Southeastern Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Saturday March 9, 2019

Vic Schaefer Proud of my bench. Wiggins comes off the bench today and plays extremely well. Made a big shot for us. Teaira McCowan The difference in the game the first time, they had 24 points off our turnovers. Today they had four points off Anriel Howard our turnovers. We only had 24 points in the paint the first time. Today we have 40. Those were things we all Miss. St. Lady Bulldogs talked about. We needed to fix them. I thought we fixed them. Mississippi State-71, Missouri-56 Proud of our kids. Proud of the victory. Giving God the THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Mississippi glory for 29-2. We need one more. State. Coach, if you could please start with an opening statement. THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

VIC SCHAEFER: Just really proud of my team today. Q. Anriel, you and Sophie have had a nice battle We beat a very good Missouri team. Have so much the last couple of games. What has it been like respect for Robin and her staff. My heart was heavy going back and forth with her? What is that going into the game knowing that Willie wasn't there on competition like? their bench. I know what he's going through. ANRIEL HOWARD: I think that we're both just hungry and competitive. We want to help our team win. Yes, it Really proud of my team and how they competed got a little competitive out there, like I said. That's just today. Loved how we came out of the gate to start. part of the game. She's a great player. I respect her, These kids have really locked in and have played well so... since we got here. Q. Teaira, the difference between the first game for Beat a good team today, a team that really played very you and the second game, it looked like maybe well at our place. As everybody knows, kept us from today you did a better job of establishing low post being 16-0. I thought we answered today. Second presence deep in the paint. How would you quarter again was a big quarter for us. Anriel double- comment to that? Do you feel that was the case, double, 19-10. T goes for 16-27, with two assists. She's the most unselfish big kid in the country. As well did you work on that hard? as so many other things. Really allowed us to play TEAIRA McCOWAN: I just had to get a feel for the through today. I thought she was really, really special. game. The first time was turning, turning to them, it was offensive fouls. I was just trying to do my work Anriel is getting more and more comfortable playing early, mirror the ball, see where it was coming, then with her and finding her, and T finding Anriel. I think duck in. this duo is finally getting some chemistry between the two, enjoying the success of one another. I think that's Q. Anriel, did you worry or have any concerns part of why we're playing so well together. about coming to a team with so many veterans who had accomplished so much, how you would fit in? Anriel comes out and is three for five from three. Jazz How easy was the transition for you? ran us great, four assist, one turnover, 39 minutes, two ANRIEL HOWARD: This is something that I've wanted. steals. She was three for eight at half. Every shot I knew what I was getting myself into as far as the she's getting is really a good look. standard and expectation of this program. I wanted to be a part of it, help it any way that I could. Thought Jordan answered. She started out a little slow, got in foul trouble early, but came back with five But I'm just really grateful to finally be a part of it. We assists, 10 points. got a lot of goals that we're ready to achieve. Q. Teaira, how was the transition with Anriel

Rev #1 by #168 at 2019-03-10 00:54:00 GMT page 1 of 4 coming to Mississippi State? TEAIRA McCOWAN: She's been great. She helps me Q. Anriel, defining success defensively, growing, on the inside rebounding. When her man is coming you were forced onto Sophie when Bre and Jordan down, she's knocking off shots down there. She's a picked up two quick fouls in the first half. She had good token to have on this team. a lot of points, but it was enough to win. How do you define success when you're guarding someone ANRIEL HOWARD: Thank you. like her? ANRIEL HOWARD: Well, I mean, you have to make TEAIRA McCOWAN: You're welcome (laughter). her uncomfortable. You have to be able to make her work. I thought that once I got on her a little bit, I'm a Q. Teaira, there was a moment in the second bigger person, so I think that bothered her a little bit. quarter where you fell down. You stayed down for a while. Looked like you got up a little dazed. She still ended up having a lot of points. I think it made Throughout the course of the season, taking hits her uncomfortable. I think that helped with our like that, being able to respond, is that something success. you've learned this year? TEAIRA McCOWAN: Yeah, coach always say you got Q. Teaira, this is now your fourth straight year in to be a pro. You get hit, I get hit night in, night out. Got the championship game. Coach mentioned the to get up, shake it off, be a pro. team seemed to be locked in since you've been here. Has this year felt a little different? Q. Coach might quibble with the team's defense TEAIRA McCOWAN: No, not at all. I mean, we just given he probably did a square on the 47.5. keep trying to get to the next game, the next game. Defensively, he's talked about your team defense We can't celebrate because it's not the last game. throughout the course of the season. It could be argued the defense is getting better, more help. It doesn't feel any different from last year when we got There are more signs maybe the coach is here. applauding. How do you feel about the team's progress defensively even though statistically it THE MODERATOR: Ladies, thank you. We'll continue may not show? with questions for coach. TEAIRA McCOWAN: I think sometimes we fall asleep and lose our man. Tonight we fell asleep a couple Q. Obviously South Carolina is out of the times. They got their three off. That's what I see. But tournament now, but that aside, does it feel like coach may have something different. this tournament might be different for y'all, you might finally be on the verge of doing something ANRIEL HOWARD: I agree. Also I think we're finally that you've never done before? learning -- we're gaining chemistry on defense. I think VIC SCHAEFER: I don't think it has anything to do with our biggest issue from what I've noticed is helping the who's in and who's out right now for us. I think for us, helper. Now we're finally doing that. We're scrambling, we've just always been focused on Friday night against going to find the open man. I think we've been Tennessee, today against Missouri. Whoever it is progressing individually as well. Well, I hope so. I tomorrow, it wouldn't matter. Teaira, she told you, Hey, think I've been doing a little better defensively, so yeah. this is how it's felt the last three years. I just want it to feel different at 2 tomorrow, feel different at 4. I'm tired Coach Schaefer, take it away (laughter). of walking off the floor and confetti hitting me on my backside as I'm going to the locker room. I want to Q. Anriel, coach mentioned the chemistry that you stand in the middle of it and have it hit me in the face. and Teaira started to come together. When did you see that start to happen or consistently? For us, we have a saying of 'one more'. We've had that ANRIEL HOWARD: That's a great question. I mean, for a couple years now with our season. You can use it we practice every day together. I mean, just being able right now in this tournament even. Whoever we got to to be out there together every day, you'll get chemistry play, man, they're going to be number one playing eventually. It may have taken a little longer for me just really well, they're going to be hot, as hot as they've because I am in a new program, so I was just trying to been all year. We'll have to be ready to play. get chemistry with everybody. Understanding where I'm supposed to be, understanding the offense a little Our style of play is different than both those teams out more. I feel like I'm finally understanding it. It's helping there. They don't play man-to-man defense like we do. Teaira and my's chemistry. We're showing we can be a They're not picking up full court. They don't have a 6'7" really good duo together. kid that's been dragging people up and down the floor

