Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Championship Thursday March 7, 2019 Sharon Versyp your plan of attack against Rutgers for tomorrow? SHARON VERSYP: You know, they press you the Dominique Oden whole time, so you've got to be able to handle the press and get it over half court. That's the big thing. Ae'Rianna Harris You know, and then we haven't put our game plan Purdue Boilermakers together, but you've got to be able to do a good job on the boards. But you've got to be able to score the ball. They are one of the top defensive teams in the league. Purdue - 75, Nebraska - 71 People struggle scoring the basketball. So we've got to be able to break their press. We've got to be able to Q. Where have you found this offense the last two defend and and then do what we've been nights? doing. SHARON VERSYP: They're just coming together. They're just playing well together, confident, stepping Q. The job that Tamara and Ae'Rianna did on the up, just a new season, so everybody is just real boards tonight, especially on the offensive boards, excited. When a couple balls go through the basket, they just build confidence. You saw it in games today maybe extending a couple possessions for you -- when people shoot 1 for 16 to start games off, it's SHARON VERSYP: No, I mean, it was huge. When pretty tough, so we've been fortunate that the ball has we've been able to rebound like this, especially with been able to get in. those two, it's been big. You know, we were able to get more put-backs, different possessions, kick out for a three, move the defense quite a bit. So those are the Q. How much has your offense been sparked by things that we just talked about is we looked at their what you're doing on the defensive end? stats sheet, and there's -- that was their weakness, so SHARON VERSYP: Yeah, yesterday and today it was we really talked about that, hit the offensive boards big being able to get some transition buckets because quite a bit. So it was good that we were able to just that just builds your confidence, being able to get some keep going after it, just keep going and being as lay-ups has been big. We weren't able to do that for intense as we can on the boards, so they kind of had to about a four-week stretch, so being able to cause be back on their heels. some issues in a lot of different areas, it's been really good, and obviously it just builds your confidence and Q. What's this quick turnaround like for you, builds your leads. conference tournament season, you're playing less Q. How important was it for you to get out in than 24 hours later? You're coming off a big win transition and play with Kate Cain, a big girl in the and now you play tomorrow. SHARON VERSYP: Yeah, well, that's why we go to -- middle? You were able to send her to the bench for we take trips during Thanksgiving, went to the Virgin quite a few minutes there in the first half. Islands, played three games back to back to prepare SHARON VERSYP: Yeah, I mean, transition is big for ourselves for tournament play. We know how to us. Obviously if there's a bigger player and we have prepare. The biggest thing just getting them rest, Ae'Rianna running the floor and Tam -- well, we played getting legs, feeling their bodies again. Everything is them the second time, our transition offenses really did mental right now, to be able to do what we need to do a great job, so we really talked about if we rebound the and be able to play tomorrow night with a lot of energy. ball, don't let them make a lot of shots, we'll be able to get up-and-down, and that really happened those first Q. Oden really showed her leadership in those probably three quarters, we really did a good job doing that. transition moments, moving the ball down, calling out spots for players. Does that almost out-shine Q. You're facing off against Rutgers tomorrow. It's her offensive performance tonight? a much different Rutgers team than you played SHARON VERSYP: I just think both go hand in hand because we haven't been doing that, so you can see before, no Ciani Cryor, no Caitlin Jenkins. What's when we have great communication (inaudible) and

