NCAA Women's Regional Semifinals and Finals: Bridgeport Sunday, March 27, 2016 Bridgeport, Connecticut yeah, there was a huge difference in the score, but the Geno Auriemma way that we were playing, we were executing everything we needed to execute, and I know speaking Katie Lou Samuelson for the players, we had a great time. I think that it's a mixture of both, because people say Kia Nurse that women's basketball is boring to watch, but when we're playing at such a high level and because we're Moriah Jefferson beating everyone else, then they don't want to watch it either. So I don't know what they want us to do about Morgan Tuck it. Breanna Stewart Q. (No microphone.) BREANNA STEWART: You definitely can't win this Connecticut argument. I think that for women's basketball, we're trying to continue to grow the game, and you can tell THE MODERATOR: We'll begin with an opening that we are with how the tournament has played out so statement from coach and then take questions for the far, with the upsets and that kind of stuff. But it needs student-athletes. to continue. Teams need to get better, players need to get better and that starts from before we even get to COACH AURIEMMA: Thank you. Obviously, we're one college. game away from the Final Four, and I think any time you get to the -- to this point in the season, it's exactly Q. Morgan, how close to the perfect game was where every player wants to be from the time school yesterday's game, in your eyes and in your eyes of starts in September to today. Everything you work for your teammates? I don't know if you even think it's is to put yourself in this situation and to be able to play possible to play a perfect game, but from our for a National Championship. And in order to do that perception it certainly seemed like it was. What's you got to win this game tomorrow night. And it's one your opinion about that? of those things that no matter how many years you are MORGAN TUCK: I don't know if you can ever have a in this situation, it's maybe even more exciting or more perfect game, because there's always things that we -- you're more anxious for this game than you are for could do better. But I think that, especially the first any of the games in the Final Four, because this is the quarter yesterday, that was really good. I think we all game that puts you in that situation. So, I wish the know that we played really well and if we can try to do game was today. that and do even better, it's going to be really hard for the teams we play against. THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Did anything go wrong? Q. With UConn on the doorstep of history, all MORGAN TUCK: I can't pick necessarily one thing that season you guys have been chasing a fourth went wrong, but I think overall, I think it was a more straight National Championship, there are people positive game. I don't think that we -- any of us took who make the argument that UConn's success or anything negative away from it. dominance is bad for the game or at the very least, boring to watch. When a team is playing at its Q. I would like each of you to give a quick example, highest caliber, like you guys are, and you hear if you could, of what Coach Auriemma has done to that it's bad for the game, how do you respond to keep you from feeling that you're good enough, to that? keep pushing you and making you continue to BREANNA STEWART: Well, it's funny, I just saw improve. something about that. And I think it's interesting when KIA NURSE: Every day in practice it's going to be people say that. If you look at our game yesterday, tough. Coach is going to challenge us in different way

