sarah Tedwell with the uh,
8:57
USA Today Network. I want to know a
8:58
little bit about Alyssa. So you guys
8:59
have played Duke twice this season.
9:02
First time she was in the game, second
9:03
time she was out with a knee injury.
9:05
What is her impact going to be tomorrow
9:07
in you know offense and also keeping
9:09
Duke from scoring as much as they can?
9:12
Yeah, I mean for sure when we didn't
9:13
have Alyssa and Raniah the second time
9:16
we played them, those are kids that
9:17
typically in the biggest battles that we
9:19
play have had pivotal roles and also
9:21
they play a lot of minutes. So it you
9:23
know it it helps with the fatigue,
9:26
right? So you're taking 60 minutes if
9:27
you add the two together at least
9:29
probably more 70 minutes that that were
9:31
that were taken away and then we had to
9:33
f other people had to play so many more
9:35
minutes than maybe they had less rest
9:37
and things like that. So fatigue
9:38
certainly settled in especially towards
9:39
the end of that third quarter which is
9:41
when the game when they went on an 80
9:42
run. Um, and so having her, not only is
9:45
she is she um kind of a a relentless
9:48
contributor on both ends. Um, but it
9:52
means that you have the experience and
9:54
you have the toughness and you have the
9:55
two-way player and you also have the
9:57
minutes that you can then take back and
9:59
so people can play a little bit more
10:00
rested. So her and Annayia were missing
10:03
the game was a was a significant story
10:05
for us in that game. Um, and having them
10:07
back certainly is better for us. Third
10:10
group
10:12
right back here. Ben Pikman from The
10:13
Athletic. Uh just following up on on
10:15
Doug's question related to the portal.
10:16
Um just how did you and your staff kind
10:18
of balance the the transfer portal
10:21
recruiting with game prep um this week?
10:23
Did you you know did you have people who
10:25
were working the phones on Tuesday did
10:27
you say okay after Wednesday we're not
10:28
doing any more portal work or how are
10:31
you guys kind of managing the dual
10:32
workloads? you always look at your own
10:34
roster first and figure out what you
10:35
think you're going to what you're going
10:36
to have and what you're going to keep
10:37
and and all that and then you look at
10:40
what you have coming in and how many
10:41
spots you have and all that. So, you
10:43
certainly you need to monitor the names
10:45
and um but if there's there's some that
10:47
are monitoring it so closely and they're
10:48
just reaching out to everybody, that's
10:50
not us. That's just not our style. Um
10:52
and so we're we're a little more
10:54
targeted. Um and we're also it's it's
10:57
that's not a race. Like if you're
10:59
finding your your fit, it's not a race,
11:01
right? So, I know there's like an
11:02
urgency and everyone's like, "Oh, the
11:03
portal's opening." It's like, "Yeah, and
11:06
usually things done in haste are not
11:07
always the most thoughtful things done,
11:09
right?" So, we are monitoring it to the
11:10
point of knowing um who um is available
11:13
that we think can help us and we're
11:15
going to do that in due time, but we get
11:17
to promote that we're still playing
11:18
basketball and so we don't have as much
11:20
time as everybody else and and that's a
11:23
relevant fact, right? So, we're we're
11:25
probably not as active as some of the
11:27
others. Front middle right here. Yeah.