Rev #2 by #400 at 2019-03-08 04:38:00 GMT page 1 of 3 we're directing and have that type of leadership, we're last two days? really good. She at one point even pulled Ree over DOMINIQUE ODEN: Defense. Definitely from our and said, hey, we need to do this, we've got to finish defense. The energy before the game has been this, you're fine, so it was great to see that they're tangible, and it's really helped us start off strong on starting to really blossom and do the things that we defense, which has led to our offense. need. Q. It must feel good to finally see some shots go Q. Is this coming at almost the perfect time, those down after the last month or so. two -- the veterans on the team stepping up and DOMINIQUE ODEN: It definitely does. It's great to get leading the team in this tournament? a win after the last month or so. It's a great feeling, SHARON VERSYP: Yeah, I mean, that's what veterans and we plan to have many more this weekend. need to do. You saw today Wisconsin, they had two seniors that totally scored three quarters of their points. Q. They had cut it to six in the third, and the more We don't have any seniors, so Ae'Rianna and Nique active you got on defense on that stretch to at least have played in this environment. Their freshman year pull away a little bit -- they played in the tournament all the way to the DOMINIQUE ODEN: We definitely went into a timeout, championship game. So they're the only ones that we're like, y'all, we have to pull this together, we can't have that experience. So really proud of them. They're let this get away from us like we did at Nebraska. We being vocal, and then both vocal and performing. have to bring more energy. We know we can do this. We did it the first three quarters. Let's pull it together. Q. KT (Kayana Traylor) went 5 for 7 from the floor tonight on a night where Karissa didn't do as well Q. Just overall tonight, how are you looking to as she normally does. How does that help your build off this win coming in beating Illinois and depth going into the rest of the tournament? then -- SHARON VERSYP: Well, KT has got to be aggressive, DOMINIQUE ODEN: Keep the same energy, keep the and I think she's been able to do that over the last two same defensive intensity and just keep building on the weeks, shooting the ball well, looking for pull-up jump hype and how happy we are right now. shots. Karissa just has a lot of mileage on her legs, and people are chasing her all over the place. KT is Q. You guys played historically well in the Big Ten going to have open looks, so it's great that she's able to Tournament. Is there just a different mindset knock them down. Whilby coming in has just played coming into this, maybe being in Indy? What kind two phenomenal games. We need that depth. We'll of factors into that success in the tournament? need Nyahoa tomorrow, we'll need Fatou. We'll need DOMINIQUE ODEN: It's definitely historical our entire bench to be able to just rotate people in. background. We were shown the situation a couple years ago when a team just like us in just the same Q. Looking at tomorrow, Rutgers is led by Stasha situation had to win Big Ten Tournament, and of course Carey, second team all Big Ten. What do you see we want to get there. We feel like we could have did in her? more during the season, and right now tournament SHARON VERSYP: You know, she's a tough one. You time is the time to prove it. know, she's kind of the -- helps leading that team with their coach not being around, taking a leave. She's a Q. Just with Rutgers now, what kind of challenge is senior. She's going to step up. She needs to lead that that defensively for you? You've played them once, team, and she's tough on the boards. She scores well but traditionally they're known as a very strong down low. She shoots the three. So she kind of has defensive team. How important is it going to be to every facet of her game, all skill sets. Again, we've got run those sets and get those easy baskets against to do well on the boards like we have the last two days. them? DOMINIQUE ODEN: Just because they're such a good Q. Just for all the lower seeds to win today, what's defensive team, I think it's important to keep up our that say about the league and kind of where things transition, so playing defensively well ourselves so we are at right now? can get transition buckets, making sure we execute to SHARON VERSYP: You know, that's all we talk about the tee when we do get into half-court sets and making is how the league is top to bottom, and I mean, this is sure we don't make lazy passes, because like you said, history today, and NCAA still won't give us seven or they're really good at defense, so they're going to be eight teams, so until that happens, I'm not sure it really jumping passes, they're going to be aggressive, so we matters. have to be aggressive just as much as they are.

Q. Where have you guys found your offense the Q. So what's gotten into Whilby the last two days?

Rev #2 by #400 at 2019-03-08 04:38:00 GMT page 2 of 3 DOMINIQUE ODEN: I don't know, maybe it's what she your hometown. What's next for you? ate, maybe it's the court, maybe it's because it's March, AE'RIANNA HARRIS: Beating it. Yeah, if I would have and it's a great time of the year. known in the moment, I would have looked at her like I did when I beat it each year because she's at the top, Q. You guys have struggled offensively the last and I told her when I got here, she told me she wanted month; where is the spark coming from? Where is me to break all her records, so that's what I'm trying to the production coming from these last two days? do. AE'RIANNA HARRIS: Definitely playing together and actually executing all of our plays. A lot of the times we Q. So far a pretty special year individually for you get into something and we'd run the first two parts of it with a thousand points and now tying the and then give up on it, and it became a one-on-one record. What would push this season forward for game, so playing together and finishing our plays. you? AE'RIANNA HARRIS: I still have to break the junior Q. Do you feel like you're being better on the season block record. So right now I don't know how defensive end which has ignited maybe some run- many I had tonight -- three. I add that up, I'm at 101. I outs? still need eight more to beat her junior record. So if I AE'RIANNA HARRIS: Most definitely, and I think that's can get that throughout this tournament, then I'll be set. what's getting us transition points, easy lay-ups versus running through plays and maybe getting a three, Q. To do that, you have to play more games. maybe getting a lay-up type deal. So definitely our AE'RIANNA HARRIS: Yes, sir. defense, getting lots of steals and stuff and transitioning that into offense. Q. What challenge is Rutgers going to present from a defensive standpoint for you guys tomorrow? Q. It seemed tonight you were able to kind of get AE'RIANNA HARRIS: I mean, they have height, but adjusted as the game was going on. You started to Nebraska has height, too, so it's kind of just adjusting get on the glass more but you were active. What to their style of play and then playing how we've been led to that, and what made you want to get in there playing. and -- AE'RIANNA HARRIS: It was just a personal thing. I just had to get myself going. The team got me going. We knew I came out slow, and I had to do everything I needed to do to help my team to make sure we were successful, so it was kind of just to make that switch. It was a mental thing.

