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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

February 28, 2018

Greensboro, North Carolina

UNC 69, Boston College 64

MIKE FINN: Start with an opening statement from Coach Hatchell and then go to questions for everyone. 6 course, to my left is Sylvia Hatchell, Paris Kea and Janelle Bailey.

SYLVIA HATCHELL: First of all, thanks for being here, and first thing I want to do is congratulate these two young ladies because Paris made First Team All ACC, I think she was the third or fourth leading scorer in the league, and then Janelle, of course, today was named Rookie of the Year.

And then today, you can see why they were double and triple-teaming Janelle inside and at halftime, I don't think she even had a point. In the second half, we were running something where she pulled out and got the ball in the high post area, and you know, that's an area of her game that she doesn't show that much but she has really been working on and faced up and made several baskets in the mid-range, high post and mid-range area, so she's just getting better and better and is becoming a versatile player. So you saw more of her face game there in the second half.

You know, Paris, again, made some big clutch shots for us. You know, a couple of those other kids that -- in the really difficult time, I thought Jaelynn Murray made a couple big baskets for us when we needed it and got some rebounds, and Taylor, same thing. She made a couple big baskets when we needed them. So they all just chipped in and played a good team game in the second half.

But again, you know, these two are very special, and I'm glad that they are going to be back for a while. I mean, like next year and Paris is only a junior right now. Of course, this is her hometown area. She claims Greensboro, so I hope y'all claim her. It was a great team effort today.

Boston College is a really good team. They shoot the 3-ball so well. You've just got to be all over every one of them because she can shoot the ball so well. But it was a hard-fought game, and we're looking forward to playing N.C. State tomorrow.

Q. Coach, it seemed like you guys were in control your own offense and defensive playing from beginning to end. BC never really got on a run. I think there was one point they did. How were you able to stop BC from getting on that run and really execute your game plan pretty much for 40 minutes or so?
SYLVIA HATCHELL: The first quarter, I thought we played really well, and then the second quarter, they made some threes. I was trying to give some of them some rest and I substituted a little bit, and we gave them some open threes. And they are a team, they can't have any daylight, you know; and then just like the play they ran right there at halftime, they just executed to perfection, and we didn't communicate on defense and they got a really good look and an open shot.

So we talked about two things at halftime, about communicating on defense, and about rebounding, because we weren't rebounding like we needed to, and we got better in the second half there because we did out-rebound them. And then we also talked about how they were trying to triple team Janelle inside, and so we were trying to do a few things to mix it up a little bit more. And Herbeck (ph) coming out and facing up, that was one of the big factors of the game.

Q. Paris, you came out really firing in the first half. What was your mindset?
PARIS KEA: I feel like I've been waiting for this moment all my life. Last year, I was very upset that we didn't get to play the ACC Tournament here. This is my first time ever playing in the big arena, and I don't know, I feel great. Scoring 28, first time playing here, dream come true.

Q. Janelle, this is your first time on the big stage. As a freshman, how are you able to maintain composure with a very physical game?
JANELLE BAILEY: I think just staying the course. I don't really let much get to me. I know it's a game of runs and in the first half, I couldn't get a shot to go, I think like Coach said, I didn't have any points at halftime. My first shot coming out at halftime rolled around the rim and the next one I hit.

So I think once I saw that roll around the rim, I knew that I was going to get going. First half, I think I was rushing my shots a little bit. Usually those shots I hit. But I think of just taking it all in and enjoying it, enjoying the moment, trying to stay in the moment. Olivia Smith on the bench was telling me to stay in the moment every time-out, and I think that helped a lot and that helped us win the game I think.

Q. Any anxious moments the last minute of the first half when you mixed up with Pineau in that scrum after the rebound?
JANELLE BAILEY: No. That was just basketball to me. I mean, it happens. I'm a physical player. I think everybody in the ACC knows that. They are going to do anything they can to shop me, whether it's double-teaming, triple-teaming, what they were doing, but it's just basketball. Something I've been used to for a while now and I think once I settle in and the second half came, and my shots started falling, I think I was good.

