April 5, 2014
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April 5, 2014 An Interview With: they take is a tough shot. We rebound the ball because obviously Chiney is an extremely good rebounder. We have to take away her strengths UCONN and their team's strength and worry about COACH GENO AURIEMMA executing on offense and defense. BRIA HARTLEY Q. For both of you, does it ever get STEFANIE DOLSON old? This is your fourth trip. Is it more anticipation, excitement, or pressure to finish THE MODERATOR: Joining us on the this off sort of the UConn way? dais from Connecticut, student-athletes Stefanie BRIA HARTLEY: I think anytime you're Dolson, Bria Hartley and head coach Geno able to compete for a National Championship or Auriemma. We'll begin with a brief statement from make it to the last four teams, it's a lot of Coach Auriemma and then we'll take questions for excitement. I think we've worked hard all year. the student-athletes. And we want to get to this moment. So I think COACH AURIEMMA: It's one of those we're all excited. We're eager to go out there and things that you try to figure out something different play. So we're going to make sure we have lots of to say every time you come up here, and it always energy and lots of intensity when we step on that comes back to the same things. court. Just two games left in the season. There's STEFANIE DOLSON: Yeah, it definitely four teams left. Trying to play on Sunday and doesn't get old. Like Coach said, we're fortunate to Tuesday and for us to be one of those four teams be able to be here four years in a row. It's is obviously the goal every year. something that we have never taken for granted. And Bria and Stefanie are fortunate And like Bria said, we're excited to be here and enough to be here four years in a row and that's excited to get out and play. The first two days of pretty special for the two of them and I want to being here is kind of all the media stuff, the fun make sure that we, as coaches and players, do stuff. everything that we can to make sure that this But we've gotta get down to business, and weekend goes the way it deserves to go for these we're just excited for the game tomorrow. two. So that's kind of my focus this weekend. THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the THE MODERATOR: Thank you. We'll student-athletes? Down here. take questions for the student-athletes, first, please. Raise your hands and state your name Q. Stefanie, everybody probably in this and affiliation and address the specific audience and basketball fans are talking about student-athlete. Anything for the student-athletes? UConn/Notre Dame battle of the blah, blah, We'll take one right here. blah. How do you tune that out when you've done so much, won by 35 points a game? Q. Stefanie, I'm curious, after watching STEFANIE DOLSON: It's pretty easy. We film, what do you think the best way to defend just don't pay attention to it. Obviously, like you Chiney (Ogwumike) on the interior? said, there's a lot of hype between the whole two STEFANIE DOLSON: I think for us, we undefeated teams going into the Final Four and don't ever look at how to defend a certain person. the National Championship game, but for us, we We're really looking at the whole team. We're don't think about that. We take it game by game. making sure we're concentrating on making We always have. It's something we emphasize everything they do difficult, making sure every shot during the season. And we go into the tournament UConn 04 05 14.doc 1 visit our archives at asapsports.com the same way. We're just looking forward to the And I think with her and Bria kind of gaining more Stanford game right now, preparing for that, and confidence, just getting better throughout this not really focusing on what's going on around us. summer. Having the two of them coming into this year just started us off better, and I don't know. Q. For both Bria and Stefanie. How Just set the tone for the year. would you say that Stanford has improved From there on out everybody got better since the last time you saw them? And how do individually. We picked each other up as the year you think your team has improved since that went on. Our chemistry grew stronger and second game of the season? stronger as we played more together. And we're at THE MODERATOR: Do you want to take the point that we are now where I think we just play it first, Bria? extremely well together. BRIA HARTLEY: I think both teams have THE MODERATOR: Time for one more improved a lot. When we played them, it was so question for the student-athletes. Back here. early in the season. So there's a bunch of things Sorry. Over here. that the team really needs to improve on. And you look at their 3-point shooters, they have really Q. Bria, I want to give you a chance to good guards. They're really good at attacking and brag on Stef a little bit here. Can you tell me, getting in the paint. I mean, you have All-American as you look at Notre Dame, what they're going post player in Chiney, and she's able to create for through right now, missing Achonwa, is it her team. They've improved in running their unfathomable to think about what it would be offense and everyone's a lot more in sync. For us, like to be here without Stefanie and what she's it's the same thing. meant to this team and this run? We've been running around offensively, BRIA HARTLEY: Absolutely. Stef does so playing together for a few months now, so much for our team. Our offense runs a lot better everything's a lot more crisp. And when we go out when she's out there on the floor for us. When there, we have to make sure it's going to be who we're in the offense and she's in the middle, she comes out there, executes each play better. And sees a lot of things. She's a great playmaker, and at this point in the season, everyone has to step I think sometimes people always pay attention to up. And this is when great players make great her posting up and her presence in the post, but plays. So it's going to be really tough competition the way she's able to pass the ball and screen out there. really creates offense for other players. STEFANIE DOLSON: She said it all. Both I mean, it's hard to find that. And I think teams have definitely gotten better. I think at the we always say how Stef's the best screener on the beginning of the season, you're finding your team. People don't always pay attention to that, identity as a team. I think both teams are at that but that's a big part of your team and that helps get point. I just think each team has had individuals a lot of your teammates open. And there's so who have just gotten better as the year's gone on. many things she does that go unnoticed. She Like Bri said, it's going to come down to knows that we notice it and we really appreciate executing offense and defense better and then just everything she's done for us. outworking the other team. Obviously it's a Final STEFANIE DOLSON: They definitely Four game. No one wants to lose. notice it. They tell me. They're great teammates. I think both teams are going to go in there THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. ready to play. We'll dismiss them back to the locker room. They'll THE MODERATOR: Question over on this be available until 3:20. Continue with questions for side. Coach Auriemma. Q. Stefanie, what was it about last Q. I think you talked during the year's run in the tournament that maybe teleconference about being able to win games springboarded this team to how good you guys in a number of different ways. Curious, where have done this year? does the team defense for this team rank in STEFANIE DOLSON: I'd say Breanna those factors? Stewart was a big part of that, obviously. She had COACH AURIEMMA: Yeah, I thought last a tough year last year, then just made an incredible run for the NCAA Tournament last year. UConn 04 05 14.doc 2 visit our archives at asapsports.com year we had one of the best defenders in the last year's team was heading into the same country in Kelly Faris, and we were able to do a lot point, the semifinal game? of things with her. We don't have anybody like that COACH AURIEMMA: I think mentally for this year. So it's had to be more of a whatever reason, we didn't have any reason to be, team-oriented thing. but we came in last year mentally in a pretty good And everyone -- everyone on our team place.