March 24, 2008

LSU – 68 thought that was your best performance since Marist – 49 you've been at LSU. Agree or disagree? ERICA WHITE: Agree. COACH CHANCELLOR: Sylvia, you were just Sylvia. You're a great player. just became the all-time rebounder in the history of the SEC. All-time An interview with: rebounder. Did you know that? SYLVIA FOWLES: Brian told me in the locker room (laughter). COACH COACH CHANCELLOR: I told y'all SYLVIA FOWLES yesterday about who was smarter than me (laughter). ERICA WHITE THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Sylvia or Erica, a game like this is a game that a lot of teams need the extra push THE MODERATOR: We'll have a brief heading into the Sweet-16. Is this the game opening comment from Coach Chancellor. Coach, you needed tonight to let you know nothing your opening comments. comes for free when it's tournament time? COACH CHANCELLOR: First of all, I SYLVIA FOWLES: Yeah, I agree. During want to give our opponents a lot of credit. I this time, when you go up against opponents, it's a thought Marist, they were so well-coached, so win or lose and they gonna give they all no matter disciplined and did so many great things. Maybe what name you got written across your chest. they didn't have someone 6'6" and a guard that Marist came out tonight and proved they wanted it, played out of her mind today like we did. but we wanted it even more. I was just amazed at how hard they play, ERICA WHITE: I think Marist was a great how much heart they have. And no wonder they opponent for us, because they're so disciplined, went to the Sweet-16 last year and come within a they play so smart and they never quit. To have to hair of going today to a Sweet-16. fight as hard as we did to win, you need that in a They come into our building and played tournament. Even if we're the No. 2 seed playing great. That should be hats off to that group of kids at home, you're gonna get a game, so it was great and their coaching staff. They had a great plan for us. and followed it. We just probably had a little bit too much height at the end for them and our Q. Erica, I gather you weren't too happy guard play. about having to sit on the bench in the first I'll say this, our point guard tonight, when half. You played like you were on a mission in she got her second foul, I don't want to say all the the second half. What went through your head, thoughts that were going through my head at that even though the coach doesn't want to say? time. But when she came out, she was well-rested Sylvia, is LSU two teams, one team wither her for the second half, played like she did, I just and one without her?

1 LSU - 03 24 08 (2)

visit our archives at asapsports.com

SYLVIA FOWLES: I won't say we're two Sylvia's defensive player of the year, but I different teams, but our momentum changes when think Erica White is the best defensive point guard she's off the floor. Like I say, Erica gets everything on the ball in the country. going. She the head of the snake, and without her we're kind of lost. Q. For all three of you, talk about ERICA WHITE: When I got my two fouls, Marist's defense, especially in the first half. those were some tough calls. That was tough They seemed to triple Sylvia, were running a going out of the game so early. But I just tried to box-and-one on Quianna, took her out of the stay focused, just stay in the game mentally and game. Talk about the way they played defense come back in the second half and play well. the first half or so. COACH CHANCELLOR: You want to Q. Erica, can you talk a little bit, in the answer that? second half it looked like you had a certain fire SYLVIA FOWLES: Erica. and intensity in your eyes. You were not going ERICA WHITE: Well, in the first half, like to be denied. Can you describe what was you said, they had someone trailing Quianna so going through your mind midway through the she couldn't get the ball. They basically had three second half. people on Sylvia daring us to shoot. ERICA WHITE: You know, the style of The difference in the game was in the first Marist, the style of defense they were going to play half we were not able to knock down open shots. was Pacman defense. They were basically going In the second half we knocked down perimeter to sit four people on Sylvia and dare us to shoot. shots, then they have to come up and guard us. So basically all night I was just dreaming about You look up and Sylvia is being guarded by one knocking down open shots. And so, you know, I defender, and no one defender in the country can didn't get a chance to do that in the first half. So I guard her. just tried to stay focused. I think that was the difference in the game You know, my teammates and I received a in the second half. We just said, If you're going to handout before the game where some Marist dare us to shoot, we're going to knock 'em down. players thought that our defense was questionable. That opened Sylvia up and that opened the game That definitely fed into my intensity and made me up. want to play even harder. So I was happy I could COACH CHANCELLOR: Coach Starkey compete, you know, in the second half. suggested in the second half, we were setting high ball screens, and we decided to set low ball Q. Coach, Erica did everything but dust screens. When we did that, make the forward off her shoulders in the middle of the game. come off of Sylvia, that's how we were able to get Was it hard controlling her? Or do you let a her open in the second half a little bit. Our players player like that go when they're feeling it like were really smart and ran it really good. But I they are? thought they had a great defensive plan for our COACH CHANCELLOR: About three team. times on the bench tonight, our staff was saying, No, no, no. Then she would make play after play. Q. Erica, with 13:30 left in the second We were saying, Man, I taught her to make that half, you got a . You proceeded to go the play. I thought that was a great shot (laughter). length of the floor, get the bucket. That was I thought one of the differences for us the ignition point. Is that the kind of tonight, in the first half, we were going to put Sylvia performance you'll need not only from yourself on 14 and put Ashley on 12 because we thought but other players as you make your run 12 -- we're trying to keep Sylvia out of foul trouble. towards the Final Four and possible national So when we switched that in the second half, we championship? were able to put Sylvia on 12 because she didn't ERICA WHITE: Definitely. Making a play have but one foul. I thought that turned us around. on the defensive end of the floor, that's something Then we stopped those guards from penetrating. we've hung our hat on her at LSU. That's But we were trying to get to halftime for her with something we're going to have to continue to do. one foul. We pride ourselves on our defense and make