Rev #1 by #168 at 2019-03-10 00:54:00 GMT page 2 of 4 38 minutes a night, tonight 40. I'm curious to see how important moving forward is it going to be, we respond. facilitating through her with her passing ability? How big is that going to be? I know how it's been the last three years. We've looked VIC SCHAEFER: It's something, again, that just adds like we're the team that's half a step slow. My focus in to her game. She's not all about herself. She's all there when talking to our kids was, Take care of about the team, she's all about winning. That's a kid yourself starting right now, eat right, get an ice bath, that's worked hard on her game. She's five out of five cry, whatever we're doing, get back, get off your feet, at the free-throw line today. She's down there battling get some rest. That's where I'm at right now. against two, three people hanging on her most nights.

But it's one more. These seniors, four of them, five of We talked about playing careful tonight. At our place, them, they got one more for the rest of their life. It's she was like a bull in a china cabinet. She broke every one more for the rest of your life. What have you got? plate in the cabinet, fouled out. We talked about playing careful tonight, getting a feel for what it was Q. Anriel and Teaira, after the game yesterday, going to be like, how they were going to guard her Anriel said she didn't want to be outworked. The early. ability to get as deep as Teaira did, then really attack the glass like both of them did, how much I just thought tonight she was really special. When we was that something that you stressed? went to her, she delivered. At the same time I just think VIC SCHAEFER: Anriel hasn't had a day in her career her and Anriel are getting more comfortable with each at Mississippi State in basketball where somebody other every day and enjoying each other's success. I outworked her. She has a motor that is off the chart. I think that's sometimes really hard, y'all, in today's liken her motor every day to a Dominique Dillingham world. Everybody thinks they got to get theirs. Your who played for us, just practice games, it's every day, good teams, you don't have kids that are wanting that. does it with a smile, great attitude. They're wanting to win. The rest will take care of itself. I think that's where this team's getting to a little bit. It's She got a little fired up tonight. I'm excited about that good to see. because I know how competitive she is. At the same time sometimes you got to realize, hey, we're okay, Q. Anriel said she had to adjust, learn the offense. we're winning. Don't let anybody get under your skin. From your point of view, how easy was that transition? But I like that. I like to see 'em getting fired up. For VIC SCHAEFER: It's been a challenge. I think she's her, she's not going to ever get outworked. That kid is handled it great. I think her teammates deserve a lot of going to be a great pro. Somebody is going to get a credit for helping her. Anriel has worked hard on her kid that every day is going to make their team better. game. She's expanded her range. She's still a load What will happen with her, she's going to make some down low. She's a great midrange kid. She's got a lot veteran mad, and they're going to tell her, You need to of tools. pull it back a little bit. Anriel ain't going to pull it back. The coach who gets her ain't going to want her to pull it But I think for her, the defensive piece has been a little back either. She'll make some veteran pro mad bit of a challenge just because we play a lot different because she's going hard, she'll be embarrassing them than where she's from. Again, you get a kid that's because of how hard she plays. been in high school, they do it this way. Then she goes to a place that's pretty successful, a university that's Q. Looks like Missouri at times was missing Akira pretty successful, they won a lot of games. They had Levy tonight. Did you see that with the press? their own way of doing things. VIC SCHAEFER: She was really good at our place. At our place she was the best player on the floor. She Now she's coming to our place, we do things a whole really played well for them, was a different kind of point lot different. You're not just a low post player. You're guard for them. That kid is going to have a great not just a high post player. I'm wanting you to step out, career. I hate what happened to her. She'll be back. stretch it, develop that part of your game, go off the She'll be faster and stronger than ever. In today's bounce, create that part of your offensive game. By medical world... the way, you're going to get in the press, we'll press people, you have to guard people player for player. She's a heck of a player. That can be a challenge.