11:29
Uh Mike Vocal from ESPN.com. Uh, coach,
11:31
I wonder if you could address two
11:32
things. First, you talked about this
11:35
being bigger than basketball in some
11:36
ways because this is literally probably
11:38
the most premier rivalry in college
11:40
sports. Cool. I know you're focused on
11:42
the basketball part of that, but can you
11:43
just talk about what that means to have
11:45
these two meeting for the first time in
11:46
the NCAA tournament and then the fact
11:48
that you guys in in a lot of ways are
11:50
very similar in terms of, you know, both
11:52
averaging about 70ome points and giving
11:55
and your opponents only average about
11:56
57. How does that make this match up
11:59
interesting and that you guys are are
12:00
similar in a lot of ways? Yeah, I mean I
12:03
remember when both Cara and I took over
12:05
these programs, I think there was
12:06
apprehension from some of the media
12:08
about, you know, gosh, I hope they get
12:11
these programs back because of how much
12:13
the Carolina Duke rivalry is important,
12:15
right? And when you take these jobs, you
12:17
know that and you hear it early. Um, and
12:20
you sort of say, okay, yeah, it is
12:22
important to be to put yourself this
12:24
program in its rightful place. And uh
12:26
Cara and I have done that to the point
12:28
where we're now playing for the first
12:29
time ever in an ACC in an NCA
12:31
tournament. Like how cool. Um and again
12:34
I always go back to I think that I've
12:36
been in the league now six years. I
12:37
think Cara's been in six, five, seven, I
12:39
don't know. I don't know exactly how
12:40
long she's been, but the there's been a
12:43
lot of people who came before us that
12:45
have made if if all if this was just
12:47
right now and it was just about Cara and
12:49
I I mean five years is like a it doesn't
12:52
matter in in the tra in the trajectory
12:53
of our game. And so I just I celebrate
12:56
along with all the sports fans that have
12:58
been watching so many Duke Carolina
13:00
battles throughout the years. Um and
13:02
that we're in charge of it in this
13:03
moment. And we did it. We got you guys
13:05
an ACC. We got you guys as an NCA
13:06
tournament game between Carolina Duke. I
13:08
mean, if that doesn't get your your
13:10
blood going, should you should check it.
13:12
You should get it checked. Uh because it
13:13
should be really really great for the
13:15
sport.
13:17
Yeah, quite similar. you know, two teams
13:19
that are tough, fast, um, experienced,
13:22
um, have found ways ways to win, um,
13:24
defensive minded with toughness and
13:26
discipline and accountability, um,
13:28
change directions quickly. Um, and so,
13:31
you know, I think that there's there's
13:33
a, um, sometimes you play opponents
13:35
where your styles are so different and
13:36
you try to say, well, I'm going to try
13:37
to, that becomes a chess match. This
13:39
becomes a battle, right? And so, you
13:41
have to be able to win both both ways to
13:44
be sitting where we're sitting. Um, but
13:45
this this will be more of a battle than
13:47
it will be a this than this than this.
13:50
Um, which is which is what March is for.
13:52
Very exciting.
13:55
Hey, coach Thomas Ashworth of Aale.com.
13:57
Just you talked about Reneia and she's a
13:58
player that grew up like 10 minutes down
14:00
the road at one of the best countries in
14:01
the in the one of the best programs in
14:03
the country for high school. Just how
14:04
have you seen her kind of grow from year
14:06
one to year two and kind of being a
14:07
full-time force in the starting lineup?
14:09
Yeah, I mean I remember getting Ria and
14:11
I knew what I was getting. I started her
14:12
her first game of her freshman year. Um,
14:14
and then she got hurt obviously and
14:15
missed a bunch last year. Um, and so
14:18
she's exactly on the project trajectory
14:20
and the progression that I would have
14:21
wanted and hoped for and it's been um,
14:23
it's been earned. Um, you know, she's
14:25
I've been to Hoover High School many old
14:27
times in order to get uh, Raya in the
14:29
Carolina Blue and I thought she was the
14:31
most improved player in the ACC. If you
14:33
look at her statistics from year one to
14:34
year two, you look at how she runs our
14:36
team, how little of our team changed and
14:38
how much better we are, right? It's
14:39
because she's been in charge of it. Um,
14:42
you know, so she's just an easy kid. She
14:44
plays with great passion, she's an easy
14:45
kid to to support. Um, and you know,
14:48
even the way she was able to manage a
14:50
kind of a slight injury to then be back
14:51
and kind of be full form and have us
14:53
really help us beat the Florida States
14:55
of the world, etc. as we've played over
14:56
the last few games. So, um, I know she's
14:58
the the crown jewel of Hoover. Um, and
15:01
we're we're certainly glad that she's
15:02
kind of taken over that role in Chapel
15:03
Hill as well. Our final question to the
15:05
right, uh, Kate Chaker with the Daily
15:07
