April 6, 2014

UConn - 75 tomorrow night and you'll be playing for it Stanford - 56 Tuesday night? And what does it say to see Team Kevin and Team Geno playing for it all? An Interview With: : I think it's awesome. I know our men are really excited for us and rooting UCONN us on. We're doing the same thing for them. I think all the fans in Connecticut are really proud COACH right now and both teams have worked really hard all year and through the preseason preparing for this moment. So, it's now the time has come when BRIA HARTLEY we make sure we finish on a good note.

Q. Bria, did something change THE MODERATOR: Joining us on the defensively at any point in the first half when dais from Connecticut head is coach Geno you went on your run but you suddenly were Auriemma and student-athletes Breanna Stewart making it really hard for them to score? and Bria Hartley. BRIA HARTLEY: I think we just picked up We'll take a brief statement from Coach the pressure on our defense, really getting into Auriemma and then go to questions for the passing lanes. I thought Moriah did a good job, student-athletes. got a few steals out there. One that Stewy COACH AURIEMMA: Thank you. I think got was awesome. It changed the momentum of the game played out at least in the first half, the game. exactly how I thought it would play out. We knew it That's what our defense does when we go would be a little bit of a struggle. It's hard to make out there and we make it tough for them to score shots -- unless you're Kayla McBride -- it's hard to and we're able to create offense off of that. It make shots at the Final Four. really helps our offense and we're able to play a lot Once we got settled in and got our rhythm, better. I thought we played one of the best games that we THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the played all year, given the fact that we beat a really, student-athletes? Thank you, ladies. really good team. THE MODERATOR: Questions for the Q. Geno, how big of a difference did student-athletes. bringing Kiah into the game make in terms of your defense in particular? Q. Breanna, talk about the first ten COACH AURIEMMA: When we went with minutes of the first half and did you guys feel the bigger lineup, we have a few more options like you needed to settle in? defensively that we could. It allowed us to move BREANNA STEWART: I think at times we Stewy onto a shooter and get some length out were a little jumpy, getting too excited. And we there. Kiah has been a real good defensive player had to settle down and get into the right rhythm of and a shot blocker, and we trust her now. We the game. Once we did that, it seemed like we didn't in the past. But we do and we're not afraid to went on a run to end the first half and shots started put her out there in big moments. That's the best falling. game she's ever played, I think, since she came to Connecticut. Q. Bria, what does it say about the state of and the state of Connecticut Q. Wanted to get you to respond to the that your men's team will be playing for the title

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visit our archives at asapsports.com question about seeing your men and seeing Championship. I don't think we have enough of your team get to it undefeated, and was Bria or those moments in our game. Breanna a Team Geno draft pick? So to have the spotlight on Tuesday on COACH AURIEMMA: Well, unfortunately two teams that one of them is going to lose for the when we did that, that Midnight Madness thing, we first time this year, and it's pretty remarkable when didn't get to pick our teams. So, I was just you think about how hard that is to do for one assigned a team. And I thought I had it made. I team, much less two. had Shabazz, DeAndre Daniels. So, I thought And they're far and away the best team there's no way we could lose. And we're down like that I've seen this year. Far and away. No one 20 at halftime. Finally told them, I said that's one else is even close of any team that we've played or reason why I don't coach guys, you guys just don't that I've seen play on film. No one else is even listen. And then Shabazz scored like 30 straight. close. We won at the end. So, you could see these guys that are Q. Geno, can you talk a little bit about playing for Kevin, you can just feel it, the energy Bonnie Samuelson? She was 1 from 7 from the that they play with, that they get from Kevin. field. I believe they were all from beyond the They just have so much confidence in arc. And she was shooting 46.7 percent each other. It's quite remarkable. I don't even through the first four tournament games. And know what words you could use to describe that. they're a team that typically tends to shoot a lot For the second time in 10 years, we've got two of of 3s. Can you talk about what emphasis you our teams playing for the National Championship. placed on defending the 3-point line and how It really is -- you don't want to say it like it's you went about doing that? incredible, because we've done it before. But just COACH AURIEMMA: We knew that. We the fact that it's happening for a guy that's been a knew they were going to shoot a lot of them. They head coach for two years, that's pretty remarkable. took 25 of them. Our goal was not to let them take That's pretty remarkable. 25. They made 10 against North Carolina, I think, Somebody told me that no one who has they made 10. never won at least a regional has ever won a That's 30 of their points. And tonight they National Championship. made six. They banked two of them in. That's the But they're coached by a guy who played kind of stuff that happens at the Final Four. But we 13 years in the NBA all on one-year contracts. I can do things that other teams can't do. We can would bet on Kevin. Not that I'm allowed to bet, play Chiney one-on-one. So we don't have to because this is the NCAA. worry about doubling down there leaving 3-point shooters open. Q. Thanks for clearing that up. We can switch some screens that maybe COACH AURIEMMA: Absolutely. other teams can't because they don't have our size or our versatility. Q. You've seen a lot of things in So, Bonnie's a great shooter. I've seen women's basketball, including with your own her make that one shot she made when Stewy got team, but 39-0 versus 37-0 is a unique place for up in the air she went by her. That's the kind of this sport. Can you step away obviously from stuff she can do. the fact that you're coaching one of the teams Their whole team can make seven, eight, and sort of, do you recognize that this is a nine, 10 in a row. So, that was part of the game pretty historic thing coming up on Tuesday? plan. Doesn't matter how many 2s they get. But COACH AURIEMMA: Yeah, it was we gotta limit the 3s and the free throws. I thought almost -- it looked to me like, as the season went we did a great job of both of those things. on, it almost looked like it was inevitable, you know. Like it was supposed to happen. Q. Geno, speaking of 3-point shooting, And our sport probably doesn't have for about the last week or so you guys haven't enough significant moments, you know. I don't shot at the clip that you're accustomed to. know that we have the kind of moments that How have you guys had to adjust and modify happen last night at the men's Final Four where what you're doing to account for the fact you're you get a 7 and 8 seed playing for the National

