ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 4, 2021

Katie Meier

Miami Hurricanes

Postgame Press Conference

Virginia Tech 72, Miami 64

KATIE MEIER: Yeah, just a really disappointing start. That's a team that can score in bunches, and we didn't defend them well at all at the beginning of the game. But they're really good, team. I've got to give them a lot of credit because they hit some incredible numbers in the first quarter there percentage-wise.

But I thought that there was about a four-inch difference of effort on the defensive end for sure, and we took those four inches away; they started missing a little bit.

And I thought on the offensive end, four inches of us just having the ball a little bit too high and we bring it four or five inches, a little bit lower and played a little lower and went around them instead of throwing over them made all the difference in the world.

Disappointed. I mean, I really -- even with the loss of Kelsey, I just thought we would play Miami ball. I am fine with us as long as we're competitive. We waited too long, and I told the team in the locker room that this program needs to get to where we're the team that's the frontrunner and the other team is trying to make a miraculous comeback because that is what we've been and we need to get back there and we're going to do everything we need to do to get there because we shouldn't be down that much.

I'm too proud for that and this program is too proud.

Q. Katie, what happened to Kelsey and when was she injured? When did you figure out that she wouldn't be able to play? And if you could just talk about Destiny, once again, the third quarter second half heroics and what she did, 13 points in the third quarter and how she carried the team on her back in the second half.

KATIE MEIER: Well, the first answer with Kelsey is that towards the end of the Clemson game she went in for a lay-up and she kind of twisted and just kind of crunched her legs a little bit. She was doubtful status when we left, and it just didn't get any better. So I really didn't know until we couldn't practice her yesterday.

I was surprised, because she kept playing in the Clemson game, and so -- but then at the end when we had the game won, she whispered to me, Coach, you go to take me out. I was like, Really? I missed the whole thing because it wasn't a dramatic moment. She's going to be okay, but it was not -- she was not pain-free, and you don't need to risk that.

And then for Destiny, I think one thing, too, is Destiny is just a worker and she's in incredible shape. When other teams get a little bit tired, Dest just keeps working and keeps working and she gets a couple hustle points and that gets her confidence up.

I barely had her off the court. She's a true Hurricane. That kid is everything we talk about when you talk about what it is to be a Hurricane. That we can be down and we don't get frustrated and we keep working. A lot of it has to do with her strength and conditioning, and I think Brandon, our strength and conditioning coach, has done a phenomenal job, because we've had to really, really play hard this year and really that's what we've been.

We didn't have -- nothing was pretty, nothing was easy for Miami this entire year, and we had to really grit it out.

Q. You all got 13 points from Moulayna Sidi Baba off the bench in the second half. Could you tell me what you saw from her and her impact on the comeback?

KATIE MEIER: Well, I think she willed one shot in. It was incredible. The thing looked so off when it left her hand and she just willed it in. When she gets to the next level, I mean, that's where she's a special player because she is a tough matchup.

I thought we were very disjointed offense. I didn't think Taylor and Endia had particularly good -- you know, choices with the ball, didn't have a lot of energy.

So I swapped out MJ and she responded, and that's what it's supposed to be like. I really thought Kenza Salgues would have more of an opportunity to kind of step up for Kelsey, but it was maybe MJ that kind of stepped up for Kelsey, so that was great.

Q. I wanted to ask what you saw from the underclassmen today and this season in general.

KATIE MEIER: Well, you know, we've got some really good young talent. The seniors have gotten a lot of minutes. They were playing a lot of minutes so they didn't get as many of their opportunities. I think the Kenza story is just -- that kid was so great. In the preseason honestly Kenza and Mykea Gray did not miss a shot. They were on fire. We lost them both within the same time. That was two point guards.

I really, as hard as I am on this team, when I step back and think about what we've gone through and then for Endia and Taylor to go to their ACC Tournament and lose Kelsey too, their other running mate, it's hard. Emotionally it's hard.

We kept finding ways, though. I think that that's something that somebody like a Sidi Baba or a Destiny, Naomi, she had such a special season, and then Gony is going to be really good.

So it's these multidimensional players that really had to do a heck of a lot more than they were supposed to, including scoring. We went into this game, and Virginia Tech can score. They're a great team. I said, We've got to get to 66 and hold them to 65 or less, and we almost got to 66 without our leading scorer.

We did -- it was never easy, but I do think that this team winning eight ACC games and having a .500 record with what we've gone through is remarkable, and I'm really proud.

Q. Just wondering what did you tell the team at halftime? I know at the halftime I think you were disappointed with the effort and all that.

KATIE MEIER: Very much so.

Q. What did you say to them at halftime?

KATIE MEIER: Yeah, I wish I could have gotten into more strategy and adjustments, but it was more of a gut-check kind of speech. In fact, I didn't even keep them in there that long.

Basically you want me to solve this and the solution is four inches, like I told you. Honest to God, if you have your hands down on 22 one more time, then I'm not going to make a play call for you. You're not going to play. The kid was hitting threes and our hands were down on the kid. That's what she does. A great player, King. She's very, very good, but she did what she does and we let her.

I said that Miami basketball is where we're in control of the game and we dictate what the other team gets and it's hard to play us, and it wasn't hard to play us in the first half. It needed to be hard to play us. We made it hard for Virginia Tech by a million in the second half. We really changed our emotional mentality. But that was a disappointing start.