Tarill. Courtney, following along with
15:09
the Reniah point, uh you played close to
15:12
home when you were at Dortmart and how
15:14
important is it to I mean, you know, for
15:16
her, she hasn't had her family come to
15:17
as many games as a lot of people. Just
15:20
to see when you were in your playing
15:21
days, just to see familiar faces in the
15:23
crowd. What does that mean for you as a
15:24
player? Yeah, you know, I went to school
15:26
real close to home um because I that was
15:28
back before you could even watch on the,
15:30
you know, on your phones and things like
15:31
that. And so the only way I was ever
15:33
going to be supported by my community is
15:34
if I stayed close and that was important
15:36
to me. Um, and you know, when you sell
15:38
out, uh, Ivy League Arenas, that's a big
15:40
deal, right? And so, I think Reneia has
15:42
gotten, you know, she's really beloved
15:44
by our community and Carolina fans like
15:46
wrap their arms around our players. So,
15:48
I think she feels like she does have her
15:50
family, even though it's a different
15:51
than her biological family in Chapel
15:53
Hill, but to be able to now have her
15:55
high school community and some of the
15:56
peripheral people that have been a part
15:58
of building her uh be able to drive 10
16:00
minutes and support her, like again, if
16:02
that's not if that doesn't put a smile
16:04
on your face, no matter who you're
16:05
rooting for in the game, then you should
16:06
you should get your heart checked, you
16:08
know, because this is um these kids come
16:10
from their communities and they go make
16:11
a major difference at their institutions
16:13
and it's not often that they get to play
16:15
in front of their home crowd. And so
16:16
those times where it happens, it's
16:18
really really neat. Really excited for
16:20
her. Okay, thank you, coach. All right,
16:22
you got it. Thanks, guys.
16:26
Eli, come on.
16:32
Players will be available shortly.
16:40
Closer to you or you want to leave them?
16:44
They like to set up their cameras.
16:49
Yeah, it's probably a good idea. I'll
16:51
ask um before the next session.
17:16
Rusty. Hey.
18:42
Okay, as a reminder, no recording. And
18:45
if you'll get your hands up, we'll get a
18:47
mic to you. And we're going to start in
18:50
the front. Again, please uh state your
18:52
name and affiliation. And if you have a
18:55
specific player you want to to uh ask
18:57
the question, please let them know that.
19:00
Start right here. Uh Sarah Tedwell with
19:02
the USA Today Network. I have a question
19:03
for both of you. I'll start with Raniah.
19:05
Um what does it mean to you to be
19:07
playing so close to home this weekend?
19:10
Yes. Um it means everything. I'm just
19:12
going to explain this from the start. I
19:13
played here my eighth grade, 9th grade,
19:16
10th grade, 11th grade, 12th grade, and
19:19
only lost one time and it was my ninth
19:21
grade year. So, this is like a full
19:23
cycle for me and I'm really excited to
19:25
be here. Um, especially because my
19:27
family and friends has come out and see
19:28
me. So, it's really a blessing to be
19:30
back home and be close. It's like 20
19:32
minutes away from my house, so this is
19:34
really close to me. So, yeah. And then
19:36
Alyssa, this is your final year as a
19:38
grad student. How does it feel to be,
19:40
you know, part of something part of
19:42
history playing Duke for the first time
19:43
ever, your biggest rival in the March
19:45
Madness? Yeah, it's something super
19:47
special. I mean, there's not a lot of
19:48
firsts that can be done at Carolina
19:50
because it's such a rich program with a
19:52
lot of great history. And so, we're just
19:54
excited for the matchup and to be in the
19:55
Sweet 16 again.
19:59
Far right. Mitch North of Mes Nation.
20:02
So, Reneiah, you're about four and one
20:03
in this building. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Um,
20:06
what what was it like playing here as a
20:08
high schooler? and you know when when
20:11
the brackets I guess kind of came out
20:13
when did you know that you know there
20:15
was a chance for you to maybe get sent
20:16
here in the sweet 16 man I was praying
20:19
about I'm like I wish I go to Birmingham
20:21
because I do not want to go to
20:22
Washington but it's just great like I
20:25
just love this place so much because I
20:27
have so much experience and the
20:28
atmosphere is always good here so I'm
20:30
really just happy to be back in this
20:31
building really
20:36
far
20:41
Matt Crossstar Hill Sports Network from
20:42
Lefield. Uh Raniah for you, uh Duke like
20:46
West Virginia, it's going to throw some
20:48
pressure at you. How do you feel that
20:50
this team is better at handling pressure
20:54
from earlier in the season to this
20:56
point? Um I feel like all of the guards,
20:59
all the people on the court can handle
21:00
the ball. Um, so I think from the last
21:04
game I think we didn't really handle the
21:06
pressure really well. We just let them
21:07
kind of, you know, get us shooken up.
