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BIG 12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 4, 2017

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

K-State - 74

Iowa State - 67

THE MODERATOR: We're now joined by Iowa State and with Coach Bill Fennelly, his two student-athletes, Emily Durr and Seanna Johnson. Coach?

BILL FENNELLY: First of all, on behalf of everyone at Iowa State I want to thank Oklahoma City and the Big 12. It's an amazing event. Honored to be a part of it. The class and the hospitality is incredible. It's an honor to be here. As far as the game, I want to congratulate Kansas State. I thought they played great. It's a very good team, very well-coached team, very deep team and what bit us is the same thing that's bit us in the past. Couldn't get a defensive rebound when we needed it, and obviously we missed a lot of shots. That's to their credit. They're a great team, and we wish them the best.

Q. Coach, you should know that Coach Jeff Mittie unsolicited gave you quite an endorsement for the NCAA Tournament. As you stand right now, what do you think are your chances?
BILL FENNELLY: I wish Coach Mittie was on the committee. I would think our chances are good. I'm not one that politics a lot for that stuff. Our kids have played really hard. We've played well down the stretch. We're 9-9 in a great league. We've had some huge wins, obviously the win at Texas late. No really bad losses. I think if you compare us to other teams, I think we've earned that but, again, that's a choice someone else will make.

We'll be a long week waiting, but I hope this team gets that opportunity because I do think they've earned it. I really do.

Q. Coach, from your perspective what changed after the first quarter?
BILL FENNELLY: Well, I think the first quarter we were pretty efficient offensively. We made some shots. We were 7-34 at halftime, and I think they did a great job off the bench.

I think Kayla really hit some big shots. I thought we guarded the other ones really well. I thought we had a good plan. You look at the numbers, I thought we were good well and Eternati Willock made some big plays. But I think we're down 12 and we tie the game. But that's the way these games go. You're in a 4-5 game in a great conference tournament, it only takes a couple of plays. We had about a 3-minute stretch there where we could not get a defensive rebound and couldn't make a shot and good teams make you pay for that, and they're a very good team.

Q. How were they able to keep Bridget from scoring today?
BILL FENNELLY: They guarded her really hard and she was 2 for 11. You have those nights. Similar game plan. They denied her the ball and did a good job of preventing her from scoring. But, you know, she got 11 shots off. It just wasn't her night. She is a great player and a great kid and that's the nature of basketball. We wouldn't be where we are without her, but today just wasn't a good day for her.

Q. Coach, can you talk about the great run your team had to end the regular season?
BILL FENNELLY: Very proud certainly -- I'm sorry, I'm looking into lights, I don't mean to be rude. Sorry. I couldn't be more proud. I've had the honor to coach at Iowa State, a long time, 22 years and I don't know that I've had a team -- we've had a team that has been that engaged over -- we won five games in thirteen days. We won 6 out of 7. Four of those games that we played were on the road. Amazing, amazing perseverance by them and I will say this, and I've said it many times: I have a great coaching staff and I don't think my assistants could have done a better job.

Between the effort of the players and the effort of our staff, we're sitting here today even discussing NCAA Tournament win. February 1st we were just trying to get this thing over with, so could not be more proud of them and they've done a lot of things. Iowa State is a special place with a special program, a special tradition and this team wrote a special story in my opinion.

Q. Neither team shot well today. How tough is it to game plan and counter their game plan when you've seen the team two times already?
BILL FENNELLY: It's hard, but you see what happens in -- number one, you can control yourself. That's what we talked about with our team; and number two, it's not a surprise that someone like Kayla Goth comes off the bench and gets 25 points. We got killed off the bench. This game for us is about making shots, because we're be the going to turn you over and we are not going to overpower you with our size. You've got to make the hard plays, get a defensive rebound, you gotta make a key shot. And I thought our kids completed as good as they could, but today K-State was just a better team. That's to their credit.

THE MODERATOR: Okay, Coach, good luck. We hope you make the NCAAs.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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