2 LSU - 03 24 08 (2)

visit our archives at asapsports.com those plays. Then on the other end, if you have a THE MODERATOR: Thank you. We'll layup, make the basket. We have threes, let's excuse the student-athletes now and have a knock 'em down. session with Coach Chancellor. Questions for the As we continue to drive through the coach. tournament, that's gonna be our focus, just to make plays, especially on the defensive end, but Q. Coach, particularly the defense, the on the offensive end, as well. way you were able to hold Marist to really a few shot clock violations, also make them chew up Q. Erica, could you tell us what was the shot clock, how important was that? going through your mind when Coach COACH CHANCELLOR: I thought we Chancellor pulled you out for the last time, and were able to -- we kept them from just running their then when you were out there at mid-court after offense so fluid like they had in the previous game. the game, knowing this part of lust is over. So when the shot clock ran down, and I thought in ERICA WHITE: I was thinking, this is my the first half they hurt us with penetration because last time in this building and these fans are Sylvia was outside on 14. Then in the second half, incredible. I just wanted to just go out and touch that's why I took the 30-second timeout. I usually every single one of them. I knew that that wasn't don't take that. I don't like to take it. But I did possible. But I just wanted to wave to as many because I wanted to change the adjustment. That people as I could and just make eye contact to let let our perimeter people know they could pressure them know they do mean a lot to us. Our fans are more because if their man got by them, two or incredible. They've been incredible for four years. three times 3 and 22 drove in, but they saw Sylvia At that moment, I was thinking of them. They were out of the corner of their eyes, not how many shots up on their feet, cheering. I was just thinking about she blocks, but how many shots she changes. all the things I love about LSU, the fans, the band, the cheerleaders, the Tiger Girls, everyone on Q. Can you talk about that handout that staff. Every aspect of LSU, everyone that goes Erica mentioned that said Marist said y'all into this program, I was just thinking of them. didn't play defense or something. Sad that I have to leave, but just wanted to COACH CHANCELLOR: Bob Starkey pay a tribute to them. gives out handouts and motivational tapes and SYLVIA FOWLES: What was going everything. We just talked about the things that through my head was that this was my last time on they did. See, when you have a turnaround of only the court. I got a little numb feeling in my stomach, one day, we always call what I call bullet points but it was a good feeling just to see our fans up that I try to emphasize. I think you can emphasize yelling and screaming and knowing we did a great too much. You got to pick out one or two things thing and we left on a good note. you're gonna try to take away, and that's what we did. Q. Sylvia, you got the record on one of the cheapest rebounds ever. Ashley blocked a Q. Coach, this team was almost a tale shot, the ball went right in your hands. But of two halves. Two-point lead at halftime. seriously talk about getting the record in this Second half was pretty much a runaway. When league. You know how many great players you look at this, is this team going to need to there are. How special is the record to you? have two solid halves as the competition gets SYLVIA FOWLES: It's very special. But better throughout the tournament? to be honest, I barely think about it. If I go out COACH CHANCELLOR: Here's what there and I do what I have to do on the court, it will happened to us. I've said it all along. I didn't want pay off. It has showed. to say it in front of Erica too much 'cause I didn't But I credit my teammates for that, for want to give her the big head. Any time we've lost getting me in the right position, especially Erica. I her, she is kind of the head of our defensive know there's a few times she had to tell me to get operation. Tay-Tay gets a lot of credit, Sylvia to the ball, to do this, to do that, help on this. does. But when we lost her, we lost our little But I'm happy to hold the title. But it's just offensive sync, and we were trying to hang on till another thing for me. Not too exciting, I guess. halftime. At halftime, we knew we were going to

