BIG TEN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 4, 2022

Suzy Merchant

Matilda Ekh

Nia Clouden

Michigan State Spartans

Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Postgame Press Conference

Ohio State - 74, Michigan State - 58

THE MODERATOR: We'll begin with an opening statement from coach and then go to the student-athletes.

So coach.

SUZY MERCHANT: It was a tough one. Give Ohio State a lot of credit. I thought they really jumped on us early from a technical standpoint. I thought we played a little more tentative, a couple shots didn't go early. I think that kind of let the air out of the bag a little bit.

They got some, we had nine turnovers in that first quarter, which sort of set us back, and some rebounds that they were able to chase down and score off of.

So once we got that under control I thought our kids fought. I mean, it was a six-point game at one point there down the stretch. And I've said this about my team. They just never quit. I mean, you lose four starters, all upperclassmen, to begin the year in some fashion, that takes a lot out of a lot of people. A lot of these kids played out of position, really long minutes, too long.

But their heart was there. I mean, I'm so proud. I've coached a lot of great players and won championships and the great post-season opportunities, but of all the teams I've coached I thought that they -- every coach is going to say that, but I tell you, this team, by far, is my No. 1 favorite team because they handled all the adversity with such class and toughness and they never laid down.

This could have been an 8-20-something season, really. And they just chose for it not to be. And it just wasn't our night. Scoring the ball's been a little bit of an issue at times for us and it just wasn't our night.

But we lost to Ohio State. They're the Big-10 champion on and they're a great team and Kevin has done a really good job with them. Hard pill to swallow today. Not having your best day on the basketball court, and that's what these guys have to remember. This is part of their journey, but it's not all of their journey. Much more is ahead for them. Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Nia and Matilda, were you surprised when Ohio State came out in that press and trap. It looked like it took you guys back a step a little bit.

NIA CLOUDEN: We weren't really surprised. They usually press every game. We just tried to handle -- we didn't handle it well at the start, and then as the game went on we kind of cleaned it up. But we definitely didn't handle it well at first in the first quarter.

MATILDA EKH: We weren't surprised. They like to press. We played them a week ago, so we know how they play, but just we were just not ready from the start.

Q. Matilda, you started moving and started shooting and you weren't spacing (no microphone) put Michigan State back in the game. Talk a little bit about, when did that trigger, I got to move and I got to shoot?

MATILDA EKH: We realized that I could get open shots from the press. I mean, since they were pressing they kind of left me on the left wing. So like my teammates did a good job, especially Nia, of finding me on the left wing.

Q. Nia, the programs kind of looks like it's going to be a good match (no microphone) how does that make you feel knowing you guys (no microphone)?

NIA CLOUDEN: It makes me feel really good. I watched all the freshmen throughout the season. Like coach said, we've had a lot of adversity. They've had to grow up really fast, so I think when next year comes and then their three years to follow they will be handling it well and not only continue to improve but (no microphone). I'm glad that they're here.

Q. It seems like there's a lot of emotions going on with you guys right now. How does this feel knowing that it's probably the last game for you?

NIA CLOUDEN: It's obviously really sad. I'm just glad I got to do it with these people, this coach, who believed in me from day one. Sorry, I don't mean to cry.

But, yeah, so I've been here with a group of people who have embraced me and really lifted me up. So just glad I could do it with these people.

Q. Suzy, two weeks in a row now against Ohio State you have gone down early but managed to fight back and kind of limit their offense at the start of the second half, much of the second half today. What was kind of the key there to doing that?

SUZY MERCHANT: Well, I guess I thought early on we were ready for their press, but we just didn't handle it well. Early on when you get turnovers for touchdowns and they get going in the pace that they play, it's hard for us to sometimes keep up at times. I thought they did a really good job capitalizing on it.

I knew if we could get them in the quarter court, which we did a little better job at our house last time and here, I felt like we could make a game of it. We could get it out of certain people's hands.

But give them credit. I thought Beacham and Rikki Harris played well for them and those are the two kids, along with a couple others, that we were willing to live with. Mikesell got away from us a couple times, but that's, her and Sheldon both had to work pretty hard to get their shots.

So we knew we were never going to shut them down. I'm not sure you shut those two down, but we could certainly slow them down a little bit.

So that was kind of one of the biggest problems was our turnovers igniting their offense, and then some of those rebounds early, if we could have got a stop, we got the stop, we just didn't get the rebound. That's been a little bit of what I've been saying all year long, kind of have a little bit of a kryptonite for us is our defensive rebounding has kind of been up and down.

Q. What was the highlight of the season?

MATILDA EKH: You said the most memorable from the season?

I would say the win against Michigan at home.

Q. Why was that important to you guys?

MATILDA EKH: I feel like that was our first like big game we won. We were close in a lot of games, so just to show ourselves and show everyone that we can actually beat them, beat the best teams, just not just compete with them.

