ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 6, 2021

Kai Crutchfield

NC State Wolfpack

Postgame Press Conference

NC State 66, Georgia Tech 61

Q. Kai, could you kind of feel the need to inject some energy into the team there at that point? We talked about the three-point play with Elissa. Is that something that you consciously tried to do, to kind of get things going?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: You know, I mean, of course we were down, so we needed something to spark our mojo. I wouldn't necessarily say it was something I needed to do like physically in a way -- I think that sounded wrong -- but I think we just needed some type of energy to spark us.

Q. But did you take it upon yourself to try to spark that energy?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: I really just gave -- took what the defense gave me and executed offense that was ran. We do that stuff in practice, and it just was my -- my name was called.

Q. You guys have had several comebacks this year. Is that something that, even in the fourth quarter, even when Georgia Tech takes a double-digit lead that you guys still feel like you guys are going to win that game, and how important is that past experience from the season going into the postseason in these tough games?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: I'd say with the past experience, I mean, Boston College, for example, we were down by a lot with a little time left, and we just stuck with the confidence that we had in each other, we had instilled in each other. With COVID and everything, I feel like that communication and that chemistry, team chemistry has really helped.

Being down, it's really just the confidence we have in ourselves knowing we play for NC State for a reason and we're here for a reason.

Q. When you guys were making that comeback the fans really got into it, they got loud. Do you think that's something that helped motivate you guys at the end and do you think it maybe fazed Georgia Tech a little bit, too, having that home-court advantage?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: Yeah, it was definitely home-court advantage. Playing here, Coach said, is like our second home, so having that extra oomph, extra scream, extra yell, extra noise really helps us out, especially on the defensive end.

Q. You guys are down 10 with like four minutes and some change left. How do you guys remain calm and mount this comeback?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: I'd say remaining calm is honestly one of the most important things. If we hang our head then they can take over, but we all kept each other's heads, we continued to lift each other up, and I think that really helped us in the comeback.

Q. As a senior did you just make up your mind I'm not going out like this, I'm going to do something to make sure we win this game?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: Yeah, and KJ and I were seniors last year. We won the championship. And our goal was to go back to back this year. I was able to step up and hit some big shots in order to get us to the next step.

Q. You guys had to expend a lot of energy to come back there, and now you've got to turn around and play a really good Louisville team. How do you think you're going to get that energy back at this point?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: I think energy comes with us being at State. We have energy within each other, confidence within each other. Now we're just going to go pay attention to the scout, do some treatment, rehab, recovery, get some rest and do whatever we need to do to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for tomorrow.

Q. You may have been asked this already, but they seemed to really want to play a shortened game, slow down the tempo. Was that tough for you guys to create energy early on because of that just playing at a slower pace?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: Not necessarily. I think with us being NC State, we're able to play at any speed of the game, and for us to get transition points, set up in the half court, I think if we're executing that and executing on defense, regardless of the speed of the opponent, I feel like we're able to play however we want to play.

Q. You didn't miss a shot in the second half, and Elissa said that the team has been calling you Kai Clutchfield recently. How long have they been calling you Kai Clutchfield, and is that a nickname that you can live with?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: Since probably like the beginning of the season, that's when they started really calling me it. A few games, like last year, the Maryland game, that's kind of when it got stuck to me. I think that is a name that can stick. It sounds pretty good, don't you think?