Rev #2 by #282 at 2016-03-27 15:45:00 GMT page 1 of 6 that we need to be challenged and making sure that to put your coaching hat on for a minute. If you we're in tough situations so that any given time in the were a coach, and you had to play against a player game we're ready and prepared for that game. such as yourself, what would be some of the things that you would incorporate in your game plan to So it's always something different. Maybe it's mental, negate your abilities? maybe it's physical, but he's always throwing another BREANNA STEWART: The things that I've noticed challenge at us each and every day so that we're other teams try to do to me defensively is get me in foul staying ready. trouble. If you can get me out of the game, then that's easy. BREANNA STEWART: Similar to along those lines, obviously, he could get on you about something over But also just being physical. Making sure that I'm not and over again and it's the same mistake that you comfortable if I'm posting up and that kind of stuff. But make and as soon as you start to do it better and I think I'm handling that a lot better. But I would continue not to make that mistake, he finds something definitely say foul trouble and the physicality. new. And that's something that kind of just makes you continue to want to be great at everything. Q. After the game yesterday, the coach of Mississippi State said that he thought you guys MORGAN TUCK: He gives you different challenges were good enough to play a NBA team. So -- that you have to overcome and it's something new BREANNA STEWART: NBA or WNBA team? each time, so that you're focusing on different parts of your game that you have to improve. Q. WNBA team. I'm thinking there's three WNBA players on the dais now and two more coming in BREANNA STEWART: I'll give more specific examples. future years, and I'm wondering what do you guys He does a lot of different things from benching you, to think about that? Do you think on your best days giving you the silent treatment, to what they're talking you could give the Dallas team a run, or one of the about, pushing you in practice and that kind of stuff. other teams in the league, or do you think that's But he has a lot of different ways to push each other's just folly? buttons or push our buttons, and we're all different BREANNA STEWART: I think that's an interesting people, but he still knows how to light a fire under comment and for him to say that, obviously it's a huge someone. honor to us. But there's a difference between college level and pro. And there's an adjustment that the three KATIE LOU SAMUELSON: I think a big thing that I of us are, or the two of us, are going to have to make notice is he doesn't care about the score. A lot of this coming year. And what I've noticed from USA people feel like, oh you guys are up by so many points, basketball and that kind of stuff, is the physical part of but you still play hard and that's because it doesn't it, and the getting stronger, playing stronger. And I'm matter how much we're up by, if he doesn't like the way not sure I'm not going to say that we would be able to we're playing, if we're not playing the way we should, in be beat a WNBA team, but it's an interesting comment the locker room it doesn't feel like we're up by that to make. much. Q. Moriah, tomorrow's game they're probably going Q. Kia, what has Moriah meant to you as a point to have extend their zone defense on you. What is guard and what have you learned from her and some of the things you know to be successful what will you take forward from that? against Texas to come out with a win? KIA NURSE: Obviously, Moriah has meant a lot to me MORIAH JEFFERSON: First off, on defense you're over the last two years. She's done a whole lot for me. going to have to be aggressive with them. They have Obviously, to have someone like that beside you every huge posts in Imani, and we have to really make sure single day in practice and in every single game, you she limits her touches. learn tons of different stuff, from her leadership to her endless work ethic, how she never tires. So to see that And on the offensive end, try to get the ball to the and having an example of it every day, I'm really middle of the zone. They will extend and pressure out, fortunate. so let's get the ball inside and try to work inside, outside and then go from there. MORIAH JEFFERSON: Oh, that is so cute. THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much. (Laughter.) We'll take questions for coach. Q. Breanna, you're not a true five, but you have Q. A national sports writer noted the score in skill sets of every position on the court. I want you

Rev #2 by #282 at 2016-03-27 15:45:00 GMT page 2 of 6 UConn's win and then said, "Hate to punish them for being great, but they are killing the women's Q. Everyone talks about your going for the 11th game. Watch? No thanks". How often do you run title, that's a Wooden thing. One of the coaches into that idea that UConn's success? that you played earlier said you were the greatest COACH AURIEMMA: Who said that? coach of all time. So you're compared to Wooden, some people calling you the greatest of all time. Q. Dan Shaughnessy. What do you think about you and your program, COACH AURIEMMA: Yeah. what you've accomplished? Where would you put you guys on the pantheon of great teams? Q. That UConn's success -- COACH AURIEMMA: We all know people like this, COACH AURIEMMA: He has a lot of comments from right? The people that tell you, I work hard for a living. up in Boston. My question is, don't watch. Don't watch. Nobody's putting a gun to your head to watch. Well, people that work really hard for a living don't tell So don't watch. And don't write about it. Spend your other people that they work really hard for a living. So, time on things that you think are important. If you don't I think that the hardest thing for someone to answer is think this is important, don't pay any attention to it. The what, you know, what we're talking about right now, is fact that you have to comment on it, says something what do I think. And what I think is really not maybe as about you, doesn't it? We are where we are. We are important as, what do the players think that I've what we are. You know? We do what we do. We do coached over the years, what do they think that we what we do. have done, how do they feel about what we have done.

