BIG TEN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 5, 2022

Teri Moren

Nicole Cardaño-Hillary

Ali Patberg

Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Indiana Hoosiers

Postgame Press Conference

Indiana - 70, Ohio State - 62

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with an opening statement from coach and then take questions for the student-athletes.

TERI MOREN: Well, like I told these guys in the locker room, there was so many great things that happened today and, except for the first one, which we didn't wake up, I don't think any of us, anticipating that Lex was going to be sick and not able to go until later in the game.

But I thought Chloe stepped up in a big kind of way. She was terrific in the first quarter of play. All of them were in terms of just how we got off to a fast start, a great start. Loved the rhythm. Loved just the tempo.

And then I thought Ali Patberg defensively was tremendous on Mikesell. I know that Mikesell's had a game like that, which was so difficult for her this afternoon. I thought Ali Patberg was terrific.

We asked our guards to rebound the ball today, and look at the stat sheet, and Nikki has 11. She has a double double. She has 11 of our rebounds, which was terrific, just her hustle and her play.

Proud of the fact that we shared the sugar with 20 assists on 24 field goals and most importantly that we out-rebounded them. Statistics show when we out-rebound teams we win. So it was a great collective effort by our, the Hoosiers today, and just really proud, really proud of how these guys showed up and executed.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Ali, talk about, I thought one of the best parts of this game was Indiana's defense today. Talk about that. And then Nicole, your vision on rebounds. I mean I looked at it and said, wow. So your vision on rebounds, it's like there's a natural act to know where to go to on shots coming of the back board or the rim, correct?

ALI PATBERG: Yeah. Our defense was great. We gave it our all. But, again, we came in so prepared, even with the one-day turnaround. We were confident with the game plan and how will we had to do was execute it. I think, I haven't watched the film, but I think we did a really good job and we just fought. We fought hard.

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: I think just the fact that my teammates are all boxing out and I can run in there and grab that rebound, that that's what really helps me get those boards and it's really all about my teammates.

Q. I'm the guy on the phone earlier in the week who asked you about whether you annoy other defensive team players and you said, you have to ask them. Well, the last two days in a row, members of the other team both described you as a gnat who was annoying. So what do you say to that?

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: You know, I mean, I don't mind those adjectives.

TERI MOREN: That's a compliment.

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: I don't mind those compliments for playing basketball. But like I said I would say that we're so prepared because of our coaches and I know I've got four people behind me that are going to have my back, so I'm able to do what I do because of who I have behind me.

Q. Ali, you talked about it before the season. When you came back this year you came back for opportunities like this. Now you're one win away from a Big Ten title. What's it mean to you to be on the doorstep now?

ALI PATBERG: Yeah, I'm just thankful, thankful for the opportunity to be here and I'm thankful for my teammates, my coaches, and we're one win away, so we got to stay focused on that.

Q. Ali, I spoke -- over the course of your entire career there were points when your points have gone up in March games. What about as the season goes on, as you guys get tired and the games get bigger in March, how does that get you going or seems to kind of bring out more of that March Ali Patberg?

ALI PATBERG: I just want to win, so I do whatever, whatever it takes, whatever we need. I'm focused on winning and I'm competitive and, just like all my teammates, just like my coaches. That's what we're about.

Q. Obviously Chloe came out and played amazingly. How excited are you for Chloe for the future, for next season, and how much potential do you see in her?

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: Yeah. I think Chloe has come into the games and gives us so much energy. Like coach said, unexpected things happen like that. She really stepped up and she gave us everything she had and I really think she made an incredible impact today.

ALI PATBERG: Yeah. Chloe is really good offensively, but she's just as good defensively, which is exciting for this team. I think the adversity that we had this season was a blessing for her, for all of us, but specifically for her because she had to step up and she did.

Q. This is the first time that this program has had the opportunity to play for a Big Ten championship. When you guys play for that tomorrow, how do you guys feel going into that game?

ALI PATBERG: Excited, but like I said, we have one more game to play, so we need to stay focused on that. We're just giving everything we have. It's literally one game. So we're going to, you can bet we're going to give it our all, and we're going to fight.

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: I think we're, I mean, I'm biting at the bit or whatever the saying is.

Q. Chomping at the bit?

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: Chomping at the bit to get out there.

TERI MOREN: Remember she's from Spain. She doesn't know how we speak here.

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: Like I said, I have full confidence in the coaches to get us prepared and I know we'll bring it tomorrow.

Q. You all were able to close it out. Ohio State's press there at the end, it gave some fits. How were you able to handle that and just what about their press made it so difficult to sort of get out of it?

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: They got a good press and you saw it earlier in the season. I think they stepped it up too.

But I think we were able to handle it. We adjusted as the game went on and I think we did a very good job, and having kind of helping each other out when someone's getting trapped or flashing and I thought that overall helped us.

ALI PATBERG: Yeah. It was tough, but I think at the end when you're down you take even more chances, and they were, and we weren't, so I think that's all that matters.

Q. Ohio State, they said one of the game plans was trying to keep y'all off the perimeter, but y'all still were able to shoot 50 percent from the three. What went into the game plan just being able to knock down those perimeter threes?

