NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - SOUTH DAKOTA VS OLE MISS

March 17, 2022

Shakira Austin

Lashonda Monk

Ole Miss Rebels

Media Conference

MODERATOR: Welcome to today's women's NCAA first round news conference here in Waco, Texas, featuring no. 7 seed Ole Miss, who will play No. 10 seed South Dakota at 12:30 p.m. on Friday. This is a hybrid news conference with both in-person media and others who will be joining us via Zoom webinar. Joining us today are Ole Miss student-athletes Shakira Austin and Lashonda Monk. Thanks so much for being with us, ladies. Questions?

Q. Shakira, can you speak to the experience of getting to the final of the NIT last year and now being at this point where you're getting read to start the NCAA tournament?

SHAKIRA AUSTIN: Last year, going into WNIT, it was disappointing to not make the tournament, but we went in with the right mindset, that we were still trying to get better and really just prepare for this year, and I really think that experience is what carried us on to success this season.

Q. Lashonda, this is your first season at Ole Miss?

LASHONDA MONK: Yes, sir.

Q. Just in terms of being here, getting ready to start the NCAA tournament, can you describe your emotions surrounding that?

LASHONDA MONK: I mean, I'm just really excited, and my teammates are excited to be here. It's just a lot of good emotions, so I'm really just excited to be here.

Q. Shakira, playing South Dakota -- and you guys come out of the SEC. They come out of, I believe, the Summit. How has your conference prepared you for the level of competition in the tournament in general, but especially to face a team that maybe hasn't seen quite that level?

SHAKIRA AUSTIN: Right. The SEC prepared us for sure, teams like Arkansas, just shooting teams that might not be as traditional as the rest of the teams in the SEC. And even in nonconference, you know, we played Belmont, and that was our first loss. And that really taught us a lesson with dealing with teams like that. And when we got to Mizzou, we were able to dominate. So if we're able to just carry that defense we have, I really think South Dakota is going to be shocked.

Q. Lashonda, what have you guys seen from South Dakota on film so far? Looks like they might be a little more of a guard-driven scoring team.

LASHONDA MONK: Yeah. We really just -- like you said, they do drive. The defense that we play is going to give them problems. But, also, the way that they play, you know, if they don't have anything within their offense, they're looking to just put their head down and drive. So we just focus on guarding that.

Q. For Shakira, what does it mean to you to be at this point here in the NCAA tournament after, as you mentioned in one of your earlier press conferences, you know, just some of the people who maybe weren't so positive about you coming to Ole Miss? How does it feel now to be here?

SHAKIRA AUSTIN: I mean, it feels great. This is everything that I dreamed of. I haven't been in the tournament since my freshman year, you know, with COVID; and last year with WNIT. So just to really turn this program around and to finally get here and all the work we put in from the summer, all the talks we've had about actually getting to this moment, you know, and it finally being here. I think we're just ready to shock the world. So I'm excited for this team. I'm excited for what we're going to do, and I really just hope we go on a good run.

Q. Shakira, can you just talk about what this season has meant for you and the team?

SHAKIRA AUSTIN: For me, it's just been bad on myself. I know from my team, they feel the same, you know, just seeing the rise of this program from the people who were here from the beginning to the people who came and helped the change. I just feel like, you know, this is, regardless of if people want to play pro after this or not, we all were able to just come on the same page and really just want to do something special. And that's what makes it seem great. I mean, we're all just coming together and have the same goal and have the same dream of really just leaving a legacy. So I'm excited about that.

Q. Now, after evaluating South Dakota on film, what kind of stands out?

SHAKIRA AUSTIN: They're definitely a good shooting team. They're able to put the ball on the floor, take you off the dribble. I don't think that they've really played anybody like us, besides South Carolina and other SEC teams. But as long as we come in and we play our defense, I think it'll be a good ending for us.

LASHONDA MONK: Yeah, I would agree with her. They're a really good team. They can put the ball on the floor; they can shoot. They're really solid, very fundamental. I agree with here, again, I don't think they've seen a team defensively like us, so I think that what we will bring will kind of shock them.

Q. Branching off of that, I think you kind of just said it now and you said it during the watch party, that they may not be prepared for it as much. But, I mean, are there kind of any changes being made defensively just in case? Anything figured out in the evaluation process or has there not really been anything like that?

SHAKIRA AUSTIN: No. Our defense is set to guard any team. Our season, we played multiple teams who play similar to them. So I definitely think as long as we stick to our principles, we'll be fine.

MODERATOR: Shakira, Lashonda, thank you.