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NCAA WOMEN'S 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS: IOWA CITYMarch 22, 2019Robin PingetonSophie CunninghamCierra PorterIowa City, Iowa Missouri 77, Drake 76 COACH ROBIN PINGETON: Just March is March, and it's the NCAA Tournament and I definitely want to acknowledge what a great team Drake is. I think Jennie has done a phenomenal job, Jennie and her staff, with that program. They have had an unbelievable season. They are a real hard guard and there's no way you can convince me that they are a 10-seed. Just a very, very talented team. You've got some kids that have had a phenomenal career there, and they have had a lot of success, and so I definitely want to acknowledge that. I'm very proud of our girls. I'm proud of our seniors. I thought they really battled tonight. You know, it was a game of runs. There's runs where we bent a little bit but we didn't break, and I'm just really proud of the grittiness, their ability to hang in, stay the course, and we were able to answer some of those runs, even when we got down. So give our seniors a lot of credit. Excited for our team. You know, this is what it's all about, survive and advance, and we're looking forward to an opportunity to continue to go battle together as a team. Q. What was it like for to you watch those final seconds from the bench? SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: Stressful. Very stressful. But I think our team stepped up. I mean, we are two very key players, but I mean, they stepped up. Amber stepped up and I mean, true with that three. That was huge. Just super proud of everyone from top to bottom. CIERRA PORTER: Just to reiterate what Sophie said, everyone stepped up. It's hard to be on the bench in the final moments of a game like that, but I didn't doubt for a second that everyone out on that court was going to pull through. Q. Sophie and Cierra, how has your relationship evolved since your freshman year and how has that affected the on-the-court product? CIERRA PORTER: It's grown a lot. We were freshmen in high school together, too. You go through all the ups and downs together. You just end up like sisters and I would honestly consider her like a sister now, and it's so cool because you see that on the court, as well. We get more hyped for each other than each other does well. It's just a really fun connection and I'm really blessed having played with her for so long. SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: Everything she said. Once she left a little bit -- kind of step back because when you're together for eight years, you kind of take each other for granted, and I hate we did that. But when she left and came back, it was just like -- back on our final ride together. Q. Sophie, off that, when Cierra got that stop end of regulation, I know you got pretty pumped up about that. What was that moment like for you and what was that conversation like at midcourt? SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: It's just awesome. I get so excited for my teammate. I try to give them 110 percent. I mean, she's 6'4, and I knew she something was going to happen. I just trusted everyone and when she got that block, I knew we had it. I really did. Q. Sophie, Jordan missed two free throws. Did you feel like that make in that crucial moment was kind of an example for coming out as a leader for this team and building into next year, even already the end of this season? SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: Absolutely. Even since the beginning of this year, she's grown so much. I'd loved for her to hit all three. It would have been less stressful, like I said. But she hit one, and she stepped up and she wanted that moment and she owned it right. So really pride of her. Q. Cierra, I think you made two threes this season and the huge one against Mississippi State, so in overtime, when you dribbled into that shot, what's kind of going through your head? How confident are you feeling in that moment? CIERRA PORTER: Yeah, I mean, at that point, it's just -- it's go time. If you're going to leave me wide open, I was feeling good throughout the game. If you're going to leave me wide open, I'm going to be confident -- not exactly the look we wanted (laughter). Q. You talked about how stressful it was being on the final seconds but any part of your brain saying this could be it and I'm not out there to make an impact in it? SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: Really, no. I don't -- I don't -- you would think that, I mean, seniors, you're depending on sophomores and juniors to get it done, but I think we just trust in our team to get it done. We work as hard as they do every day in practice, and when you're in battle and going to war together, you just have that trust. So I really didn't have any doubt in my mind. Doesn't mean I was nervous but doesn't mean I knew we were going to get it done. Q. The two buzzer-beating layups, and then the key free throw, how clutch was she today? CIERRA PORTER: Jordan Roundtree. She stepped up all year and obviously that free throw at the end is what sealed it. But I just think she's a testament to how she's grown and matured like as a person, as player, and you know, we need her. She's someone that contributes a lot for us. Not always points necessarily but energy, defense, everything she contributes and so she's clutch in a lot of ways, not just scoring. Q. Either of the players. Your thoughts when Hittner got the ball there pretty wide open three there at the end of over time? SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: Super wide open. I thought it looked good. I don't know, I have a lot of former teammates on that team and so yeah, I'm a competitor and I wanted to win but seeing them, I wish we didn't have to play Drake. But we did. They are a really good team, though. Their cutting and them being able to knock down the three, that's huge, and she was left wide open. Don't know what happened there. But thankfully, she missed it. Really good player, though. Q. For either of you. What changes mentally, physically, tactically for you guys as players once you reach March and you make the tournament? CIERRA PORTER: Kind of like you just got to forget, like the whole -- not forget everything that happened the first