NIA CLOUDEN: Yeah. I would also say the win against Michigan because it was at home, and Michigan's obviously a big rival and they were No. 4 in the country at the time.

And the energy we had was just so connected and we were all on one mission and then we were able to complete that. So I would say that game.

Q. Matilda, you've been a star since you got here. What is that pressure like knowing that you're going to be leading the charge next year with DeeDee?

MATILDA EKH: I don't really feel a lot of pressure, actually. I feel like we have a lot of people on this team who can contribute so I don't feel like it's all just me.

And I think we do a good job playing together, so it's not like we have just one player. So I don't feel a lot of pressure, actually.

Q. But if you had to pick, what's your most favorite moment as seniors this year?

MATILDA EKH: The seniors? I got to say the Michigan game. I thought that was a big one.

Q. Because you guys played Ohio State last week and you kind of had an idea what you were going into, what do you think changed that, or that you took from the last two games going into today?

NIA CLOUDEN: The game plan was really similar to the last time we played them about a week ago. Our focus coming into the game was just to compete and I feel like we really did that. We just kind of got off to a slow start handling the press and then a little bit our offense.

But our offense definitely turned around and we started taking care of the ball so it was really just about competing and playing hard.

MATILDA EKH: Yeah. I mean, I think it was the same. I think we did a pretty good job for the most part. We just had a very slow start, so we had to like fight our way back the whole game. That was kind of tough.

Q. You talked about your time at Michigan State, but have you made a final decision about your future?

NIA CLOUDEN: I haven't made a final decision.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. We'll take questions for coach.

Q. Let's go back to the beginning of the game and the Ohio State press. They got off to a good start on you. I thought you changed the entry point on your offense into your post and got some more movement. Did I see that or did you do that?

SUZY MERCHANT: When we -- after we broke the press? Yeah. We were trying to isolate our four men. They switch one through four ball screen so we felt like Jacy or Taylor or Mikesell would be switching on to our four man. So we screened and rolled her and then we flashed that five man to look at the high low. When we reversed it we ball screened and had her duck in. So we gave her like three opportunities to try to really, really look at that.

The first one I thought we had it. Tamara scored and then they started helping really strong from the corner. We just, DeeDee didn't really see Matilda wide open in the corner. So we didn't do as good of a job of taking care of like what we were, like what was, what they were giving us, right? So we were looking for the isolation, but then they were helping. But we didn't throw it to the skip man or the help.

So, I mean, that was a little bit disappointing. I thought we could have really taken advantage in there. And to Tamara's defense she's really no back to the basket post player.

But we need her out there as the four for switching because you got to switch against Ohio State. I mean, you just can't play them straight up with all their staggers and flares and things. So we needed her out there, but we could have done a better job I think of reading the help and taking advantage of it.

Q. I've been around you a long time. I've not seen this much emotion in you. This affected you.

SUZY MERCHANT: This one did. Like I said earlier, now you're going to make me do it again here. But, I mean, people can look at our record or whatever, but by far I'm so grateful for the assistant coaches that I have because they were amazing this year.

This team could have easily folded. I mean, you lose four starters that are all juniors and seniors, that is a lot of experience and a lot of scoring and it really -- there was one point in the game when Matilda was like, You got it take me out.

I'm like, I just, I can't tell you how many times I said, I just can't. You got to, I got to ride with you. You know?

So I am very, very proud of them and part of the emotion comes from the fact that we wanted it so bad for a team that gave everything they had. And I really wanted it for all of them, particularly Nia. I mean, you know, she's been as consistent and classy and full of integrity for four years, and so you want it for kids like that too.

So I'm really emotional about this group because we, from playing three post players at the same time, you know, it's like I said to my husband. He's a football guy, and you know, it's like you put in the spread offense. You're throwing it all over the field and all of a sudden you play like offensive linemen and it's three yards and a cloud of dust. And how that affects your transition defense, your baseline out of bounds plays, your sidelines, your sets, I mean, we went from space the floor and three-point shooting team to, gosh, we better pound it inside now.

And that's a very, that takes time, and the kids, you know, they really bought into it and they worked as hard as they could. I just, I felt for them sometimes this year. But I am. I'm emotional because I feel like it was one of the best group of kids.

It's easy to point blame, feel sorry for yourself, nowadays especially, that Gen Z group, and I'm just proud they never did that. They're going to go really far in life and part of what we do is pick them up when things aren't going their way. So a great journey ahead.

Q. You've coached against Kevin several years now. His teams have always had that up-tempo offense, but I think this team has kind of taken a step defensively. Is this one of the better defensive teams that you've seen under him?

