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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTMarch 2, 2018Katie MeierGreensboro, North Carolina Florida State 73, Miami 69 MIKE FINN: Coach, just a brief opening statement and we'll go to questions. KATIE MEIER: Yeah, you're never happy after a loss, and you know, but I thought I saw another level to my team tonight and I've been kind of waiting on that. I think we've been playing very smart basketball, playing very -- you know, everybody has their role and everybody does whatever's needed and that kind of thing. But this is the first game, that last five minutes, where I saw us play like we won't be denied. I needed to see that before we ended the postseason because something was just a little bit missing, a desperation of sorts, but I loved it. I loved the guts. I loved the effort. I loved the fight. And then, I'm telling you, there were a lot of high-level decisions they were making while they were desperate. Sometimes you're desperate and stupid but we were like desperate and smart. It was high-level, the reads, and when we got a steal, they knew exactly what to do after the steal. So there wasn't one second of hesitation. Unfortunately we had to get down 17, and the situation, I wouldn't -- never mind. But if that's what it takes, we just can't be down 17 again, but we do have to play with that type of defensive effort to be a team that can win a couple in the postseason. Q. Playing FSU for the third time, did you guys try and do anything different, and if so, what worked and what didn't? KATIE MEIER: Oh, I just thought that, yes, we did a lot different. Emese Hof was incredible. In the first two times we played them, she was somewhat limited, and she just pushed through it tonight. But that was a huge difference. She I think had three free throws in our first two games combined and came out tonight and just controlled the game. I thought she was incredible. So having her presence makes us all a better team and certainly I look a lot smarter. Q. As the game's sort of getting to that point where you're cutting it and cutting it and getting closer and closer, what were you saying to your team to keep fighting, keep fighting, obviously you're tired, playing two days in a row, so what did you say to your team just to keep that fight up, even though the lead bubbled up and then you started to cut it down? KATIE MEIER: First of all, we're never tired on game day. I don't care. We're not tired. I saw that all the time. You ain't tired on game day. There's 30 guaranteed games in a season. You can be tired 335 other days but not on game day, so that was easy. The faith was there. I didn't really have to coach them up that much. We had a little bit of a chip. We got a little bit angry, and that was fine. That was good. I'm telling you, I have a very cerebral team, a bunch of great people, wonderful young people. They are pleasers. They want to do what needs to be -- but they weren't trying to please me back then. They were mad and they wanted this game. Q. This conference is awesome. It's been really tough all year. How nice will it be to get out and play someone from not this conference in the postseason? KATIE MEIER: Well, thank you for noticing, because wow, what a day of games in our conference. What a tournament so far. I don't think there's been a more -- I mean, I've been -- played in it, back when there was pig pickings (ph) in Fayetteville and no one was there. But I don't think there's been a more competitive tournament. I mean, it's incredible and teams are just fighting and the talent that one, I was just getting ready watching the game on TV going, oh my God, look at Paris Kea. You just can't even believe the talent in the league. Florida State is also one of those teams when you watch their highlight film, it's not fun. So yeah, it was great. I mean, we feel like, you know, we wanted this game and I'm going to be regretful a little bit, but anybody who is still alive in this tournament right now is a Top-25 team. I mean, that's how good this league is. They are really good kids. You want to ask them anything? MIKE FINN: Thank you, Coach. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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