Quotes: NCAA Tournament First Round Press Conferences

2015 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round • No. 13 Albany vs. No. 4 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium • Durham, N.C.
Thursday, March 19

First Round Quotes – No .4 Duke

Duke Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie
Opening statement:
“We are just really excited to play. This team has been working hard since the ACC tournament and the loss to Notre Dame. That was a tough thing for us and we had some great lessons learned from that and we have had some time to take off and prepare. Our practices have been excellent. This group is really doing some nice things together and frankly moving the ball better and with less hesitancy in terms of passing and creating things for each other. We are just really excited to play.”

On relationship with Katie Abrahamson-Henderson:
“I just had a great privilege of hiring her at Duquesne back in the day when she was a G.A. and made her an assistant with me at Maine. She is just an incredible person and has done so well in everything that she has done. I cannot tell you any stories. That would just not be fair.”

“There is so much respect there. I don’t know if it is a help. The help is breaking down film and really understanding teams. We played Albany last year and trying to learn them better, play them a lot better than we did. We really played a very poor game last time we played them, very poor, so just in terms of us, there is just a lot of respect there, but it is about the players and we both know that so that’s what we will focus on.”

On similarities of programs:
“It is kind of funny having her in the America East. I started and loved my time in the America East. We had great success. Is she on her fourth NCAA? Fourth straight, well she needs three more to beat me. I think I had six. I would say she is doing great things all around, really good.”

On being mentally prepared going into the tournament:
“I feel kind of old in the tournament. I was talking to someone about this; this is my 19th year in the NCAA tournament, so that is a lot of years. In terms of games, I think you are very competitive at any time. Yes, there is that urgency, of course, that occurs in March, and it is fun that you have to go after that.”

On the University of Albany game last season:
“The first half was the worst 20 minutes of basketball we have ever played. I mean, that was awful, and that girl [Shereesha] Richards was superb, that was mentioned already. Just a superb player, demands the ball, gets the ball, can finish and you basically just don’t want her to touch it anywhere near the paint. We are not very proud of that. That was bad. Second half was better, but you cannot allow players to do what she did and she is tough to stop. She is only a junior, she has great experience and it is a team effort to stop her and make sure the others are kept in check, because they have some senior guards that are very nice and do a great job as well.”

Duke Forward Elizabeth Williams
On competing in her final NCAA Tournament:
“I think we are all feeling really good. Like Coach [Joanne P. McCallie] said, we had a nice break after the ACC tournament and some really strong practices, so I think we definitely learned some lessons from the ACC tournament and I think we are just really excited to get playing again.”

Containing University of Albany Forward, Shereesha Richards:
“She is a really good player. She did a really good job getting inside and being a beast rebounding. Offensively, she is very active, so I think for us it’s important for us to be active on defense and keep her off the boards.”

Duke Guard Ka'lia Johnson
Competing with Elizabeth Williams:
“Knowing E since the seventh grade, it has been good to be on her team and not playing against her. To have that presence down low and knowing that if you need a basket, she can pretty much get it for you when you need it.”

Experience going into the tournament compared to last season:
“I am excited. I think the biggest thing I have learned is that we need to play our game and our tempo, and when we really control the game and the tempo, we are pretty successful. I have practiced, of course, this whole year to be the point guard, but really just to play and do whatever the team needs me to. These fast practices have really helped us to come into this tournament, and we are pretty sharp right now.”

Duke Forward Amber Henson
Competing with Elizabeth Williams:
“It has definitely been an honor to play with such a great player and this year being able to complement her out on the court. I know she is going to do great things for us in the tournament as well as after, but right now we are just really focused on, as a team, how much we can do together in this tournament.”

Exploiting the size advantage of University of Albany:
“This whole year it has been a key for us getting the ball inside first. We are definitely going to exploit that.”

First Round Quotes – No. 13 Albany

Albany Head Coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson
On her relationship with Duke Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie:
“We are both cut from the same cloth, to be honest, and we both coach the same way. We both coach with a lot of pride and with the empowerment of women. Do I know all her secrets? No. Does she know all of my secrets? No. I know she is going to prepare for this game and she won’t overlook us. For us, that is a disadvantage. But it is an advantage for us if you flip it around because I do know a lot about her and I know a lot about the matchup, she actually taught me it. I know how to coach against it, but she has a lot of size so we need to be really smart.”