When Tiger was winning every major, nobody said he So, if I put it in that perspective, I think over the last 20 was bad for golf. Actually, he did a lot for golf. He years, we have taken a lot of really good high school made everybody have to be a better golfer. And they players and given them opportunities to be great, and did. And now there's a lot more great golfers because we have been given a job to do, my coaching staff and of Tiger. So, there's a lot better writers than Dan myself. They said, here's an opportunity and what are Shaughnessy, but that doesn't mean he's bad for the you going to do with it. game. And I think what we have done is we have done our Q. One of your proteges, Carla Berube took Tufts to jobs, and we have taken this opportunity, and we have the championship game. They're playing for the done it as well or better than anybody's ever done it in first time Monday night, when you guys are there. any sport. And, you know, I think when you try to Just talk about what she's done for that program defend yourself against what she was talking about, and are you going to get a chance to watch them the game, you come off sounding like, petty and bitter potentially and such? and all that other stuff, so I certainly don't want to do COACH AURIEMMA: Yeah, I think this is the first time that. that we're having all three championships, Division I, Division II and Division III. I don't think there's any But, if the average person out there would just take a other ones, but those three are going to be played the second and think to themselves, ever in my life have I same weekend in Indianapolis. And I think it's great for ever been that good at anything that I've ever tried to basketball in general, because there's going to be a lot do, for that long. Then, you know what? They would of interest, obviously, that wouldn't ordinarily be there. understand that what we have done, regardless of who we have done it against, what sport we have done it in, The most surprising thing for me is that Carla became what era we have done it in, we have done something a coach. Because in her four-year career at that's really, really, really hard to do. And people that Connecticut, I don't ever remember seeing anything care about us, and the people that I care about, really that would lead me to believe that she wanted to appreciate it. coach. And maybe after four years of me, she figures, I could do that. Where that stands, where that stacks up, -- Coach Wooden did something that no one will ever, ever do The fact that she's a really, really good coach and again. Like you could say a lot of things, nobody's ever coaching a really good team and year after year, she's going to hit 56 straight games again or, you know, been really good. That doesn't surprise me, because whatever. No men's basketball coach is going to win she has a quiet strength about her and that's what 11 national championships or 10 national made her a great player. And I hope -- well, I don't say championships or seven in a row. You can pretty much I hope. I'm going to make sure that I am going to do make that comment and be true. everything I can to be at that game.

Rev #2 by #282 at 2016-03-27 15:45:00 GMT page 3 of 6 So it happened in an era where it was possible. So Sometimes making a lot of shots can come across as we're doing something in an era where it's possible. playing great. So the fact that we made so many shots Will it ever happen again? I don't know. But maybe early on. down the road, some other coach will be sitting up here talking about how in their era, they're the best at what I think what we did yesterday, for the most part, and it they do. goes to what I said was, we really made great decisions. We made the right pass at the right time. Tomorrow night, it could all come crashing down, and We made the right defensive move at the right time. then the Boston Globe will write a big front page story We made the right cut at the right time. And I guess about how UConn got their ass kicked, and then that's called being in sync. We were totally in sync with everybody will be happy. each other. And again, tomorrow's a different day.