ALI PATBERG: Yeah. Our game -- well, we're so talented at every position, so we believe we can score any time, like I said, any position. So tonight we shot the three well, but we also shot the two well. But, like I said, the game plan was just to be us and we were. So...

Q. For both of you, you just said your game plan was to be us. At the beginning of the season you came in with great expectations, really humming and then things started to go wrong. You talked about the adversity with COVID, with MacKenzie getting injured. Are you fully back as a team to that attitude you had and the swagger you had to start the season and feel you could go all the way and win a NCAA title?

ALI PATBERG: Yeah. You know, the adversity that we hit was a blessing for us. It didn't look like it at the moment but it was and I think we're starting to click again. We're starting to roll again.

And we'll have more work to do and we'll focus on what we need to be better at tomorrow, but we're starting to feel and play like ourselves, I think.

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: She said it. I think that the adversity is something that it's just going to make us better. We have a lot of experienced players on the team, which I think is going to help us go far as well.

Q. Throughout the season the coach talked about the idea of sharing the sugar, making sure everyone gets shots. How has that helped you guys, the balanced scoring helped you guys throughout this run here in the Big Ten tournament?

NICOLE CARDANO-HILLARY: I think what makes our team so good is the chemistry and just us actually want to go see each other do well. Sharing the sugar is something that we want to do. It's not something that we're like, oh, we got to do that.

No. We want to see, I want to pass the ball to Ali and drain that three every time. If I could do it every time, I'd do it. And I think that kind of willingness to pass and to get the best shot rather than a good shot is really what makes our team so strong.

ALI PATBERG: Yeah. That's when we're at our best. That's when we're really hard to beat. So we're going to keep doing that.

THE MODERATOR: Ladies, you are dismissed. Thank you. We'll see you tomorrow.

Questions for coach.

Q. We're at that point, aren't we? 20 years ago Indiana won a Big Ten tournament. Any special thoughts about not over-hyping the game, keeping the game in perspective, those things? And do you prefer Iowa or do you prefer Nebraska?

TERI MOREN: I think we're keeping it in perspective. Our goal when we set out here on Wednesday night was to be here until Sunday, even though we're a team that tries to take games one day at a time, and we are. The full picture for us was, you know, and we talk to our kids about securing the top, one of the top seeds because we want to host. We want to be in Bloomington. We want Hoosier Nation to be a part of the NCAA Tournament. But also winning a Big Ten championship.

I feel like our kids are starting, we're talking about humming. I think we are playing better. I think we're playing -- we just look more connected. We look more comfortable. And I'll tell you what, I love this team. I've always said that. I love what they're about. I love how competitive they are.

If I have to put my money on a team, it's going to be these guys, just because they are so connected. Their chemistry is unbelievable. When they're connected they are really, really good. This is a really talented basketball team that I have the opportunity and the privilege to coach.

So I think whatever this group, we decide that we set our mind to something, we're going to stick through it. And I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but as I think Ali said, we're going to give everything we got to win a Big Ten.

Q. Preference?

TERI MOREN: Not really. Again, this league is so good, we, the one thing that, we've obviously played Iowa twice. We've played Nebraska twice. Didn't, wasn't able to take care of business at Iowa. We split with Nebraska. So two really talented teams, well coached, great players on each side.

Q. I know you have more work tomorrow, but even from the context of where the program was when you took over eight years ago, what's it mean to you to be on the doorstep of a Big Ten title?

TERI MOREN: Well, I think this is, this was the plan. And, again, I have an incredible staff who is, they're so talented and they make sure that whether we're on the floor or off the floor in our preparation that our players are always well prepared.

But, yeah, I think this was, like I said, always in the plan of when we arrived here eight years ago what we wanted to build here at Indiana. And I've said this, the tradition's always been on the men's side and we wanted to create our own tradition. I think that we're doing that.

When people talk about Indiana basketball, we didn't, we don't want to be exclusive just to men's basketball. We want people talking about the women's basketball program as well. And that's been the goal.

But for me it's been just surrounding myself with the right people. My staff and these players, they bought into our vision. They're workers, love being in the gym. They're ate up with getting better, and so are we as a staff. So I think the marriage that we have works for us in terms of -- because we are a little different. When you come to Indiana you have to really love playing the defensive side of the ball and you also have to love being in the gym and working on your skill development and getting better and being more together.

I think that we're, from right now, we still have work to do, as you mentioned, but this is has always been in the plans I think for our staff with this program.

Q. Once the game started, did you kind of, or I guess were you hearing much on Aleksa at that point about her coming back out?

TERI MOREN: Yeah. She just needed some more time and so then our trainer and Doctor Trip, who is with us, just, and again, I got to see her for a little bit, spend some time with her, and she was at that point just trying to sort of refuel and get some, she was kind of zapped out in terms of her energy level.

But they assured me that it was going to be a matter of time when she was coming out. We didn't know, but it sure was good to see her when she was sitting over there.

