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MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 19, 2016

Suzy Merchant

East Lansing, Michigan

COACH MERCHANT: Look forward to an exciting start with Michigan State Women's Basketball. We have some quality veterans that are back and obviously a lot of new faces, so there's a lot to look forward to for us.

I think as coaches, we've been talking a lot about our team, and the one thing that keeps coming up about our team is the versatility that we have at all positions, not just one or two positions. We have posts that can really score the ball inside but also can face up. We have guards that can post and face up obviously, as well.

So this year, I think you'll see a team that can play multiple positions because they can play multiple positions.

Our schedule is exciting I think. I know we play in the ACC Challenge game. We go to Syracuse. We played for a National Championship, finished runner-up obviously, and then we have Notre Dame at home and then we go to Oregon.

We'll be challenged early in the non-conference, and obviously you all know the Big Ten is one of the best women's basketball conferences in the country. So we look forward to those challenges, as well.

So I will just keep it short and sweet and let you all ask some questions.

Q. How do you replace the points the points that Aerial scored last year?
COACH MERCHANT: First of all, you on the iPhone, taking a picture of me is like, bizarre, sorry. (Laughter) I've just known you too long for to you have that kind of technology thing going on there. If they only knew for how long we went back.

Obviously Aerial was a very dominating player here and led us in scoring last year and obviously broke the record in three seasons for scoring. So you're missing a lot and a lot of the things she could do on the offensive side of the ball, certainly.

I think, too, it's an opportunity to change a little bit about our identity. Aerial was very aggressive and attacking and pretty ball dominant, which was a positive thing for us, and we put her in a lot of isolation situations.

But I think this team, probably the unique part about this team probably is that we have, as I mentioned, the versatility piece. We pass the ball and share the ball pretty well, too.

For us, you can't make up Aerial with one person. I think collectively we're going to have to work together to sort of make up for some of her points that she scored for us in the past.

Q. This freshman class is a group that was highly rated. What kind of impact can they make for you?
COACH MERCHANT: I think the biggest thing is to me, their IQs. Not only are they good athletes and have certain skill sets but I think the next level, whenever you get to the next level, in order for you to transition into an impactful position as a freshman, you'd better be able to think the game and your actions better be able to make up with that, you know what I mean, just go along with that.

A lot of times, it's like these kids slow down a little bit and they see the game a little bit differently. These kids really understand. They have great IQ's, high IQ's for the game, I think you can see that in practice.

We had the European trip which gave me an opportunity with ten practices to see how quickly they could pick things up from a defensive and offensive scheme. I really look at it where not only are they talented players and have some athleticism and give us some depth in some positions, but I think they will transition extremely well because of the fact they can think the game and pick things up so quickly.

Q. I want to talk about graduate transfer, Taya Reimer. Coming from Notre Dame, being a graduate student, what kind of championship does she bring to your team and how is that going to help you throughout the season?
COACH MERCHANT: You know, the great thing about Taya; there's a lot of things obviously. But probably the one thing you always think about with her is she's been a winner everywhere she's been. She's a McDonald's All-American. She knows how to compete at a high level. As you mentioned, Notre Dame's success and she was a big part of that.

For us to have her and add her into the mix, when we lost Aerial, Taya had a lot of, to me, game experience and confidence and had a standard of excellence about her that she wanted to play at. I think Taya brings that same thing to our team, and really at a great time as Aerial has left and moved on to the WNBA.

I think Taya has added a lot to our team from kind of the neck up, the mental approach. Sometimes that's harder than the physical approach sometimes. She has a great voice on our team. She's picked things up extremely quickly and I would say she's a championship-mentality-type player.

Q. What else are you expecting from Tori and Branndais this year, how they have expanded their games?
COACH MERCHANT: Yeah, I think Tori and Branndais both, I think it's their time now, you know. I think that they have had some success here that maybe hasn't gone as noticed as it should.

I think Tori is as tough as anybody in the league. And I say that not only from a skill set standpoint, but I think she's one of the toughest players I've ever coached neck up. She's extremely driven. She's competitive. She's relentless in her approach to be the best she can be. And she's spent a lot of time this off-season really working on her game. She kind of had some ups and downs last year and I think she was frustrated with herself, and she's really reclaimed what's hers, which is the ability to be in charge of her own confidence, and it's been refreshing to watch that.