half of the season but like body wise, how your body feels. Mentally it's a refresh button. It's March. Anything can happen. You know you have to go to battle. Everybody's body is tired and everybody has all the excuses so that doesn't matter. You just have to go out and battle, and I think it's just mostly the mind-set that changes. You have to trust your training to this point, and the work you've put in, trust in your teammates, trust in your coaches and just go out there and do what you can in battle. Q. Cierra, you already touched on that play with Sara Rhine at the end of the game, but what was that battle like throughout the entire game? Seemed you were both getting really good post positions and playing good defense against each other. What was that matchup just like tonight? CIERRA PORTER: She's another really good player for them. Watching film, it's incredible how she uses her body. She knows how to cut, get open and she's just really crafty. It hard to defend, so I have to give her credit. She's one heck of a post player even though she's a little undersized. Yeah, that was a good battle. Q. What can you say about your team's ability to make the NCAA Tournament four years in a row? SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: I mean, I think us coming in as freshmen, there's been a lot of people before us that set the foundation, and without them, we wouldn't be where we're at. But me and CP as seniors, we came in as freshmen together and we're blessed to have been here for all four years but you don't take it for granted. But you really do have to thank the people before you who set the foundation. Q. When you hit that breakaway and you dish it to Amber, were you trying to get her going a little bit? SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM: Yeah, and even on the bench, I was like, something is going to happen. She ended up having a huge bucket for us at the very end of the game. When you are going like this in the game, you need someone to be there and encourage you and believe in you even when you don't. Amber is a heck of a player and when she has her head right no one can stop her. She's a really hard guard. I think that bucket gave her a little bit of confidence and I love to see it. Q. For either of you. What did it mean when Aldridge came to the team from Kansas and you were just able to add another veteran piece to the team? CIERRA PORTER: I got to play AU with her and tried to recruit her at that point and it didn't work. She ended up here. Just to have her -- she's so solid. She's so reliable. That's someone that you always want on the court. She's always on the same page as Coach P. She's just kind of like a calming factor for us and that's just huge. She's a huge piece to what our team has done this year and last year. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. Q. On the final play, were you looking to give the ball to anyone in particular or best basketball play out there? What was your thinking? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: We were trying to get inside Amber. We wanted something to attack in, and we knew with her post feed or dribble drive we would have an opportunity to maybe draw a fall and wanted to maybe put the pressure on the defense a little bit. It didn't develop the way that we had hoped that it would, but yeah, the goal was to go inside to Amber. Q. You've been obviously around Cierra for a long time, in terms of both on the offensive and defensive end. How big was she today? How big was she today for you guys? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: I thought she was huge and I thought she did a really good job just playing through tough calls, no calls. It was definitely a battle down there with her and Sara Rhine, who is, again, just a tremendous player. But they really battled. CP was a load for us tonight on the offensive and defensive end. She ended up being, what is it, 7-for-9, and you know, was a presence inside. Wanted the ball. Demanded the ball. So that was big. Then I think defensively, just her size, it's something that it's just hard to replace. 6'4 is 6'4, and just being there before, being in these situations and being in those moments and the maturity that comes along with being an upperclassman and a senior. Again, I thought all three of our seniors really showed up today. Q. Going into the last possession for you all in the time-out, Sophie fouled out at that point but looked like she was really vocal and involved in that timeout. What was her message? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: I think the biggest thing was we were all just saying we wanted to be the aggressors, attack, get something going to the rim. You know, if they foul, we are going to the free throw line. Yeah, I think that was her message in there, if I heard it correctly. I think she echoed the same thing, the same sentiment that we were trying to get across to our kids is two things. No. 1, we have got to make sure we get the last shot. We did not want to shoot too early and I think that's why the development of the play was off a little bit because we were so concerned about making sure we had the last shot. Then No. 2, just the importance of really trying to attack the rim. Q. What does it mean to you that your three seniors' collegiate careers are extended for at least one more game? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: What's it mean to me? It means a lot. I love these kids to death, young ladies to death. We have been through a huge part of what the success that we've had over the last four years. It's so awesome as a coach to see the, come in, maybe as kids, and leave as mature young adults for the most part. It's a fun group. I mean, there's a lot of personality out of those seniors. When you look at -- start thinking about this could be the end, it's hard not to reflect on just the growth, the accomplishments, the ups and downs, the hard times, the tears, the laughter, the celebrations. There's been a lot of them. But the really cool thing is, you know, when you go through this journey, you become family for life, and we all know at some point, it's got to end. I just feel blessed I've had an opportunity to coach them. Q. Jordan has been a good free throw shooter for you this season, but is she the kind of person where she doesn't like to go to the line? Was she listening to positive talk or just like: Get out of my way, I want to go to the line and shoot? