Brenda Frese Blair Watson Channise Lewis Kaila Charles
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Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Championship Saturday March 9, 2019 Brenda Frese team. Especially when we come together, we put our mind to one goal. And we've been playing for Bri all Blair Watson season, and we want to send her out the right way. I had faith, and I think they did, too, and we all believed Channise Lewis we could win. Q. Channise, you had some big baskets in the third Kaila Charles quarter. What did you see from Michigan's defense Maryland Terrapins because you seemed to be more aggressive? CHANNISE LEWIS: Yeah, of course going into the half Maryland - 73, Michigan - 72 I was on the bench for foul trouble, so I definitely saw what we could change going into the third quarter, so I BRENDA FRESE: You know, obviously just a just had to be more aggressive going off the screens, tremendous game by both teams. No team deserved more aggressive to the hole, and it was just opening up to lose this game. But proud of our finish. I thought it for me because there was more focus for everyone was a hard-fought game by both teams. Came down else on the team, so that helped me out. to being able to make one more play and one more stop on the defensive end, something that we've been Q. Kaila, they seemed to have been denying you building for and have put ourselves in a lot of great the ball a lot in the fourth quarter, but again and situations to have great confidence to be able to finish again you got open and coming down the stretch it out. Just really proud of our resiliency there to stay you had those last two free throws. Talk me the course. through that. KAILA CHARLES: It was my teammates setting Q. Kaila, you've been a part of a lot of milestones at screens for me to get open. Yeah, basically that, they Maryland, especially some this year. What does were setting me screens and then at the end Taylor set the 1,000th win mean to you, to be part of that for me a good screen and the girl happened to foul me the program? and we were able to get on the line to get two KAILA CHARLES: I mean, it's just a blessing. I'm glad opportunities or two shots to get the lead. So just my that I was able to get the opportunity to play for this teammates getting me open. program under Coach Frese and I'm glad I'm a part of making history here in the program. Like I said, I'm just Q. Kaila, you were emotional towards the end of grateful to have this opportunity. the game. What were you feeling? KAILA CHARLES: Yeah, fired up. I'm really passionate Q. Blair, what did you see during the first half to about this game. I love it. I love the fact that our kind of give you -- to pull away second half with the league is so competitive. I love competition, and I was lead? just excited. I love a close finish. I love to get the BLAIR WATSON: I'd say like the way we pushed in adrenaline, so it was just fun. transition. Coach B was emphasizing that, that we had to get out and run and definitely helping in on the bigs Q. Tonight you were able to pretty much take -- and sinking in on Thome and getting her out of her more or less take care of Thome tonight for rhythm and I think that helped us a lot to pull away a Michigan. She only had two points and two little bit in the second half. rebounds compared to last game against you guys, where she had 30 points. What was the game plan Q. Kaila, I spoke to Bri after a couple of you guys' for tonight to try to limit her? close wins during the regular season. She said KAILA CHARLES: Yeah, just making sure we knew she felt like you were never going to lose those who the shooters are and the drivers were. And if we games like against Minnesota. Was it the same were guarding a driver, making sure we were sagging feeling tonight? in to help dig off of Thome because we know she KAILA CHARLES: Definitely. I have all the faith in my makes a big impact in the paint. There was a lot of Rev #2 by #400 at 2019-03-10 00:49:00 GMT page 1 of 3 team defense on Thome that I think Steph and Shakira Q. Coach, could you really just put into words what and Bri came in and did a good job of keeping her out 1,000 wins means and I guess really you hoped to of the rhythm. On the flipside, offensively, we were celebrate it with cutting down nets tomorrow, attacking her, hopefully getting her into foul trouble, and right? I think that's what really caught her off because she BRENDA FRESE: Yeah, that would be a special had to sit most of the game. feeling. But I think it speaks volumes of the University of Maryland and the program and the legacy. And I Q. Blair, you guys were so back and forth and can't say enough about the two coaches before me trading leads so often in this game. Why couldn't with Dottie McKnight and Chris Weller, who set the bar you guys get any space or momentum? What were and set the standard for me to follow. It's all of us that you seeing on their end? have continued on that tradition, the great tradition that BLAIR WATSON: I would say Michigan is a really good we have here at Maryland, and obviously we're one of team and they played their best game of basketball very few programs in the country to be able to own a against us tonight. Yeah, they gave us their best shot, milestone like this, so it's pretty special. and at the end of the day, we just came out and got it done. Q. Coach Frese, how relieved were you late in the game there when Kaila went to the free-throw line, Q. Channise, then Kaila, you guys find yourselves making seven free throws already and then again going into the Big Ten Tournament knocking down those last two? championship. What are you going to take into BRENDA FRESE: Yeah, I don't know if relieved was this year as opposed to last year, just trying to get the right word. I was relieved that she was the shooter that win? at the free-throw line, but I knew there was still a lot of KAILA CHARLES: We're just going to make sure we time left that we were going to have to be able to get a stick to our standard and our brand of basketball. Last stop defensively. So just staying in those moments, but year we came really close and we lost it, so we have if there was anyone out there that you wanted on the that chip on our shoulder. We want to get back and free-throw line, I knew she wanted that opportunity. hopefully get the win. We're just going to stick together and get the win. Q. Going into halftime, you guys were down 40-37 and then you guys came out of halftime on a 16-8 CHANNISE LEWIS: We've got to stick together and run. What message did you give the team? play for 40 minutes and play to our standards. We're BRENDA FRESE: You know, we were actually -- I ready for this game tomorrow, and we're just going to mean, we just talked about poise and composure. We play hard from the start. kind of became rattled in their press. A big piece of that was having Channise on the bench. Just kind of Q. Channise, at the end of the third quarter, Kaila collecting ourselves. We needed that time at halftime was taken out, and then Coach came up to you and and just knowing what we were more than capable of Taylor about like a minute and five left in the third and being able to go out and being able to execute it. quarter if you can remember. There was a message that she sent to you guys and then you Q. What was it like playing and defending against immediately drove to the basket after she met with Amy Dilk? She's a freshman, but it seemed like you. What was the message behind that, and what she was playing kind of beyond her years and did you try to do to take advantage of it? seems like she's been doing that all year long. CHANNISE LEWIS: I don't remember, but I'm pretty What was it like having to try to stop her? sure it was to be aggressive, and that's exactly what I BRENDA FRESE: Yeah, I mean, obviously an did, and I got to the hole. extremely talented player. I thought she played with even probably more energy, probably with a lot of Q. Kaila, since you scored a lot of points, what was family in the stands, being back home, and she's just a the hardest thing you had to do during the game? hard match-up with her length and her size, her court KAILA CHARLES: Just make sure -- honestly, just stay vision.