21:10
But I think this game we are more
21:11
comfortable with handling the ball and
21:12
pushing it up before
21:17
say to press for both of you, what does
21:18
it mean to have this sort of be the next
21:20
chapter in the Duke Carolina rivalry
21:21
since obviously it's one of the biggest
21:23
in in sports to have the meet on this
21:25
stage now to get to the Elite 8. Ria, if
21:28
you'll take that question first. Oh,
21:31
wait. I'm sorry. What' you say? I'm
21:32
sorry. What does the rivalry mean? Just
21:35
again, playing playing rival in Duke on
21:38
the biggest stage now of the Sweet 16s.
21:40
It's one of the biggest rivalries in
21:42
college basketball and college sports.
21:43
What does it mean to be playing your
21:44
rival to get to the next round? Oh,
21:46
yeah. I mean, obviously, everyone wants
21:48
to win. So, I think the main focus is to
21:50
win. Obviously, this is a big rival, and
21:53
I think the fans are going to love it.
21:55
The TV is going to love it. Everybody's
21:56
going to love it. So, I think we're just
21:57
ready to win a game. Alyssa. Yeah, I
22:00
think it's going to be cool to showcase
22:02
on even a bigger stage what the Carolina
22:04
Duke rivalry is and obviously it's
22:06
always a gritty game and so it's
22:09
something that's pretty going to be
22:10
pretty cool to show the rest of the
22:11
country.
22:13
Okay, question to the far right. Cameron
22:15
Teague with the Athletic Alyssa for you.
22:18
What's the challenge preparing for a
22:20
team a third time? And I know you and
22:22
Mariah didn't play that second game. And
22:24
how does that change maybe the
22:25
preparation um as you whether you watch
22:27
that film as tighter or or or not? Yeah,
22:30
that's a great question. When you're
22:32
this familiar with a team, your
22:34
preparation looks a little bit different
22:35
because obviously we know our personnel
22:37
really well. We know who we're playing
22:39
against. We know they're like A and B
22:41
options of scoring. And so we kind of
22:43
have to take another couple steps
22:45
further in our scheme and how we're
22:47
going to defend them and how we're going
22:48
to attack them offensively. So there's
22:50
definitely like a different package of
22:52
preparation um compared to playing like
22:54
West Virginia which is the first time we
22:56
spend a lot more of our focus on like
22:58
who they are as individual players and
23:00
how they kind of their overall theme. So
23:02
yeah, it's a lot more detailed and takes
23:04
a little bit more focus. At this time
23:07
we'll go to Zoom. Any questions from
23:09
those participating on
23:15
Zoom? All right, back to the All right,
23:25
Cassandra Neglia with Yahoo Sports.
23:27
Alyssa, those few games you missed
23:29
towards the end of the season, having to
23:31
sit out and watch the team from afar, is
23:33
there any kind of perspective that you
23:35
gained about this team having to do that
23:37
and then reasserting yourself into the
23:39
lineup? Yeah, I would say the only
23:41
perspective I gained, which is something
23:43
I already knew, um, is that we have a
23:45
really deep bench and we have a lot of
23:48
girls that can step up on any given
23:49
night. And I think that's really crucial
23:51
for success in the March Madness
23:53
tournament, as long and grueling as it
23:55
is, because like if someone's not having
23:58
a great night, we know that somebody
23:59
else will be able to pick up the slack.
24:00
And so, we have a really deep team and
24:02
that's something that's really special.
24:04
Um, and so just reinserting myself into
24:06
the lineup. I just continue to bring
24:08
what I've brought all season and
24:10
contribute to my team in whatever ways
24:12
it's needed.