On having a group of players that have made it to the NCAA Tournament four consecutive seasons:
“They are phenomenal young women and they bought into a philosophy. They were brought up that way and that’s how their families are. They are winners and they are tough young women and they have great mindsets, it’s not about them. You can see that when Shereesha Richards answers a question, it is never about her, and as a coach I am very blessed. It starts with Sarah Royals, who wears number four. She wanted a four-peat and she was going to make it happen somehow. She has really been the catalyst these last four years.”

On previously playing in Cameron Indoor Stadium:
“The first thing Sarah [Royals] said was ‘We’ve played here before.’ and that is why they say they have no nerves because they’ve been here before. This is a great experience. Did we know this was going to happen? Absolutely not, but we have been here before and we were just here last year to play North Carolina. This area is very familiar to them and the gym is familiar to them. It’s a shooter’s gym and a great basketball gym.”

On the matchup with Duke:
“I number one think that they are not a No. 4 seed. I probably shouldn’t say that, but I think they are better than that. Their wingspan and things they can do, and Joanne [P. McCallie] has done a phenomenal job with her injuries and her limited numbers. That’s what is great about the matchup, we can put people in different spots. [McCallie] plays a 1-2-2, I call it a 3-2, and you can put people in different spots. Because they are so long and tall, their wingspan is just crazy, so you have to have unbelievable ball reversal and ball movement. You’ve got to pick your poison when you shoot the ball, and once you get open, you better shoot because their length is going to come get you. In practice, I tell the girls ‘Everybody looks like me, everyone is as tall as me,’ so we’ve had that experience. Then I look at us and what we do well. We press and we run and we are relentless and we don’t stop and have a winner’s mentality. We are going to play until the end and we are pretty feisty and fearless and we just want to go, go, go. I don’t think our girls will have nerves, I think they will be fired up and ready to go.”

Albany Guard/Forward Sarah Royals
On playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time:
“We definitely take a lot of pride in that. First of all, it is not just us, it started four years ago with the girls who were here before us and starting this winning tradition. I am just happy that we have been able to carry it on.”

On the different playing styles of Albany and Duke:
“We definitely plan to use our speed to our advantage. What we also have is that we are a very tough team and we pride ourselves on the hustle plays. Size doesn’t always matter. Coach is a big believer in always saying ‘It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the fight in the dog.’ We pride ourselves on being a hard-working team.”

On using the team’s tournament experience as an advantage:
“Everyone on our team is fearless and no matter who we play we have to focus on how we play and not what the other team does. The scheduling that we have had this year and in the past prepares us for these games. We have played Michigan State, North Carolina and Duke, and that helps us to know that if we work hard and win our tournament then we will make it to the NCAAs. We play those big games early in the season so that when we do make it to this stage we are able to perform.”

Albany Guard Margarita Rosario
On playing in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time:
“It is an experience that most people don’t get to take part in and we are very thankful for that. Like Sarah [Royals] said, this started four years ago when the seniors on that team showed us how to win and how you are supposed to play when you face an opponent. Every year we take everything that we have learned and use it to our advantage.”

On using the team’s tournament experience as an advantage:
“We like to step up to challenges and face competition on a big stage. I don’t feel like we are nervous. Yes there are butterflies but once the game starts everything is normal to us. We just try to focus on our game concepts and play basketball.”

Albany Forward Shereesha Richards
On Coach Joanne P. McCallie’s remarks on believing you can play for any team in the country:
“That definitely means a lot. For me, when I chose Albany it wasn’t because of the name of the school, it was because of Coach [Abrahamson-Henderson] and the coaching staff and my teammates. I wanted to feel comfortable and feel at home wherever I went to school.”

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2015 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round • No. 12 Tulane vs. No. 5 Mississippi State
Cameron Indoor Stadium • Durham, N.C.
Thursday, March 19

First Round Quotes – No. 5 Mississippi State

Mississippi State Head Coach Vic Schaefer
Opening statement:
“Thank you for having us. We are excited to be here. It has been a short, long, arduous, quick, lot of terms. This journey started three years ago and obviously this season has been very special for us, 26-6, been in the top 14 most of the season, finished third in arguably the toughest conference in the Southeastern Conference, navigated that conference schedule, 11-5, and obviously it’s a very special team. We are excited to be here and it is a ‘lose one and you’re done’ tournament. We have had great preparation this week, good focus and excited for our team and excited to see us play again. They have been a fun team to coach; they play extremely hard. We have hung our hat most of the year on our defense, and hopefully we will continue to play as well as we have played most of the year. We are excited to be here and look forward to the opportunity to play in the greatest event in college athletics, the NCAA tournament.”

