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UNIVERSITY OF IOWA BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

February 18, 2016

Lisa Bluder

Iowa City, Iowa

Purdue - 55, Iowa - 63

COACH BLUDER: All right. I can tell you, that was a pretty happy locker room, and we let them enjoy it because we needed that. We just needed that breath of fresh air, and the ability to get that win on our home court and now get on a little bit of a roll at the end of the year.

So it was a team that we lost to by 17 just a couple of weeks ago, and I'm proud of our four players in double figures. We had a rebounding problem at halftime. Players took care of that. We only gave up three offensive rebounds in the second half; we were giving up 13 in the first half. Just a great job. Megan, another wonderful performance from her, and obviously Tania's birthday being today, we really wanted to get this win for her, as well.

Q. The other day at the news conference, we were talking about freshmen in the conference. Can you talk about your two freshmen that were on the court in the fourth quarter and the way they performed?
COACH BLUDER: Well, Megan, 18 points, our leading scorer and 17 rebounds ties with Chase, our best rebounder tonight. Plus she shoots a great percentage, as well, 7-for-9 from the field. Tania had six assists, including that pretty nifty behind-the-back with her left hand at the end of the game. Both of them are just exceeding, obviously what you expect out of a freshman.

But they have played so much now, they are no longer freshmen. They are sophomores. They have to be. They have been counted on so many times for us all year and they are responding and they are doing exactly what you want them to do.

I'm just pleased with them and hopefully they are having fun and they are just both exceptional kids. They are eager learners. They play with great joy, both of them do, so it's fun.

Q. The behind-the-back pass, is that something you embrace?
COACH BLUDER: Not always. As long as it gets there. And it wasn't a beautiful one, it bobbled a little bit. No, I'm more, let's do it the old-fashioned way. I'm kind of an old-fashioned, fundamental, jump-stop kind of girl. But you know something, they also have to have fun and that's important.

Q. The turnovers --
COACH BLUDER: Did a much better job. Last time, I hate to say it, they shot 58 percent against us last time we played them. They put 90 on us last time. Big difference today. I thought our zone was very good. I thought we protected the paint with the zone. We didn't give them any easy ones. We outscored them in the paint with 36-22.

In addition, I thought we were really aware of where the three-point shooters were. We really talked and made them take some off-balance threes and it was good defense.

Q. Your general thoughts on kind of securing the lead -- at some points, kind of faded away.
COACH BLUDER: We just couldn't handle it. Good thing the clock ran out when it did, because that kind of was the thing. We get the lead and we kind of let it go. We had a good lead to start in the third quarter, let it go. We'd be down two to begin the fourth quarter, but we started the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run. That's good for us. We held them to six points in the fourth quarter. That's good for us. Those are things we haven't done, so it's nice to see us responding in the fourth quarter like we did tonight.

Q. On an 8-0 run, how important is that, tied at 55 --
COACH BLUDER: Four and a half minutes and they don't score another field goal.

Q. How important going into these last two games to play well down the stretch?
Q. What will that do, especially defensively --
COACH BLUDER: I think they are really focused on it. I think they really decided to rebound especially. The first half, they were getting a lot of points off offensive glass; and our turnovers, transition and our turnovers. And I think the second half, we just did a much better job of boxing them out.

Q. Can you remember a game where you guys didn't make a 3-pointer?
COACH BLUDER: No. I don't remember that. I'm going to have to have Jil look that up tonight. I'm sure she will, but I can't remember the last time we did not make a three. It's been a long time.

Q. You mentioned a couple stats from that first game with Penn State and now you get another team, disappointing loss the first time. Do you look forward to games like that, have another chance?
COACH BLUDER: Up for the three quarters at their place and then lost it in the fourth. So it's one of those situations where they were really celebrating after that game and we remember it.

Q. You got three left here, one game out of a tie for seventh now. How important would it be to get up that step in the ladder?
COACH BLUDER: Absolutely. I don't know if we can get to six. I don't know. But that would be really big, if it's possible. But one game -- we'll take one game at a time and we'll try to get that tie for seventh in our next game and go from there.

Q. You said you're really happy in the locker room. Would you care to expand on that?
COACH BLUDER: Just felt so good. We haven't heard "In Heaven There is No Beer" for a long time. We love that song. Just going in the locker room and just being able to enjoy that victory together, it's just fun.

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