3 LSU - 03 24 08 (2)

visit our archives at asapsports.com switch Sylvia, then we were going to turn Erica shooters. I can't get them to have as much faith in lose because we thought she would be fresh. We them as I have in them. wasn't trying to do anything in the first half but hold on. Q. Do you remember a game with that many shot clock violations? Q. Coming off the court at halftime, you COACH CHANCELLOR: It's amazing. seemed a little bit frustrated maybe about Our team -- that's because a lot of teams play us. LSU's last attempt to get a shot. Didn't go well I'm going to say this. We have them come in here with Ashley Thomas. A failed layup there. all the time, on the road, everywhere else. I read What was the mood like at halftime and what in the paper the next day, they say we just didn't did you say to the team in the locker room? shoot well. But we have the most suffocating COACH CHANCELLOR: At halftime, our defense I've ever been around. And I'm bragging mood was one that we didn't think we were playing here about our team. And usually we do cause a that well. So my mood was to take the first part of lot of shot clock violations. We play kind of an the half and correct some things that we were inside-out type of defense. going to do. But at that time we began to talk about positive things. We were playing at home. Q. Talk about the crowd. Our crowd would make a difference. Let's COACH CHANCELLOR: When we went execute. We're going to wear them down sooner up six, I thought our crowd made a major or later. difference in our defense today. When we started, Then I cautioned Q. Sometimes when it really ignited Erica. you're having a little box-and-one run on you, they're manning you, zoning the rest of them, Q. When you look at the way the game you're used to shooting a lot, you get frustrated. went tonight, home crowd played a huge part in We talked to her about that. We talked about just the game. Is that something you're looking getting the ball to Sylvia. We told them at halftime forward to when you go down to New Orleans? if they put seven around her, bring two off the The second half, it sounded like an LSU/UConn bench, get her the ball. We were saying, they had or Tennessee game. Is that something you're three around her. I think they had everybody on going to be counting and relying on? the team around her. None of them can stop her. COACH CHANCELLOR: I think this: crowds don't win games, but they can help you Q. You had a lot of missed shots from emotionally. I thought tonight they just helped us outside, Allison and RaShonta. But they kept so much. When we were struggling a little bit shooting it. Did you continue to give them the offensively, we had to win the game defensively, green light? and I thought they generated a lot of enthusiasm COACH CHANCELLOR: Perhaps in my and got us pumped up. That's where our crowd mind, that's the most difficult decision in coaching. helps us you more defensively than it does You're there, they're just packing your post player, offensively. And I hope we'll carry a great crowd to they're manning your best outside shooter. You New Orleans. can't get any shots. They're just getting other I thank you for your support of this people wide open. If you stop 'em, that hurts their tournament and women's basketball. I hope you confidence, then you can't get the ball inside. have a great day. I'm going to have a tremendous So I first of all tried to say, Just shoot it. night. Then I stopped them and said, Let's don't shoot it THE MODERATOR: Thank you, coach. till the last 12 seconds of the half. And then I Good luck in New Orleans. called them over, the two that were struggling, I bragged on them, told them little funny stories, FastScripts by ASAP Sports different things. Obviously did none of that help (laughter). I tried every psychological ploy I knew. So I finally stopped all of that and called another timeout and told them to pass the ball inside. If that hurts you're feelings, I'm sorry, but enough is enough. I have great faith in my

4 LSU - 03 24 08 (2)

visit our archives at asapsports.com