Q. At this stage of the NCAA Tournament, do you But for those first 20 minutes at least, for those 20 think you're coaching more or more of a game minutes, five players were completely in sync with each manager? other. It doesn't happen very often, and when it does COACH AURIEMMA: When you get to the NCAA happen, obviously, as you saw yesterday, it's pretty Tournament, especially when you get to this point, we special and it's enjoyable to watch. always talk about it's not possible to become a better shooter in March than you were in January and Q. Last weekend, Breanna had a defensive February. You're not going to get bigger, you're not possession where she blocked three shots, and I going to get stronger, you're not going to get any want to know what was going through your mind quicker, you don't all of a sudden become a better during that defensive possession for Breanna. passer. COACH AURIEMMA: First of all, I was, like everybody else watching it, I was like, wow, you know. But at the Teams that turn the ball over a lot, all of a sudden in same time, there was a part of me that remembered March, aren't going to stop turning the ball over. So her freshman year, where she would be afraid to make the only place where you really can have an effect, at any play sometimes. Or she would make a play and this time of the year, is you can be a little bit smarter then stop. than you were last month. And then to see her be relentless and make this play, So we spend most of our time, at this time of the year, that play, that play, it just, you know, I just shook my just trying to be a little bit smarter than we were last head and smiled, and I thought, wow, she's come a month, last week, last game. And we feel like if we can long way. I was really proud of her, because it was a do that, we can take advantage of what our strengths meaningless game to an average kid. are, and we can hide whatever our weaknesses are. And if we go into every game, and we come out of that Now, like you won three national championships, you game feeling like, you know what, we made better won MVP at a Final Four three years in a row. So does decisions than the other team, then the rest is, do you it really matter if you make those plays in that game? have the talent to be able to do what you're setting out Is that going to affect the outcome of the game? No. to do. It's not. But the fact that she wanted to play the game like it was the most important game of the year, that I mean, if I was Vic Schaefer, and I was sitting up here, said a lot to me about who she's become. I would be lamenting the fact that my team had to play against Breanna Stewart and Moriah Jefferson and Q. Why do you think it is that you personally, as a Morgan Tuck. It's not much difference between me and person and as a coach, never feel like it's good Vic. There's a lot of difference between his players and enough and push your players to be better? my players. So at this time of the year, if you've got the COACH AURIEMMA: That's a tough question. And I right players, you just have to get them in the right wish I knew the answer to that. It's Easter Sunday and mindset. it's a time when you should be happy and thankful and for whatever reason, I don't know why, I wish I did. I've Q. In terms of how you would define it, or how always been searching for the next thing, searching for would you see it, how close did your team come what's next, what's out there that's a little better than yesterday to playing what someone might call the that, what's out there that's a whole another level than perfect game? Did they approach it in various where we're at right now. And that's good and bad, to fundamental ways? be honest with you, because there's a point in time COACH AURIEMMA: I mean, you know, it's just one where you need to be satisfied with how good you game. It was just 40 minutes of basketball. really are, instead of always trying to be better.

