SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 4, 2021

Cam Newbauer

Florida Gators

Postgame Press Conference

Kentucky 73, Florida 64

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Coach Cam. Questions, please.

Q. Obviously a great game, just a few possessions there at the end. Speak on Kiki. Another career high 34 points. She took over. The battle between her and Rhyne Howard today.

CAM NEWBAUER: Kiki is just an absolute warrior. She made some shots today that were phenomenal. Finds seams where there seems to be no seam in the defense. Gave us everything she had.

We just needed more from some other players, it just didn't happen. Part of that is their defense. Part of that is our fatigue. Part of that is just shots not going down.

We fought really hard. I mean, was it two and a half minutes, last two and a half minutes? That's a good team. Had a heck of a fourth quarter. Rhyne Howard, National Player of the Year without a doubt in my opinion, she took over. I thought we did a good job defending her. Nina did a good job on her in the third quarter and fourth quarter. Still, that kid is just so good.

This one hurts. But we had opportunities. We had shots that didn't go down. We had free throws. We had the lead at the media in the game. We just had some untimely turnovers. Part of that is our youth, inexperience. But I really liked the fight, really loved our group. I love who we've become.

Record does not indicate at all who we are as a team, that's for sure.

Q. You mentioned such a young team. How much do they learn in a game like this to now bring into next year, the post-season?

CAM NEWBAUER: Learn a lot. It stings. We got better throughout the course of the game on some things. Just got to be a little stronger, a little more poised here or there. You got to stay in the moment. You can't get caught up in the last possession, what happened. You just got to trust your training and do what you know in that moment. You can't get sped up. That happened a couple times.

I do believe we'll be better for it. We have mature kids that love to learn. They hate to fail, but they love to learn through failure. That's what we will do.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.

CAM NEWBAUER: Thank you.