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: Jordan Roundtree? You might have to ask her. I don't know. She's been really good are to us all year long but she's playing a completely different role than she's ever played. I think when you're at the line, you know, in the NCAA Tournament, and it's advance or go home, she's never been there before. And so, honestly, I thought they all looked pretty good and I thought she had a shot for all three of them to go down. Again, when you go from last year being spotted minutes, you know, someone in the rotation, but not extended minutes to having the ball in your hands at the free throw line to survive-and-advance, that's a lot of pressure. But she had a big one for us and that was huge. Q. Do you know what happened to Haley? Looked like she couldn't put any weight on her left ankle. COACH ROBIN PINGETON: Yeah, I think it's it -- she just came down on her ankle. It was right in front of our bench. Just twisted it. We got some new shoes and they are a little bit lower cut than what we had been playing in. It was just a little loose. I don't know, we'll see. She's getting an X-ray right now so we'll see what happens. Q. With the final shot, were you expecting to get the ball and Sara Rhine and hitting? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: We thought it would go to her and yeah, I'm anxious to go back and watch the film and see where the breakdown was. I thought the first time we really guarded that sideline well. Felt like we knew what was coming. The second time, I don't know that that was a play that we went through in our shoot around. So, I don't know, I'm anxious to go back and look. I don't want to make anything up. I'm surprised show got so open, though. That was a really good look and my heart stopped for a few seconds because I thought it looked good. Q. I know you haven't done any homework on Iowa, but just the idea of playing against Lisa, your former coach. I know you coached against Bill a bit when you were -- from Iowa State with the Big 12. Do you like facing your former mentors and showing them what you learned? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: Honestly, I think it's more of a fun story line for the media. Just to be honest with you, I don't have any thoughts about it. My ideal is I just want to go and prepare our team and hopefully put them in a position to have success. I think as coaches, we get so entrenched in that more than anything else. So I've got a lot of respect for Lisa. She's a great coach. She's a great mentor. You know, she's part of my family. We've been through a lot together and certainly years past, but forever grateful for the impact that she's had on my life. She's got a great team. There's going to be a great crowd tomorrow, or on Sunday, so we know it's going to be a tough environment. We are looking forward to another opportunity to play with this team. Q. From a leadership standpoint, how has Cunningham and Porter changed and involved from their freshmen years to their senior years? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: I think they have always been leaders for us. They are very unique as freshmen because they came in and were very comfortable and confident. They grew up around Columbia. Most freshmen come in and they are trying to feel out their way a little bit and get acclimated and they don't really know what the buildings are or who certain people are. But those two came in and acted like they ran the place, and not in a disrespectful way, but just being from Columbia and being around the arena so much with Lindsay's -- with Sophie's sister, Lindsay playing there. She had been around a lot. You've got Cierra Porter, whose dad was on staff, so the Porter family was at the arena quite a bit. They just were so comfortable coming in. They have always been pretty strong leaders in their own way. It's just been a really cool -- it's been a cool journey for them. Win four state championships. They have won over 70 percent of their games since they have been here at Mizzou and that hasn't been done for a while. They are just really, as good of basketball players as they are, they are even better feel. I feel blessed that our paths that crossed. Q. Were you expecting to play Emmanuelle as much as she did tonight, and how did you feel about her impact on the game tonight? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: Yeah, you know, I think she's had a huge sophomore year for us. It you know, her minutes are up and down a little bit, based on what's going on with Amber and I've got a lot of confidence in Amber. I thought, you know, out of the gate, she looked good and then we started missing a couple easier shots, and you know, a lot of that, Amber knows we need her, so there's pressure within that all by itself. You know, I just felt like we needed a different look. I thought Manue defended really, really well for us. Created some extra possessions for us. Doesn't really force the issue and has been really good throughout the course of the season. But going back to Amber, for her to kind of regroup and keep her mind right and come in and be able to contribute at the end I thought was huge, too. So just overall a great team win. Q. What does Aldridge mean to the team transferring from Kansas and how she acclimated to the team? COACH ROBIN PINGETON: It's a high-character, high-integrity, passionate, blue collar young lady that has been huge for us on the court and off the court. There's not a lot of fifth-year seniors out there that are in law school right now, so juggling that and playing basketball and the demands. But it's been, I would say she's -- in those early years, such a serious kid. She's very driven, very determined. I'm so thankful that we've had this senior year together and seeing her letdown her hair a little bit and really be vulnerable and enjoy the process and just to be able to laugh at things. She's a really special young lady. Really, really special young lady and just been a great addition for us to have her in our program. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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