24:14
Front row on the left. Hey, Rena. Ariel
24:17
Ber Tribune. How you doing? Uh what did
24:20
you learn uh playing Duke the first time
24:22
about trying to limit turnovers? And
24:25
what did you learn by watching in the
24:26
second game and did playing a game like
24:30
you did on Monday against West Virginia,
24:33
is that going to be helpful for you
24:34
tomorrow? Um yeah, so the first part you
24:37
asked me what did I learn from the first
24:39
game? Um I think we can attack them
24:41
more. I think we were so focused on
24:43
their hedge that they got us out of
24:45
rhythm on the basket and we had to
24:47
score. Um, so I think we do a better job
24:50
of just that's a flood for them, just
24:52
the hedge to get us out of rhythm. So I
24:54
think we're going to tack it more this
24:55
game. Um, when I was watching it was I
24:59
hate like just sitting out and it was
25:02
just really hard for me to watch cuz I
25:03
wanted to go to war for my teammates,
25:04
but I knew we had a deep like
25:06
Alyssa just said. And I think everyone
25:08
stepped up. We just we just didn't have
25:09
enough f like firepower in the third
25:11
quarter and I think it really took us
25:13
back. Um, your third point, what did you
25:16
say about did did going through a game
25:19
like you did Monday against a team that
25:21
pressures a lot is would that be helpful
25:24
for you tomorrow? Oh, yes, for sure. Um,
25:27
West Virginia really set us up for
25:28
success just because we need to get open
25:30
and get the ball um so we can run our
25:32
offense and get down the court. So, Duke
25:34
pressure isn't the same as West
25:36
Virginia, but it is similar. So, I think
25:37
we will be very prepared for Duke
25:39
pressure.
25:41
Any other questions?
25:44
front right
25:47
uh Wesley Branch USA today for either of
25:50
you really. Caleb McFersonson was a key
25:52
player and leader for you guys early in
25:54
the season and then obviously she went
25:55
down with the injury. What from your
25:57
perspective has been kind of her
25:58
transition. Um to me more of a coach on
26:00
the sideline for you guys and maybe a
26:02
moment that impacted you guys from her
26:04
leadership perspective after her injury.
26:07
Alessa if you'll take this one first.
26:09
Yeah, Kayla is a really special piece to
26:12
our team and she's in a unique position
26:14
because she knows exactly what it's like
26:16
to be a player. She's still a player on
26:18
our roster and she is really good at
26:21
digesting what coaches say and what
26:22
they're looking for and kind of being
26:24
the bridge between the two. And so she's
26:26
really helpful to have on the bench
26:27
because any timeout or stop and play,
26:30
she's talking to some of us on the on
26:32
the court telling us what she sees. And
26:34
similar to Mariah, she has that point
26:36
guard vision and so she can read the
26:38
game really really well and help us make
26:41
in-game adjustments before like it
26:43
needing to get to the coaches and us to
26:45
figure out as a big group. So she's just
26:47
been super instrumental in our success
26:49
and we're really grateful that she's on
26:51
our side. Back to the left. Yeah. Alyssa
26:54
Ariel Bon to Hill after Monday's game.
26:58
Uh how long did it take to come down
27:00
from that high? I mean, it it had to be
27:03
one of the best experiences of your
27:05
career. Yeah, it was very special.
27:07
Obviously, being my last time playing in
27:09
Carmichael, I couldn't have scripted a
27:11
better night. Um, but it didn't take me
27:14
too long. I mean, I knew that that's
27:16
obviously a big game that we want to
27:17
celebrate, but also understand that
27:20
there's more work to be done ahead. And
27:21
so, I just uh got to talk to my family
27:23
after the game and then went home, did
27:26
my usual routine, went and got some
27:27
sleep because we had school the next
27:29
day. Um, so yeah, we're just ready to
27:31
look for look looking forward to more.
27:36
Any more questions
27:39
to your right?
27:41
Uh, Doug Fber, DP again, Bren, what is
27:44
your favorite memory when you played
27:45
here in those games? Like, do you
27:48
remember shots specifically or anything
27:50
like that one way?
27:52
Um, I think it was my senior year. It
27:55
was like 50 seconds left on the clock
27:58
and I subbed out and everyone was just
28:00
standing up and clapping for me and I
28:02
was hugging all of my coaches and
28:04
teammates and I it was just I was crying
28:06
and you know I usually don't cry but it
28:08
was my most memorable moment for me for
28:10
sure.
28:15
Last chance.
28:18
Okay ladies, thank you. Thank you guys.
28:21
Our next press conference will be at
28:23
12:10 with Duke head coach.