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visit our archives at asapsports.com not hitting as many shots from the outside as played a lot. And Kelly was the backbone of our you normally do? defense and was unbelievable. COACH AURIEMMA: There's not a lot of But the core of our team was back. So adjustments you can make when you're not that obviously was a huge benefit. making shots. At one point I think Stanford had all And the same for Notre Dame. They lost a five of their players inside the lane and just daring great player in Skylar Diggins. But what they had us to make a shot. coming back was a great team. The way both As I said, it's contagious. You're not going teams have managed to make the necessary to believe this, but yesterday at practice here and adjustments throughout the season. today at shootaround, we made every shot to the I'm not surprised. We are the two best point where I'm like, yeah, I like this. And then we passing teams in the country. I think we pass it couldn't make anything in the first half. great, and I think they pass it great. I think we're I've always said if you play great defense, the two best passing teams in America. And that's you put yourself in a position to win a game. And something that a lot of teams can't do, they can't then however good your offense is, that will pass. depend on what the spread is. So, when you pass the ball really well and If your offense is great that night, you can you have a lot of really good players on the floor, win by a lot. But if your offense isn't great that you end up kind of having a dominant team. night, you can still win if you play great defense. And we managed to do that this entire season. Q. You hit on this a little bit, but you mentioned that they were far and away the best Q. Geno, although it's led to this dream team when you looked at them on film. Can Final, both you and Notre Dame have not only you be specific? Is it when you look at them on gone undefeated, you've overwhelmed virtually film, is it just a question of talent? Or is it the everybody you've played. Is it good that two execution that the talent that you see teams have separated themselves so performed is at a higher level than anybody thoroughly from the rest of the country to make else? it seem like it's really been a two-team season COACH AURIEMMA: I don't think talent is all along? always the answer. Except they have two COACH AURIEMMA: I think it's good First-Team All-Americans that are as good as any once in a while. I think it's good. I don't know that two players in the country, individually and I would want a steady diet of that every year. But I collectively. There's not too many players better think once in a while it's good. Draws a lot of than those two. And they're so aggressive, and attention to the game. An awful lot of people might they have such a scoring mentality. tune in Tuesday night that wouldn't normally And when they run their stuff, they really maybe tune in. run it. They execute as well as anybody in the I think it's okay. I know that there was country. They probably attack the basket as well, if more -- it was much more competitive beyond not better, than anybody I've seen. those two. When Kayla McBride gets the ball, when Like if you took those two off the boards, she gets to half court, you better put three people everything else was really, really competitive this around the basket and hope because at some year. It's a work in progress. I don't think we're point she's going to get there and she's going to there yet. score or get fouled. And Jewell Loyd is the same way. So. when you play with that kind of Q. Why have you two separated aggressive mentality and you're that talented, you yourselves so thoroughly from -- what do you look like a great team, which is what they are. think it is about these two teams that has THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. allowed each of you to separate, this season, to FastScripts by ASAP Sports separate you so thoroughly from everybody else? COACH AURIEMMA: Well, we had everybody coming back from last year's team except and , two kids that

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