Q. Why were you and Tam so active on the boards? AE'RIANNA HARRIS: I have no idea. I think a lot of it was they were trying to box us out, and they would go one way and we would just go around them. They made it pretty easy at some point, but I think it's just actively going for the boards is what makes it easier to get more of them.

Q. Everyone teamed up for something. Oden and McLaughlin had eight assists combined. You and Tam had 29 rebounds combined, Kayana was 5 for 7 from the floor. How is this team kind of finding its identity together in the tournament where they're so historically good? AE'RIANNA HARRIS: I don't know what the tournament does to this Purdue team, but I mean, I love it. I mean, like I mentioned before, it's like some type of magic that just gets us going and take us out of everything that we were not doing correct before, and we just kind of gel, and it works out for us in the end.

Q. You tied the all-time blocks record tonight in

Rev #2 by #400 at 2019-03-08 04:38:00 GMT page 3 of 3 Women's Basketball Championship Thursday March 7, 2019 Amy Williams hitting a step-back three and that kind of fired up Nebraska Cornhuskers your team a little bit at that point. Talk about the way your shooting played a role in the fourth Purdue - 75, Nebraska - 71 quarter but also the levels at which you scored. AMY WILLIAMS: Yeah, there's no question that Sam Q. Coach, obviously a disappointing loss. gave us a spark there in the fourth quarter, and I think Offensive rebounding for Purdue played a huge just showed a lot of maturity and growing up out of a role. Talk about their work on the glass. freshman who started the game 0 for 6 in the first half AMY WILLIAMS: Yeah, I thought they did a fantastic and then a lot of players would really kind of pull back job. A couple times we had some defensive into their shell and kind of hide after that. But I thought breakdowns that forced us to rotate out of position and Sam did a fantastic job of staying aggressive, and she then they really capitalized by crashing the boards gave us that spark. And then we knew that in that hard. But they came into this tournament with a fourth quarter we could take advantage because of our mindset of rebounding. We knew that when we depth and our ability to push pace, and I thought we watched their game yesterday against Illinois, and they found Taylor Kissinger open in transition for a few came away with 18 offensive rebounds. We knew if threes there. It really sparked that comeback and put you want to win, you have to rebound, and we did not us in a position where we drew back to a one-point do that today, give up 19 offensive rebounds, and they game. We get to a one-point game right there, we give really made us pay. up an offensive rebound, and you just have to have that board. Q. The first couple minutes of the first quarter, first minute of the second quarter, 15-0 run for Purdue, Q. Looking at your season as a whole now just for and if you condense it even more, there's a minute a second, you go through the season, and you go 4 and 33 seconds in there where they hit four and 10 in two-possession games. You take that consecutive three-pointers and the score flips from and you take the youth on your roster, what does you being up 4 to being down 11 totally changed this experience do to help your team moving the game for you. Talk about what that stretch forward next season, or what do you hope it does? meant to your team and how you were able to fight AMY WILLIAMS: Yeah, this is a tough question right your way out of it later. now. I think we're all just still kind of feeling the pain of AMY WILLIAMS: Yeah, I mean, I think that is just a this one. We had just a very special senior on our devastating stretch. You feel like and you know coming team that everybody in this program wanted to scratch into tournament games that there are going to be runs, and claw and give everything they could to extend but you can't give up runs where you're giving wide- Maddie's season as long as we possibly could. She's open three-point looks to their three-point shooters, meant a lot to our program. And so thinking about and I thought they did a great job of getting out and what this is going to mean for the future, we're going to pushing in transition to get some of those looks and take some time to really think about that, to walk away just had a few defensive breakdowns to give them and step away and be able to process, but for right now some of those open looks, and that can flip the game. we're just going to be grateful to this particular team I thought we scratched, we clawed, we fought, we dug and all that Maddie poured into this and just take us a ourselves out of that 14-point deficit. But you can't dig little time to get over it. those kind of holes and expect that you're going to come out on top.

Q. Fourth quarter, the end of the fourth quarter down by 13 points. You'd been down by as much as 14 in the second half, and then you get hot, knock down some threes, but it really started with Sam early in that third quarter, one, going to the rim, two, knocking down a mid-range shot, then

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