I think Branndais is an underrated player, too. I think she was an honorable mention All-Big Ten last year, and kind of the kid that would probably go third in line, Aerial and then Tori and then Branndais. A lot of times, we won a lot of our games because Branndais was very consistent for us. She really just took what the defense gave her. She's an athletic kid that can shoot the three and pull up and get to the rim.

Those two kids, when you have veterans that have come back, I mean, Tori is basically a four-year starter; and now you're looking at Branndais who is a three-year starter, I think there's some really quality experience there and they understand what it takes to win championships.

Q. You had a couple players last year who did not play, one of injury and one because of eligibility. Talk about what dynamic both Gaines and Dambo will bring to you this year.
COACH MERCHANT: Well, I'm excited about Coco for sure. She's a pick-and-pop, face-up four man. She has a beautiful shot and that was probably the big thing, because she came off a couple ACLs in high school. We gave her last year to sort of rehab and get a little bit stronger and really just get adjusted to the game at our level. So I'm looking forward to really watching her.

When you can sit as a freshman and evaluate and see the intensity the commitment, and maybe translate that to your game and how you can help our team, we really didn't have that last year. We didn't have a pick-and-pop face-up four man, unless we moved Aerial there.

So for her, I know I've been doing that and I know our coaching staff has really been committed to working on that ability to extend the game for her. She can really get to the rim at times, as well, and she can play downhill and she can shoot the three. She's probably one of the two that you've mentioned that has shown the most improvement in the off-season.

Nathy is still learning to play at a high level, the pace of the game, the intensity of the game. She's got to kind of come around a little bit with that but we've seen some good signs from her. But she's a big, thick, power five-man that can go in there and bang a little bit, and that's never a bad thing to have on your team in terms of depth.

Q. Because you have the potential of having I think maybe three point guards, if I'm reading that right, does Tori get to be more of a two this year, or are you still going to have her in that point guard/shooting guard role?
COACH MERCHANT: I think for sure our intent is to play Tori at the two as much as possible because that's what she is naturally. I think she's better when we can set her up than having to create for herself.

At the same time, I do like her at the one because there's different things we can do within our offense with her at the point and adjust some things. She loves to post up a little bit and we like to do that at times. And the other point guard, probably isn't their calling. I'm not going to post-up Taryn McCutcheon; she's like 5-5. But I think she does get some reps at the PG position just because I never really want to completely throw that out the window.

We do have some depth at the point guard, and Shay Colley has come in, a transfer from South Carolina, that plays the point. And we're hopeful that maybe there's a chance, an outside chance, we could get her at the break. Probably not, but there is a chance, and so you know, that's not an outside the possibility but we have to wait to hear what the NCAA says. We are sort of going forward with the thought that that probably won't happen. But she also in the following year will add some depth to that position, as well.

Q. I could ask you, it is the same question, but you don't stress defense, you demand it; you don't play, you don't play. Does that ever come as a sacrifice on offense?
COACH MERCHANT: Oh, for sure. I think they are always way further ahead offensively to me. Their guys, probably what they do better than we do, I think it's that way in general if I'm going to stereotype it.

I think our guys can guard the ball better athletically if you have matchups, for us, it takes time for our kids to understand how important it is to be able to guard one-on-one. Doesn't matter if you're a zone team or a man team, if you can't guard the ball and help rotations, they are going to break down and you're going to give up points.

Our freshmen, the nice thing I think is that we have those ten practice opportunities, and they kept hearing about that; that you have to be able to D-up or you're not going to play here at Michigan State and you've got to be able to rebound. And those two things I think have been staples on both sides for the men and the women.

But does it come at a cost? Sometimes. But for us, I think, though, because we have those European opportunities, our offense is probably a little bit further ahead than it's been in the past.

Q. Does it ever come at a sacrifice (off-mic) --
COACH MERCHANT: -- you recruit offense, teach defense, or demand it. But our kids are really picking it up.

