BIG 12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2021

Joanne Allen-Taylor

Texas Longhorns

Postgame Press Conference

Texas - 84, Iowa State - 82

Q. Joanne, you got the tough assignment on defense there and throughout the game with Ashley. You finally drew that charge in overtime. How did you kind of react to that?

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: Oh, man, that was the biggest play for me in the game, I think. They were calling it close, and I had fouled her twice, like a couple possessions in the regular game, before OT. I was kind of scared to take that last charge, but you know I had to do it because I was there and my feet were set. It was a tough assignment. She's a great player.

Q. You guys -- throughout the season, you guys have seen teams focus a lot of attention on Charli. I would say they did that today, but that left opportunities for you throughout the perimeter. What was working for you guys on those threes? How did it feel for you to have success? The second-most in school history you knocked down.

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: Yeah, rhythm was the biggest thing. They were so drawn in the paint, and when Charli or someone kicked it out on the perimeter, you had a lot of space and a lot of time to get your shot off. So it kind of felt real natural in the offense.

Q. I know you guys didn't really have many options with this with the limited bench, but when you had four fouls and Charli had four fouls and Celeste had four fouls, did you guys ever think like, oh, we need to play a little cautiously, or was it just like go, go, go?

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: I remember in OT, I said, "Coach, I have four fouls, and I'm guarding Ashley. Do you want me to switch off with somebody?" He said, "no, no, don't worry about it. Don't worry about it."

So I mean, we were just worried about getting the win so much that we really didn't pay attention to like I have fouls. We didn't get sucked into all of that. We just dug it out and just got the win.

Q. Joanne, Vic said that right as overtime was starting, you looked around and said, this is our time to the huddle. How important is it for you to be that leader, especially knowing that this time next year, there will be no Charli Collier for you guys to rely on in the paint?

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: Yeah, I don't know if it takes a lot to do something like that. You know, a competitor wants to win, and they want to bring their teammates up with them, and you say whatever to get them ready and get them together so we can go battle. So, yeah, it's our time in OT. It's our time. It's just who I am.

Q. And that example you set -- taking elbows from Ashley Jones, no call, taking charges. The example that you're setting for the younger players, how do you think that's going to benefit this team moving forward? Not just this year, but next season.

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: Yeah, I don't know, I don't feel like I'm trying to set an example. I just want to play and want to be who I am at all times. I'm going to stay true to myself, and that's how I play. I play like that, so if people are seeing and people are inspired by the way I play, that's just who I am, just staying true to myself.

Q. When Coach came out here, he looked and sounded like I haven't seen him before. What was his message to you guys in the locker room after the game?

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: He was so proud. He was just so proud. He's just never seen a team compete like that. We had a limited bench, but we just went out there and played our game, and we played really well today. So, yeah, he was just super, super proud of us.

Q. You mentioned some of that adversity -- the limited bench, the foul trouble, Charli fouling out. Can you put the attitude or whatever I saw, can you put that into words? What was different?

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: I guess you can say you have to rally within each other when you don't have a lot of options. You have to pick up the slack, especially when you know there's nobody behind you or there's nothing left. You have to give everything you have. That's what we had to do today, and that's what we did.

Q. Vic said you all played 45 minutes. You get a nice ice bath when you get back to the hotel. How are you going to spend this day of recovery? Some Netflix shows. You have homework that the rest of us wouldn't understand, but how are you spending the rest of your day?

JOANNE ALLEN-TAYLOR: I'm going to relax. I'm going to leave the homework until spring break. I'm going to relax, get in my ice tub, and just get ready for the next one.