And I thought the minutes that she played, we knew she wasn't going to be able to give us normal Lex minutes, but when she did, when she wasn't in, she was certainly impactful.

Q. 11 turnovers. You had 20 assists, the ball movement was great, but the defense was spectacular, including the minutes you got from Arielle Wisne. Late in the first quarter she played two of her five minutes and put up three consecutives amazing defensive stops for you. Talk about the important role of your bench in this post-season play, please.

TERI MOREN: She did. That's probably the biggest block of her life and the fact that she blocked it and was able to secure it.

But again, we've used her in the last three days we've been in Indianapolis for spot minutes. And, yeah, this is a group, again, that, Nicki said it the best, that they just fall in love with each other's success. And we just ask all of them, you know, you never know when that opportunity's going to come. You never know when your number's going to be called. Just stay ready. Just stay ready.

And I thought Arielle, she has stayed ready. And we knew we were going to use her today, especially when we found out the news of Lex. And so really proud and happy. I know her teammates were certainly so happy. You could just tell by the excitement when she came out just how pleased they were and how happy they were for her that she came in and had an impact.

Q. Chloe Moore got the start tonight. She played 38 of the 40 minutes, scored 11 points. Talk about her impact on today's game.

TERI MOREN: She was terrific, she was terrific. She got really disappointed with herself at the end there when we had a turnover in the backcourt against their press. And she did so many great things. I just love how she came out. It was like her hair was on fire. She was literally getting to the rim and being aggressive in our motion and I loved -- again, Lex was out, we had no problem knowing that Chloe was going to come in and she was going to help us and I think alley talked about the, yes, Mac being out for that month a little over a month was disappointing, but the silver lining was it gave opportunity to Chloe that we could play small and she got all that experience playing inside all those big games. So I don't know that any of us is -- we're not surprised by her play today, but I just thought she was super aggressive and, you know, we needed to get off to a fast start and a great start and she certainly was a part of that. I think all of her 11 points came in the first half. And again, let's don't forget, she's really good defensively, Chloe is smart, she's playing that kind of out of position for us and so there's only a few things that we can, that we run when she's in there. We really rely on our motion when she's in and she's such a great downhill driver, she also obviously has range as well. But super excited for her, but happy that she came ready to play today.

Q. What about Ohio State's press make it's so difficult to game plan for and how much did you learn from that first matchup just being able to work through that?

TERI MOREN: Well I think the difference, we had to certainly go against it at their place, but it just seemed like it was so long ago, I think it was December, is that right, when we saw them? And so I think obviously with time your press, everything gets a little bit better with time and games and so forth. The biggest difference that I saw in our prep and watching them I think it's aggressive. And it's, and again when you're only talking about a one-day prep, it's stuff you walk through this morning in shoot around, but you really got to rely on your guards and I thought Nikki, Ali, Grace Berger, Chloe, really happy for Chloe, they really handled themselves. Really handled themselves well. The thing that Grace Berger gives you is a strong facilitator in the backcourt. So any time the ball's in Grace's hands she's bigger, so she can see over the top and so forth. But I love how we attacked. I don't think that it made us passive. We didn't want to be passive against it, we wanted to be aggressive and get great shots. We didn't want to turn it over and we didn't want to take bad, rushed shots as well. And I thought our kids did a fantastic job of both of those.

Q. 33 seconds to go, you're up six, Ohio State has the ball, what's the message in that timeout?

TERI MOREN: Get a stop. Get a stop. Don't foul, protect the three-point line, protect the arc, don't foul and get a stop, stay locked in. And sure enough, you know, they figured it out.

Q. The other day you said that you were facing Maryland for the third time you were going to play them on a new neutral court. This doesn't feel like a neutral court, does it, very much today or yesterday?

TERI MOREN: And you know what I'm not going to apologize for that.

Q. Which part?

TERI MOREN: That it feels like a neutral court. Again Hoosier Nation showing up and again there's going to be more of them tomorrow, this is what I do know about our fans they're going to show up.

Q. Your team has won games in so many different ways this season and faced a lot of different times of adversity both in individual games and in bigger picture, but with Mac out, so knowing all that what does it say about this team that they just find ways to win games?

TERI MOREN: Just that. They're tough, right? They're tough, they're resilient, they're together, they're connected, their chemistry is off the charts, they hang their hat on the defensive end, they're disciplined, I could go on and on but I think that's a good start. They're just a really, really great group.

Q. A little bit more about Chloe. It seems every game her confidence just goes up her mentality seems better, has there been anything that you or the other coaches have said one-on-one to her to kind of get her mentality there?

TERI MOREN: No, I think that we are a program that really prides itself in the work. We say that a lot, but what I mean by that is our belief is that your confidence can only come from your work. When you have kids like Chloe, you have kids like Ali, they get in the gym, right? Outside of practice hours, before practice, they stay late, they get reps, they get more reps, that's where your confidence comes from. So, yes, we have seen Chloe inside of games look more confident but it's because she's doing the work out side the competition. There's no secret saws to any of that, it's just, it's the work. I think that our confidence, all of them it comes from what they do not inside of games. It's all outside.