|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
BIG TEN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPMarch 7, 2020Brenda FreseKaila CharlesAshley OwusuDiamond MillerIndianapolis, Indiana Maryland - 66, Indiana - 51 BRENDA FRESE: You know, just a really intense atmosphere against a really, really good IU team. I have no doubt that they'll have a long run ahead of them in the NCAA Tournament. But I thought obviously the third quarter our seniors really stepped up, scoring about 15 of our 22 points there in that third quarter. But I think what makes this team so special is just how they play for one another. That's why it's something that we're really built for with our depth. You look at the season and it's kind of indicative of how we've played all season long, with Ashley in the first half, I thought made some tremendous plays for us, the seniors in the third, and then how special was Diamond in the fourth with the confidence that she played with. The length that she had defensively I thought really gave them problems on top of our press and on top of the zone. Obviously excited. A quick turnaround for us tomorrow, but something that we're excited to be playing for our seniors in the championship game tomorrow night. Q. Kaila, you had 9 of your 11 points in the third. How much of a difference did it make for you having Steph and Blair back in to feed you the ball and work out from under low? KAILA CHARLES: It was important and it was a big difference. They were finding me when I was open, but yeah, I was just taking the shot when I was open and they were finding me, so just being ready and making sure that I'm shot ready. Q. Diamond, this is kind of a joint question for Ashley and Diamond: You guys scored 14 of you guys' 17 points combined in the fourth quarter. As IU was making their run. How was your confidence being able to lead you guys' team late in the game and being able to pretty much seal the deal for you guys? DIAMOND MILLER: I just think we were just playing Maryland basketball and staying focused, and we knew they were on their run, but we just kept pushing, and we had to score, too, so that's what we were doing. ASHLEY OWUSU: Yeah, I agree with Diamond. Just staying focused and staying confident, doing what we needed to do. Q. Kaila, you've been here for a while, but how does it feel to see those two really shine today, especially Diamond with that 8-0 run to put the game away in the fourth? KAILA CHARLES: It was electrifying. It definitely got us hyped. Gave us a lot of energy. And it's just great to see how confident these two are playing. They've been a great huge piece for us all year, and so I love the fact that they're finally coming -- they've been coming into their own but they're finally being confident, just being comfortable and just providing for us. That's what we are going to need all year or moving forward, so we could be successful. Q. Kaila, you guys have played IU three times now. For whoever they face in the NCAA Tournament, what would you say is kind of the key to slowing them down or stopping them? KAILA CHARLES: Just making sure to lock in on defense. They're a great team. We know they're going to score, but just making sure that you're able to just force some turnovers and try to slow them down with the press. But yeah, they're a great team. Every single time we've played them it was a battle. It wasn't easy, as you can see, and they're going to go far in the NCAA Tournament if they keep playing like that. Q. Kaila, one question for you: This is going to be you guys' third straight time playing in the championship game. Being able to go out as a senior and hopefully winning a Big Ten championship, how does it feel to be possibly starting what's a long run for you guys into March and possibly April? KAILA CHARLES: Yeah, I'm excited to get back to the championship, like you said. I've been there four years in a row, and we lost the last two years, so I really want to get back there and have a different outcome this year, and that will definitely fuel us going into the NCAA Tournament. It'll give us good confidence. And yeah, we're excited for tomorrow and we're going to play our hardest, and hopefully we'll get the win. Q. Ashley, what was it like when you scored? Were you excited when you scored most of the points for the last round? ASHLEY OWUSU: Yeah, it was exciting, just scoring and helping my team get the win. So yeah. Q. What advice would you give to younger basketball players watching you? KAILA CHARLES: Just being confident, always believe in yourself, because sometimes you've got to be your biggest fan. Sometimes people are going to doubt you, but if you're always confident and you know that you're capable of doing anything, then you'll go far. So just believe in yourself. DIAMOND MILLER: Yeah, I agree with Kaila and also just keep working hard. No matter how many bad days you have, keep pushing through because good days should come. ASHLEY OWUSU: I would say staying confident and keep working. Q. You guys really battled hard and won that second half, but foul trouble still kind of an issue, and I know you were kind of going crazy there with subbing a lot. What were you telling your team to try to stop fouling? BRENDA FRESE: You know, a lot of times you just have to adjust if they're going to call the game tight. You have to be able to kind of just understand the flow of the game. I think a luxury for us is our depth, but I thought there in the third quarter we started reaching a little bit too much, so just trying to be more disciplined with some of our slides and not putting them at the free-throw line as early. Q. At halftime you guys were shooting the ball 37 percent, you only led by four. What adjustments did you make to come out in the second half and outscore IU 22-9? BRENDA FRESE: Well, we talked about -- I thought we had a quick trigger. I thought we had five offensive rebounds for that low of a field-goal percentage, so we really needed to start making extra passes. We had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, so just a little bit more patient with our offense, and I thought we were able to do that in the second half. Q. We mentioned it earlier, but Ashley and Diamond really were able to give you guys a spark in that fourth quarter. How impressive and how far have they come this season, especially when they were able to blossom in that fourth quarter and how they're able to help you guys in the future? BRENDA FRESE: Yeah, you know what, I think -- obviously at halftime, I kind of went down there and told them, our seniors were kind of struggling a little bit at that time, maybe they were going to have to be the ones to step up and shine. I think for them sometimes it's just having the permission to do so. They're both so talented and just staying confident, because obviously they bring another dimension that we really need with their athleticism, with their penetration. So it just makes us a really balanced attack when you talk about our shooters, when you talk about Diamond's length today and Ashley off the bounce. Q. Obviously it's very hard to do in any sport to beat the same team three times in one season. Do you think you found the key to beating Indiana because obviously they're a talented team, or how did your game plan adapt as you went on in the season? BRENDA FRESE: Yeah, we don't put a lot of stock in how many times you play them. For us it's competition, and we want to get better every time we step out, regardless of who we're playing. So for us, it's continuing to set our standard and set our bar. Obviously we knew going into this game, Patberg was really hot. We really wanted to make her have to work for everything. I thought our zone kind of changed the game. I thought it gave them more defenders to have to look at, and I thought that was probably the difference. Q. I asked Kaila this, as well, but for whoever Indiana faces in the tournament, what would you say that you had to do to be able to contain them and stop them? BRENDA FRESE: Well, I think it obviously starts with their guard play first, between Patberg and Berger. I mean, they're so talented, and they can score the basketball. But they're going to be a tough out. When you talk about the inside-outside game, the number of wins that they're rolling into March with. I'm excited to be able to cheer them on now going into the NCAA Tournament. I hope they go as far as possible. Q. When you were tied with Indiana for the third time, did you ever lose just a slight bit of hope in your team? BRENDA FRESE: You know, that's a great question. No, no. I never would have that kind of doubt in our team. We've been through too many games and situations, and I always believe that they're going to come out on top. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|