Q. You mentioned playing through Teaira today, not She's handled it like a champ. Her teammates have just for her scoring-wise, but the two assists. How really been good for her. I'm going to tell you, she's really special, y'all. From a work ethic, attitude, she's

Rev #1 by #168 at 2019-03-10 00:54:00 GMT page 3 of 4 just a joy to coach. I would have loved to have helping the helper, being in the passing lanes a coached her for four years. little bit more, overall team defense where it's getting closer to what you want to see? Q. Were there some things about Anriel that VIC SCHAEFER: I think there's stretches. We have surprised you by what you got? glimpses of hope. For me, I think you have those VIC SCHAEFER: I just think her energy rebounding. opportunities. You see those things. I'm looking for That's the first thing that jumps off the chart at you consistency. I'd like to string together four, five games when you're watching her practice. Even in now doing it in the 50s. We did that in the middle of shootaround. You get kids walking through, jogging. conference, then it got away from us. We were back We don't have any walk-throughs. We tape, go through giving up 60-something. I know we're scoring a lot. an hour and a half at home. We're getting after it. Still, you know me, I'd like to see us engaged Sometimes kids will come in and they might just only defensively because we're really good in the open floor be going half speed. She's going to embarrass you. in transition. We get some steals, get out on the break, She's going hard, getting every rebound. That's just Jo is running, Jazz is pushing. We're pretty good. the infectious play that she brings. I mean, you got to know, hey, if you're not ready, she's going to ruin your For us, that's just a constant work in progress. I'm glad day in basketball. That's what you love about her. we held them to 56 today. That's awfully good. We gave up 75 at home to them. That's a nice little 19- I'm hoping my young kids see that because that's a point turnaround, if my math serves me right, my three piece, y'all, that's really hard to replace, that energy hours of college algebra I had. level. A lot of kids are talented, but they don't have that energy level. Q. How much have you seen Sophie Cunningham's game evolve over the last four years? I talk about it all the time. In recruiting, they have a VIC SCHAEFER: To me, she's always been that number by their name because of their skill set. I want competitor. She's just an unbelievable competitor. to know what the number is by your heart because Wills her team. I think what she's really added is she's that's what separates you and allows you to play in our now posting up down low on guards that are smaller program. If you don't have a low number by your heart, than her. She can really stretch you. She has the high ranking, it's really hard to play that style of play. catch and shoot. She has that in her game where she can catch and shoot, doesn't need a very big window. Q. How do you define success in guarding Sophie In this league, you don't get a very big window. She's Cunningham? Did you meet that today? shooting like 50% y'all from three. Pretty good. Ain't VIC SCHAEFER: She gets 33. Nobody else had more like people are losing her. Your job going into a game than six. Two with five and one with six. That's a pretty guarding her is don't lose her. She's shooting 50% good day. She's good. We ran the gamut on her. with people knowing she's going to be out there and Used two, three different kinds of sizes on her. Anriel you don't need to be losing her. You have to give that had the most success on her, to be honest with you. kid credit. Her size bothered her a little bit, her competitiveness. I think Robin has done a tremendous job developing I mean, I think you don't just talk about individuals. I her. Robin is going to miss her. We're all going to mean, we've guarded other greats. Chennedy Carter miss our seniors. That kid has been really good for at Texas A&M. She might have 28, but you're doing a them, been a part of a lot of victories. Anriel, Jo, been good job as a team on everybody else. I think over the a part of a lot of victories for me, and Zion. Your team years when we've had to play Kelsey Plum at changes, you get new players, get a new identity. Washington, some of those kids are going to get there, That's what coaching is. but you have to do a good job on everyone else, then you win the game. I'm not going to miss her, I can tell you. She's a vicious, ferocious competitor, so... All the kids did a good job on whoever they were guarding. Another one got 13, somebody got 12, Thank y'all for being here. Appreciate your coverage. somebody got 10. That starts adding up. Again, I Praise the Lord and go Dogs. think we made her work. She had to work really hard to get that. THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

Q. There was a stretch in the second quarter, she missed four shots. Do you see the progress

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