Rev #2 by #282 at 2016-03-27 15:45:00 GMT page 4 of 6 You know what I think my biggest strength is as a Q. You just said a second ago that, I don't think I coach? That I'm way more demanding of my players wrote it down exactly what you said. But at some than I am of myself. And it's not really something to be point, you need to be satisfied with where you are proud of, but I always feel like I can help somebody get and not keep trying to get better. Are you close to to another level. No matter how good our team is, I that yet? And then, the second part is, everyone think there's something more that we could do. So, I keeps talking about, oh, yeah, Geno's great, but it's don't know why, I just am never satisfied. the women's game. Do you have a desire to go to the men's game, no one ever says, oh, you're a Q. I think you said last weekend how it's tough for great stock broker, but you should be a lawyer? our team to play Stewie for the first time and COACH AURIEMMA: Right. I know. Isn't that funny? figuring out how to guard her and it takes awhile to Because only men are true athletes. So if you coach get used to just how good she is. Over the last men, then you coach real athletes. decade, for you guys, when you play teams for the first time or haven't played a team before, no one's Q. You don't believe that. beat you in the last, since your title run starting in COACH AURIEMMA: Well, I mean, of course I don't '99, I think, only a few teams have beaten you. believe that. So, whoever those men are that coach What is it about you guys that if teams haven't those professional women's tennis players, if they were seen you before, makes it so tough for them to get any good they would be coaching men's tennis players, a victory? right? So, it's the world that we live in. It's the world COACH AURIEMMA: I'm a huge sports fan. And that we live in. When I coached, when I coached high baseball's my favorite sport of all time. One of the school, when I coached high school girls, I was 21 biggest changes in the game of baseball in the last, I years old. A guy asked me to do him a favor, so I did. don't know, 10, 15 years maybe, 20 years, has been I didn't go, you know what, some day I want to be the advent of middle relievers and setup men and talking to a guy from the L.A. Times about John closers. When I was a kid, if you came out from behind Wooden. I did it because I like the game and I thought the plate to take Bob Gibson out of a game, he might this could be fun. So I did it and it was fun. And we like knock your head off. He didn't come out of games. won some games. And then when Phil Martelli, coach And why do you do that? Because when you see of Saint Joe's asked me to be his assistant, I said, that people for the first time, it takes awhile to get adjusted. could be fun. So I did it. And I thought, this could be fun for the rest of my life. I could teach school and So, in a game of basketball, we come out, we come at coach high school boys. This could be a lot of fun for you and if you're not familiar with what we do, how we the rest of my life. And then he said, why don't you go do it, the pace that we play at, it's hard to make that to University of Virginia and be an assistant women's adjustment. By the time you figure it out, it might be coach. I said, that could be fun. I've never been to too late. Charlottesville, I never been at a school like UVA. Let me try it. And then when I got the job at Connecticut, I I don't know that it's anything, anything special or thought, yeah, this could be really cool. So, now, you anything like that, I just think there's a pace that we know, 30, 40 years later, I'm sitting here and I'm want to play at and that's what we practice every day. thinking, wow, I didn't realize so many people thought For five months, we practice at a certain pace. So we that was a dumb-ass idea. That I got it all wrong. That want to create that pace. And then if a team, if a team I should be doing something completely different can manage that and handle that, then we're in for a because I'm a guy. It just, I'm always baffled by dog fight. especially in basketball, why everything has to be compared to the men. Why? I have never heard And if they can't, after playing us a couple times, they Serena Williams have to answer a question, well if figure out what the pace is. But for the first time, it's you're any good, stop beating all those women, why like facing a pitcher for the first time that you've never don't you play Roger Federer. That's not the point, is seen. You just don't have a read on it. It takes awhile. it? You just compete against the people you compete against. And that should be good enough. And that's Q. I'm afraid this one might touch a nerve a little one of the problems that I have with our Olympic team. bit, so I'll start out by saying Geno's Grille and the I coached the most dominant women's national team in Geno Wine are both very good? the world. We won five straight gold medals, I think, COACH AURIEMMA: Not bad, huh? something like that. And yet we're never good enough because we're at the same venue as the greatest team Q. Very good. in the world with the greatest players in the world, so COACH AURIEMMA: Thank you. weather always being compared to that. Yet no one

Rev #2 by #282 at 2016-03-27 15:45:00 GMT page 5 of 6 ever compares our women's World Cup soccer team to our men. But no matter what Diana Taurasi does, no matter what Simone Augustus does, no matter what any of those kids do, well, you're not LeBron. Yeah, you're pretty good, but you're not Kevin Durant. You kidding me? And all the guys and all the people that are saying that, neither are you. As a matter of fact, you're not Diana Taurasi even.

So we don't appreciate people for how good they are and what a good job they do, we always have to compare it to something. And it's only in women's basketball. It's the only sport where that happens. The only sport. Day in, day out, year in, year out, we're faced with those questions and those comparisons. No other sport is. No other athlete is ever subjected to the same thing as a woman's basketball player. And Breanna Stewart, when she gets to the WNBA, or if she makes the Olympic team, yeah, she's good, but she couldn't beat Kevin Durant. Every day. Every day. Every day. And after awhile -- I'm proud of the way those kids handle themselves -- you just get tired of answering those questions. You get tired of all the idiot guys that played JV basketball weighing in their two cents going, UConn couldn't beat a good high school boy's basketball team. Right, the one you couldn't play on, probably. It's amazing. It's absolutely amazing. And I really admire how hard they play and how competitive they are, and how passionate they are and I have even more respect for them as I get older because of how little respect some people have for what they do.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you very much, coach for your time.

COACH AURIEMMA: Thank you.

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