March 27, 2011 Texas A&M – 79 didn't have her normal percentage that she Georgia – 38 normally has. But the kids knew we had to go in the game and have balanced scoring and that's An Interview With: what we did. But the key to the game was the defense in the first half. The 3-point plays were icing on the TEXAS A&M cake. My bench, 7 out of 11 for Pratcher, Baker, COACH GARY BLAIR Gilbert, and Bellock. All four of those kids played extremely well. I was able to rest kids and not risk SYDNEY COLSON Carter and Colson to get their third foul. I was TYRA WHITE even able to rest Danielle a little in the first half just because we trust our bench and they did a great DANIELLE ADAMS job. Questions? THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes. THE MODERATOR: We're now joined by Coach Gary Blair of the Texas Aggies, Sydney Q. Sydney, what was the key to the fast Colson, Tyra White and Danielle Adams. Coach, start, and particularly you on the offensive end, comments on tonight's win. and how huge was that? COACH BLAIR: We had no idea we could SYDNEY COLSON: Just looking at the shoot the ball that well from the 3 to start the way that they ran their zone in film, we just saw a game. But this player over here has struggled a lot of things that would work. Coach Blair and little from the 3 the latter part of the year and all of Coach Bond were telling us plays that would be a sudden she hit those 3 bombs. effective if we were to dribble one way, reverse the She's very good when the ball is reversed ball and skip it to the other side. to her. And when she feels it, you just get out of They had a girl in their I formation, the the way, let her do her thing, don't try to over bottom one was chasing back and forth, so we coach. And then Pratcher came in for her and did knew if we skipped it then the person would be an outstanding job for us as well. open for a shot or our post player would be pinning So great point guard play. We only had if they try to run out at you. So really we just two turnovers in the first half, ended with nine. You executed what they told us to on offense. win ball games that way. Our shots were falling. People were I'd like to give so much credit to our offensive rebounding and getting shots back up, defense, because normally we're forcing teams 20 and we got a few layups off of them still. It always turnovers a ballgame. But I think our kids learn helps us whenever we're able to get some stops you can make stops. You don't have to have and get out and run a little bit. charges. You don't have to have blocked shots. But I'm really pleased with the way we You don't have to have steals. You can just play executed on offense, and hopefully we can that Aggie defense, and I think that was the key continue to do that. tonight. Coach Schaefer had them hooked up. I Q. Danielle and Sydney, Coach Blair guarantee you, I've got to go check his blood worked all week to make sure you all weren't pressure. I'm a diabetic, but I guarantee you his looking past Georgia. Could you talk about blood pressure was up. He was excited. proving that you were clearly focused on this And the kids played defense with a game? passion that he coaches it with. And I think it's just a credit to these kids right here. I know Danielle 3-27 Georgia Postgame press 1 visit our archives at asapsports.com conference quotes.doc DANIELLE ADAMS: It was just our focus since the last Elite Eight run, kind of fallen in practice. Coach Blair and everybody, all the short as a 2 seed the last couple of years, what coaching staff made that point, just to focus on does it mean to take care of the business to get Georgia and not look towards the next game. to the winner of the game that's going on right But we just executed out there tonight. now? Our defense was great. Colson hit some great TYRA WHITE: I think it's a real big shots. Tyra hit some great shots. We were all accomplishment for us. My freshman year I wasn't hooked up, like Coach Blair said, and we just able to play in the Elite Eight. Just to get back played together and as a team. there, be with my team, and then basically have an SYDNEY COLSON: I think just respecting inside presence. When we got back there last them and what they do. We saw a lot of their film. time, I think the only thing that really stopped us We knew a lot of their players. They're very was having an inside presence like we have in athletic and capable of going off. So we wanted to Danielle. come out and give them their due respect for sure But I think the only thing really stopping us because they're a really good team. now is ourselves. We're executing more, running And we just came out. People guarded the floor. Our defense was tremendous today. So people well. They didn't have anybody in double- I think if we go in with the game set, the sky's the digit scoring. limit for us. I'm really proud of the effort we gave on SYDNEY COLSON: I concur defense today, and I think that spurred our offense, wholeheartedly. for sure. Q. Tyra, is this the most complete Q. Danielle, we were talking to Coach game as a team that you guys have played this Landers. I asked him A&M's three blowout year? And what do you do now going forward victories in the tournament should put the to Tuesday? Aggies into the championship conversation. TYRA WHITE: Yeah, I think it's the most And his answer essentially was yes, if they complete game on the defensive end. I think we bring their A game every day, he says you guys kind of struggled on offense. But that was the key have a shot at it. Your comment? coming into this game was defense, because they DANIELLE ADAMS: I appreciate the play just like us. comment. Pretty sure the whole team does. But So, I mean, just going into the next game that's a great comment. I mean, we just have to we just want to watch film, study some more, do keep our focus and just keep coming out every what we did coming in for today's game, and just game. And each practice is executing and just execute on both ends just like we did today. When getting better each practice and each game, and you keep a team scoring 38 points, I think it leaves just doing the little things right and just being ready everybody happy at the end of the day. and just coming out and playing A&M basketball. Q. Tyra, let's get back to starting those Q. Danielle, can you talk about making 3s. You hit the first one and actually got a it to the Elite Eight and what kind of lucky bounce. Could you talk about was it hard accomplishment that is for you and the team? to get the ball into Adams? When you took that DANIELLE ADAMS: It's great. I mean, 3, did you think it was in without the bounce? I've never been to an Elite Eight. This is my first TYRA WHITE: Yes (laughter). It wasn't one, and I'm pretty sure these girls are happy to lucky. Shooters -- it's never hard getting into, you get back to the Elite Eight. So it's all a dream just want to get her when she wants the ball, that come true to us. We just have to keep our focus way it makes it easier for her and makes it easier and just keep pushing towards the next game and for us getting it into the inside. But it's never hard just focus on each team. because she's pretty there. When we see her, And, I mean, we just gotta do what we do both shoulders, we get it to her; if we don't, we kind best and just play that aggressive defense that we of get yelled at. So we just pretty much want to played tonight and just keep executing each game. give it to her. SYDNEY COLSON: That shot was going Q. This is for Tyra and Sydney that have been here since the -- all four years, so 3-27 Georgia Postgame press 2 visit our archives at asapsports.com conference quotes.doc in anyway. Q. Can you compare this team to the THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. 2008 Elite Eight team? Questions for Coach. COACH BLAIR: We're getting better and better defensively. As you can tell by our stats in Q. From the time the brackets were the NCAA Tournament, the team in '08 was a announced and all the anticipation to make it to defensive team first, a transition team, but we had the regional final, how much of a relief do you no inside game.