SUZY MERCHANT: Yeah, I think so. I think that they switch a lot, but they did a better job I think of defending in the post. Getting Mikesell was a big get for them too. That's a kid that -- I love that kid. Her and Jacy Sheldon. I recruited both and every time I see them, I just think they should be in green.

But just really classy kids too. Like, they play the game the right way. So credit to Kevin for getting those kids in a Buckeye uniform. But, yeah, that's, what they do is a hard thing to guard. They turned the defense up for sure this year. I think they all bought into the roles that they played and their speed.

And then they can score it, right? So that pressure does become a little bit more significant when you put full-court pressure on you. When it's a 12-point game, it's, you know, we kind of get a little, you get a little bit defeated sometimes. So you got to buck up and find a way.

But I thought their press was better than the last two times we played them. The first time we played them at Ohio State their press was our best offense. We scored 27 points in the first quarter. He had to take it off. And we're not a high-powered offensive team, right? So we handled it.

And then I think every time we played them, and I watched them, their team definitely get better defensively. They were never bad. I just think that at that time we had one more player playing for us and she was the four man running up the middle and she was a guard.

So now you get the four in the middle and now it's a post player for us, so that just, I mean, again, it's another example of how it changes the dynamic of finding Tilly. Tilly had 27 I think there because it was just like, throw it to the middle, two or three dribbles, kick it ahead, and now we just didn't have that. So I give them a lot of credit. They're great offensively, but defensively they have gotten better over the year too.

Q. Speaking of Jacy and Mikesell, despite how the hostility, you guys still had some moments on the court?

SUZY MERCHANT: Oh, yeah, I'm a huge Jacy fan. I root for her. And her little sister, Emmy, like that's my jam right there. I always look for her. I couldn't find her today. I think that was the problem of why we didn't play so good. I think it might be I didn't get my Emmy wave.

But just an awesome family and a great kid. And same thing with Mikesell. I talked to Mikesell a couple different times. She's just classy. I mean, anyone that works like that at her craft, and I don't know if you've read any of those stories about how many shots she makes in a day. I mean, she probably shoots more in a week than my entire team does sometimes. I mean, I appreciate kids that love the craft and are self-made players. When you look at her she's not the most athletic player out there, but her will to be the best and be the best version of what she can be is awesome.

Like, she's a really, really talented kid because she made herself that way. She made herself that way. In coaching, you just appreciate kids like that when whether they play for you or they don't.

Q. (Question about the upcoming season.)

SUZY MERCHANT: Yeah. They got to be darn year near juniors with all the minutes they played this year. They might move freshmen to the Junior status. I'm excited. There's things they got to get better at and improve at for sure.

But one thing I know, doing it this year, and the way they did it as freshmen, pretty impressive. I mean, pretty impressive. Room for improvement and they're willing to accept some of that and know they have some work in the off-season. But I mean, those two freshmen logged a ton of minutes and we had to rely on both of them in order for us to be successful. So super excited about the future and what we have coming in and we'll be in good shape.

Q. Touching on that really quick, I mean, could that be, as tough as this season was with the adversity and everything, but could that be a little bit of a blessing in disguise for the future, they grew up quickly this year, but now they're going to be ahead of the curve moving forward?

SUZY MERCHANT: I think so. I mean freshmen, it's always interesting, it's what process and what journey do they take and I think some of them by the situation was by injury. They got more minutes than -- and they might have been better had they had more rest, but they were both very, very good this year for all the minutes that they had. ^ Mark so if there is a silver lining, a blessing in disguise, the fact that those two were starters and played 40 minutes a game in tough situations, close, won, not quite enough, good games, bad games, I mean that's part of the journey. I will say that there's some other kids that are on the team that are in that position too. And every freshman, I always say your journey is different and if you're willing to buy into the process and believe, like there's, by work ethic and putting yourself into the game, there's good things ahead. So I hope people stick processes out, I know it's easy not to now days, but I think we have some young kids that I think will be very effective for us outside of those two in the future.

Q. Watching the game, the press, the inside of the press and the bench players, what can your team do to improve that velocity in terms of bench contribution and (no microphone)?

SUZY MERCHANT: I had so many injured players. You know, I thought yesterday our posts really carried us inside and today they just, it wasn't their night in terms of scoring the ball in there. So I think we have the ability to do so and like I said, when you're in the beginning in a season you practice all year long and then all of a sudden it's like, wow, you have to change everything that you're doing, I mean we were a pressing team when we started and I said to myself, how am I going to keep everybody happy when we're 10 deep. To now like where we're at. So I know that next year we're going to have a lot more depth and that matters. I mean you can see playing back-to-back I think we had some heavy legs a little bit but I think we'll be okay. I don't anticipate that being an issue in the future and we got to stay healthy and those things, but I'm excited about the future with what we have coming in and what this off-season brings with maybe a couple more kids.