On the familiarity of Tulane:
“I think it’s a double-edged sword. I think [Tulane head coach] Lisa [Stockton] and I would both prefer playing someone that doesn’t know us. They do a great job. Her and her staff does a tremendous job and I know my staff does a tremendous job in preparation, so we probably could have saved a lot of money and a lot of gas and just met halfway and played this game. The fact of the matter is that we are playing and we are a little bit familiar with each other. We scrimmaged them my first two years at Mississippi State. The first year, it was absolutely one of the most embarrassing days of my life in coaching. I felt so bad; I apologized to her after the scrimmage. Thank goodness the doors were closed because I don’t think we made them better. It was the first team I had and we just weren’t ready for any type of competition. They were really good. They just physically whooped us that day and, like I said, I had to apologize afterwards because I didn’t feel like we helped Tulane get better one bit that day. Last year we did it again. I think it was an eight or 10-point game. We actually played a game and scrimmaged, but still they handled us pretty well. Of course the NIT game was very competitive. It is what it is, we are going to play each other, but from our standpoint, I can’t speak for her, but you get to the NCAA tournament, sometimes it is a little bit of an advantage that you play somebody that you haven’t seen before and they haven’t seen you.”

On the strength of the SEC:
“You have Hall of Fame coaches every night. It’s what Triple-A baseball is to Major League Baseball in my opinion, the next level is the WNBA. There are so many players in this league that when they are done they are going to the WNBA. You see them every night but you have great coaches and McDonald’s All-Americans up and down everybody’s bench most night. RPI, I think it was the No. 2 league behind the Big 12. It is just a monster of a league and it is every night. Let me tell you about our league, if you don’t play well on Thursday and Sundays in our league, you aren’t going to get beat, you’re going to get embarrassed. You have to come every night. It does not matter if it is one through 14, you aren’t going to get beat, you’re going to get embarrassed. I think that is what makes our league special, a nightmare, whatever you want to call it, but you got to be on your game night-in and night-out in January and February.”

Mississippi State Center Martha Alwal
On having previously played Tulane in last year’s tournament:
“I think it gives us a little bit of an advantage just because we know what they do and we know a little bit of the plays that they do, and their guard play. It is an advantage and they’re really good. I think that playing them last year, the past couple years actually because we played them in a close scrimmage as well. I think we have a good idea of what they are about.”

On response to Victoria not being all-SEC member:
“It’s kind of crazy just because she is so talented. I think maybe they look at her because she is a freshman and she is not first-team. I don’t think that should play a part of it, but it is what it is. We’ve played several people and they just couldn’t stop her in the SEC so I don’t know why she did not get first-team.”

On producing a Mississippi State brand:
“I think this tournament is huge for us just because everyone else is going to get a glimpse of what our team is like and what we are about. I think we need to go out in this tournament and just go hard and then for the years to come, just keep coming back to the tournament. I think it is going to be a good goal for this young team.”

On playing in Cameron Indoor:
“I think it’s really cool, just driving up here I was in awe just because it is Duke. They’re a powerhouse school in both men’s and women’s basketball so it’s really neat that we are here and I’m really excited to play here.”

On playing in tournament-like games:
“We can’t take plays for advantage. Our last game in the WNIT tournament last year was against South Florida and it was only a one possession game. I think we have learned from that that we need to make a free throw or that we need a basket from right under. Every possession counts and you can’t take anything for granted. You have to play hard and get every loose ball when you are out there.”

Mississippi State Guard Dominique Dillingham
On having previously played Tulane in last year’s tournament:
“I agree with her. We know what they are about and we know who we need to stop. We know all of their sets already, we just need to defend and do what we did last year.”

On difference with Victoria Vivians:
“It’s a big difference. She gives us a big scoring option and she is just fun to play with. She gives us a spark offensively.”

On playing in Cameron Indoor:
“It’s a really amazing opportunity. This court is special. A lot of NBA and WNBA players have played in this arena and it’s just an amazing opportunity to play here and hopefully play two games.”

On guarding Victoria Vivians in practice:
“We’re usually on the same team so I don’t guard her that often. She can shoot, she can drive. So you can’t really play her for the shot and if you do, she is just going to drive. So you can’t play her one-way. It is hard to play her defensively and she has a quick release.”

On playing in tournament-like games:
“Just like Martha said we can’t take plays off. We need to go out every night and play our hardest and I just want to win so we can win for our seniors and bring them out with a bang.”

Mississippi State Forward Victoria Vivians
On playing in first NCAA tournament:
“I don’t think there is any room for any butterflies because we have to come out here and play a game and win a game and play our hardest.”