Q. Really quick turnaround. You play State tomorrow and you had trouble scoring points against them in the first two meetings, what do you have to do tomorrow to get out of the 50s and be competitive in that game?
SYLVIA HATCHELL: Make our shots. Pretty simple. Got to make our shots. We'll run a lot of different things, and are but yeah, I which I we got some good looks and just probably compete a little harder than we did the last couple times we played them.

I mean, you know, even here lately, we didn't beat Syracuse or Louisville, but we played pretty good, really, against some of the better teams and had chances to win those games. So we've gotten better, and the kids have gained a lot of confidence.

But if we can get the shots to fall, then, you know, hopefully we can give them a better game than we did the first two times.

Q. Could you talk about Paris's value, especially with the injuries you've had this year?
SYLVIA HATCHELL: Well, we probably don't have enough time for me to talk about all that. First of all, she's a great kid, and she loves Greensboro. She loves she loved going to high school here, and she's such a versatile player. We can post her up. She shoots threes. She's just a really versatile player, and she's just a great teammate.

You know, she doesn't want the focus or attention on her but she wants to win. There's lots of times I get on her about not taking her shots and things like that because she's trying to get everybody involved.

But it's tournament time now, so she knows that she's got to elevate and do what she can do and not be so concerned about getting everybody else shots and things like that. But she's so talented and like I said, so versatile and is a great teammate.

You know, the way we grade the film, we grade passes to the post, we grade deflections, dives on the floor. We grade a lot of things that other teams don't. But Paris consistently has usually the most passes to the post.

You think, well, she's shooting the ball a lot. Well, she might be but she also leads the team in getting the ball to other people and everything. That's just again, the skill level that she has. There's times I get upset with her defense, but sometimes, you know, Jamie and Paris and Taylor, I think they lead the NCAA in minutes played this year, all three, of all the players playing at all the schools in America, those three lead in minutes played.

Hopefully by now, they are in pretty good shape and everything, but again, you know, Paris, it's a joy to have a player like her but also just the person that she is and what a great kid and a great teammate.

Q. Janelle, this is your first time playing in the ACC Tournament, so what does it mean for you to be named ACC freshman of the year?
JANELLE BAILEY: I think it means a lot. I'm not going to lie; I know I got rookie league (ph) a lot this year, but to me, it's not something -- I mean, I expect it, I work hard and I try to watch myself over and over again in the games we play in the ACC and just try to find ways I can get better.

Over the season I think I've developed more, being able to step out and shoot, and knowing that I'm going to get doubled and tripled, so I have to find a way and know my value to the team is important and find a way to score, other ways, rebounding, things like that.

But it's surreal to me. I mean, I've seen other players get it and when I found out -- I was on the bus actually when I found out and I didn't even know. My teammate told me.

Just find out the way I did and things like that, it's crazy to think about, but I'm proud of myself and I couldn't have done it without my teammates, coaches, Paris passed me the ball a lot, but yeah.

PARIS KEA: I got you.

Q. What do you have to do differently or more are?
PARIS KEA: I guess I'll start off by saying happy birthday to Coach Hatchell.

I guess better leadership. We had trouble, I think our biggest -- one of our biggest weaknesses is transition defense and playing against Boston College, they are a great three-point shooting team. We just had to stop them down the stretch, which was kind of hard. I guess leading the team, organizing everybody, making sure that we are crashing the boards on the offensive side and getting defensive rebounds.

Q. So you said it was a dream come true playing here in a place that you call home, so where would you list this in terms of all of your collegiate achievements?
PARIS KEA: In terms of college, I would say top. This is the top. All of my family was here, and some friends were in the stands. A lot of people were telling me they were going to watch because they couldn't get off of work.

So, yeah, I had Greensboro on my back today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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