ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 4, 2021

Quentin Hillsman

Syracuse Orange

Postgame Press Conference

Syracuse 67, Boston College 61

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: I mean, it was one of those wins where you have players that just -- pretty much just play gutsy and win the game. Obviously without Tiana, we really struggled with trying to get cohesive lineups in the game that was playing together in those positions.

I thought we did a really good job of just getting our veteran players on the floor and just really biting down and getting some tough rebounds and able to get down the floor in transition and get our defense set and our offense set. I thought we did a really good job of that today, so just really proud of our players.

We knew that Kiki had to have a big game for us, and she did, and then other players, Emily stepped up and got 15 rebounds, which was amazing for us down the stretch. We cleared the boards, and continued to play well. Our veteran players really stepped up and played well today, so really just proud of the effort and happy to be advancing on to the next game.

Q. Amaya hadn't played more than 10 minutes since December 17th and then today she played fantastically. What did you see from her today?

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: I was saving her for today. This was all planned, man. No, Amaya has been great. She's been a great mentor for Kamilla. Kamilla had been played well, and Amaya just stayed ready. And obviously today when she stepped in and we threw the ball to her and she did a great job in the post and scoring the basketball. She just stayed ready. We know what she can do. She's done it for us for three years, and postseason when your veteran players got to step up, and she stepped up big.

Q. When did you know that Tiana wasn't going to be available, and how long do you expect her to be out?

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: We found out right around pregame, a couple hours before the game. She really wanted to play. It's just one of those deals where -- like if that was my daughter, what would I do, and that would be not let her play. It's one of those deals where you kind of had to save her from herself. And obviously there was the medical staff and taking their recommendation of she probably better sit this one out. So that's what we did. So we knew a couple hours before the game that she wasn't going to play. But she feels good, and she feels a whole lot better, but it just wasn't worth the risk.

Q. Do you expect her back tomorrow?

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: We don't know yet, to be honest. You know how those deals are. You feel good today, then you go to sleep and tomorrow you feel worse. It's really going to be a day by day, game time situation. Hopefully we'll know sooner than later. Probably later than sooner, though.

Q. In the first quarter we found out that four of your players weren't going to play. They were unavailable because they violated team rules. Just wanted to ask if that was related to the party that was thrown on campus last month.

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: Violation of team rules. You know I ain't doing that, man.

Q. Had to ask. You know how long --

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: You did. You treated me like a rookie just now, man. That's your one question. Next? (Laughing).

Q. Coach, Kamilla got into foul trouble. Amaya played great in her absence. What do you need to see from Priscilla going forward?

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: Just keep playing. Just keep playing hard. This time of year, these are big games, and the pressure heats up. I really thought that Kamilla didn't play a bad game. She unfortunately got into some foul trouble. And then obviously when Priscilla got two fouls, too, so you put her back in and she's tight and she's not responding the way she would normally would if she was loose and playing in flow.

At the end of the day these are freshmen that we're asking them to step up and play in pressure games, and they just got in foul trouble. If they're not in foul trouble, it's probably a different outcome for both of them.

Q. Once you found out Tiana wouldn't be able to play today, what did you say to Kiki and Digna and Emily?

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: I mean, nothing much because I honestly, when I found out she wasn't -- she was pretty much possibly going to be out and we kind of had to have a conversation, myself and Karen. I was upstairs, so I hadn't talked to them about it until we got to the arena, and it was one of those deals where we had to put our players in position to win the basketball game. So we had prepared all week coming from that game on Sunday as if she wasn't going to play. So we did some things with some other lineups, and obviously it's a good thing we did because it really came to fruition today.

Q. Obviously back in December I think was the only game that Tiana missed and Kiara filled that same role that she played last year in point guard. Did that game against Boston College help her today?

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: Well, last year helped her today. Kiki is a big-time player. So when you've got big-time players and players that can make plays, you're in good hands. So I knew that we were in good hands with the ball with her the majority of the game.

Q. Looking ahead to Florida State and going back to your matchup with them during the regular season, what can you take away from that game that your team will have to adjust to tomorrow?

QUENTIN HILLSMAN: It's pretty much about getting our defense set. They really tightened us in transition. We didn't make shots in that game at Florida State and we really played unsettled. Hopefully we can get back, play more settled, keep everything in front of us and do a better job.

We're excited to be moving on to play whoever it is. We've just got to get ready to play, get some rest, get off our feet and ready for a tough game tomorrow.