Geno Auriemma Katie Lou Samuelson Kia Nurse Moriah Jefferson

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.

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