Like I said, we're versatile. I think we'll be versatile at that end, too. I like what I see at both ends of the floor. I think offensively, the thing that's different about our team that maybe makes us look a little bit better than we have in the past, it that, as I mentioned with the versatility piece, this team can pass the ball.

And we've had kids, like Hines was a great player but Jasmine Hines could not make a high-low pass. It just wasn't her thing. She was the low block kid. Now, did she get better at some things? For sure, out of double teams. But for the most part, I mean, Jenna is probably one of the best passers that we have on our team, probably better than our point guard.

Taya is a great passer, as that other kind of power forward. When you have bigs that can pass, you can do a lot more offensively. So we are excited about what those two bring, as well as our other posts, Hana and Coco and those guys can pass it.

Q. Because of what it looks like on paper, is there potential for this team to actually be better than it was last year, even without Aerial? And then maybe could you name a couple players who need to take their games up a notch this season?
COACH MERCHANT: Sure. I'm always going to say that, yeah. I think every team that I coach is going to be better than the last one.

Obviously it's a tall order, losing Aerial, but like I said, I think we make up for it in certain areas: Ability to pass the ball. I think there will be a little, you know, to me maybe more kids in double figures, maybe not as high double figures. And every time I've looked back and people have won championships, that's usually what you see, even on our side. We had five kids in double figures in 2014 when we won the league, so you know, when you have that, I think that's a positive and I think we have the ability to do that.

You know, I don't know, the next part of your question is kind of tricky, but I think for sure Jenna Allen has got to continue to be a dominant force in there. You saw her at the end of the season really elevate her game. She's worked extremely hard in the off-season and I think she's got to touch the ball, she's got to have shot opportunities. We've got to get the ball inside to her. I think her and Taya both have to really be pretty consistent for us.

Branndais and Tori, too, those are some vets right there that have played a lot of minutes. I think as your senior goes, so does your team.

Probably the kid that you guys don't ask me a lot about, didn't really play a lot, but I think has had tremendous progress in the off-season is Hana. She's a freshman last year from the Czech Republic. She's 6-5 and real versatile, and she's really spent a lot of time in the off-season working on her game.

I've seen probably the biggest improvement, as all of us as coaches have, and probably in her the most. Is she going to be the best player on our team? No. But I'm excited about watching her develop and what she's done in the off-season translate on to the basketball court.

Q. Year ten for you in this program, can you believe it's been a decade already?
COACH MERCHANT: Lord, no. Goes by fast, right.

Q. How does this program now compare to the vision you had when you first walked into the head coach's office?
COACH MERCHANT: I still pinch myself when I walk in there. I walk in my office and I can't believe that one's mine, you know. It's like I still feel like it's sort of a dream come true.

But we've got to just keep pushing forward. We won a couple Big Ten championships but now it's more about getting to that next level and having a chance. We want to make a run at a Final Four and a National Championship. That hasn't been done yet, and that's something that we want to do. I thought maybe last year's team had the meat to do that, but just didn't work out for us there.

Sometimes it's timing. Sometimes it's a little bit of luck along the way, too. But I do think that that's what we strive for. That's what we're here to do. Listening to Izzo was saying, that's why he took off his Hall of Fame jacket and put his regular coat on and his whistle, and just keep grinding and keep working, but that's a vision that we have here.

Q. Could we talk about your Midnight Madness?
COACH MERCHANT: No. That's never up for discussion. Midnight Madness, no. When it's over, that's like the best moment ever. Like seriously, just the most relief. It's not the most natural thing for me or maybe -- no, I don't think so. I think once you've done Beyonce, there's nothing else that will ever compare. Everything else is a complete disappointment.

I don't know what they will come up with next. But I'll do my best. That's all I know. And be glad when those two minutes are over.

Q. What about the outfit?
COACH MERCHANT: It was just Janet Jackson, a baseball hat and a leather jacket.

I would like to you talk about my kid -- did you notice like the dab or how long we practiced? Getting a five-year-old to actually know what to do was -- you know that, was a challenge. That took a lot of work, that's for sure. Good coaching and a trip to Toys "R" Us, which we've already had, which we've already done, and proper benefits. Hey, I broke the parenting laws, right.

All right, appreciate you guys being here.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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