On not receiving awards:
“It motivates me to be better by coming out to practice and working my hardest. I try not to let it affect me because I don’t even worry about that. I need to be worrying about my teammates and trying to win a Final Four or everything that we can possibly win. So I try not to think about it.”

First Round Quotes – No. 12 Tulane

Tulane Head Coach Lisa Stockton
Opening statement:
“We are extremely happy to be here, and when we saw the draw and coming to Durham, I think that one of the exciting parts was to be in this area of basketball and to be in Cameron Indoor. I think our players are excited to be in the tournament and we are also excited to be in this environment of basketball. We hope to see some great games this weekend and I am just proud of this team.”

On the familiarity of Mississippi State:
“I think there is a lot of layers to it. The players don’t remember the scrimmages very well. Of course the coaches do. I love that we came out and were probably further ahead in the season than they were in those early scrimmages, and I don’t know what that means in the end, but I thought they played pretty well. Our team gained a lot of confidence from that point of the season because they are an SEC team and it was really physical and it really helped us. [Mississippi State head coach] Vic Schaefer said today that he thought he never helped us in the scrimmages, but I think that’s not true. Our players gained a lot from that and the thing that we do remember about them was losing in the WNIT to them last year. We felt that we had a really good season and then we were sent on the road for the first round of the WNIT to a place they play very well. I think that is something to remember. I hope our seniors know they ended our season last year and I think that is something they don’t want to happen again. We are different teams this year. We both have freshmen leading scoring and that makes us very different, but when you look at the past and our style of play and things like that, I definitely think that helps both of us, but it’s a new year and it’s a different venue. It’s a different place and it is a different level of intensity. That is something that we really try to talk about a lot with the team. It is a different level and I think they are excited about the challenge.”

On memories of playing against Duke:
“I did coach at Georgia Tech for four years. Those were the years we played home and home. My first years at Wake Forest, ACC wins were hard to get and we got some here. The thing with the Duke and Wake Forest rivalry back then, it kind of was a rivalry. We knew each other very well and we worked camps together, but I think it was one of those things that both of our programs grew through my career here. That was when we were all getting full scholarships and we really grew, so my memories are more of how our programs really grew through those years. My best memory of Duke, as a player, was when we knocked them out of the ACC tournament when they were highly ranked at the time and we were at Fayetteville at the time. During that time, it was great games and great matchups.”

Tulane Guard Jamie Kaplan
On making the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a senior:
“I think we’re extremely excited. This was our goal from the beginning of the season since we’ve never been here before. To be able to finally end the season like this and be in the tournament against great teams in Cameron, we couldn’t ask for a better end to our career.”

On what helped the team make it to the tournament:
“I think we’ve just worked so hard and came in with a different focus at the beginning of the season than in years past. I think we all kind of knew what we wanted from the beginning of the season and that helped us get over the hump and get to this place now.”

On scrimmages with Mississippi State:
“They were a few years ago. I think we remember that they’re obviously a great team. We’ve had some good scrimmages. Obviously, that doesn’t mean much now because tomorrow it’s a whole new game, but we’re ready for them. I think they’re obviously ready for us and it’s going to be a great game.”

On the season:
“I think defensively we really hung our hat on this season. I think our defensive stats are very good. Obviously I think balance. You never know who’s going to step it up each game so I think our scout is difficult because we can have three or four or five people step up on any given night. I think the balance of this team is great.”

Tulane Guard Danielle Blagg
On making the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a senior:
“We’ve had this goal set since we were freshman. I know as a team in general it’s been our goal since the beginning of the season so we’re extremely excited to be here.”

On what helped the team make it to the tournament:
“I think we worked from the summer until now to get in the position that we’re in right now. I think as a team we’ve really found a balance within ourselves and we have a good place right now.”

On scrimmages with Mississippi State:
“We were very good offensively and defensively, but I think what sticks in my head is that we lost to them last year. I think that we’re excited to somehow get revenge.”

On being an underdog:
“There’s a lot of motivation. It’s good to be an underdog. I think they probably have more pressure on them than we have on us. Either way, it’s going to be a good game. We’ve played them in the past. We’re excited.”

Tulane Guard Kolby Morgan
On playing in Cameron in the NCAA tournament:
“It’s a very exciting place for me. I didn’t know what to expect coming in, I was just ready to play whatever it takes. The history behind this place makes it really exciting to be here.”

Quotes: NCAA Tournament First Round Press Conferences

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