(Free throws) is where our youth is showing. It's stepping up and understanding that these are free points. We work on them on practice. Kids typically are confident. |
(UCLA) worked on all cylinders today. They're senior-heavy, they're focused and we didn't grind it out in the defensive end. |
A lot of people have said, 'You're laying a great foundation,' but why shouldn't we be working toward this now? I want the kids believing that we don't have to wait until next year. |
A lot of people have talked about our youth, but they've worked through the chemistry issues. They're young, except for Renee, so our chemistry has had to develop all year long. I feel like we're maybe peaking at the right time. |
A lot of people were telling us to not expect too much. We've been blessed to be able to get that spot. |
For the next three years, those freshmen are going to remember that last half-hour (of the selection show) and remember what it's like and what it means and start owning their team and buying into what we're telling them. |
For the program, for the school, it's our biggest win. It's going to wake some people up. |
I don't know why this team wants to face challenges when they don't have to, but time and time again we do it. |
I don't think it's necessarily game prep as it is the outside and this stuff that they haven't experienced. You have to let them experience it because that's part of the process. |
I feel like every game is something different. Obviously turnovers are killing us. We are trying to find our consistency. Maybe it's the back-to-back games, maybe early-on we were fresher. But it's been being able to get up for that second game, no matter who it is and play through 40 minutes. That's where we're losing them a little bit. |
I just want them to realize that half the people in the country aren't playing for anything and we have an opportunity to play for something. This is a great chance and I know my kids will get up for it. We'll be there. Where the game will go, who knows? But we will be there. |
I knew from the get-go that they feed off of transition. Some of their points came from forced turnovers, but a lot of them came on unforced turnovers. |
I knew they were going to do it. That's the most focused team to walk into this gym. |
I know what the committee looks for and I thought we had good top-50 wins, they look for that. I think those wins were huge with the committee. |
I think how those kids have reacted to that is the best lesson. It's tournament time and they've got to step it up. When the ball is in the air, they've got to bring everything they can bring and they can't wait five minutes to settle in. I think us going through it, seeing it and understanding it is very valuable. |