NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - ARKANSAS VS UTAH

March 17, 2022

Lynne Roberts

Dru Gylten

Brynna Maxwell

Utah Utes

Media Conference

LYNNE ROBERTS: I thank you. I appreciate all of you being here covering our sport and this great tournament, we appreciate it and it matters. So appreciate seeing you guys this morning. We are excited to be here. Happy to be here.

I am really, really proud of our team for the season we have had. The Pac-12 I think is the best conference in the country from top to bottom. There is not one single game that is every easy or a given. For our team and two upperclassmen are with us the rest are underclassmen. For us to be here in this incredible league. I am really proud of our team and excited for the game.

Arkansas is a good team. I've known Neighbors obviously. He was at University of Washington in our conference for a while, and made the Final Four there with them. Them ton of respect for him. He's a friend of mine. Our teams are strangely very similar. I don't know if the Committee had some fun setting that game up, which is great. I love it. I'm looking forward to a great game. So we are happy to be here but we are not content to make the Tournament we want to play well, complete and advance.

Q. This is for the players. This site is interesting it's got three conference freshman Players of the Year. I'm curious if you can describe what Gianna has brought to your team and the match-up with Samara on the other side.

BRYNNA MAXWELL: I can talk about G all day. Gianna her game is really, really interesting to me. Because she plays at her own pace. She doesn't let anybody rush her. She finds a way to get to the bucket and she has like a nose for the bucket. I don't know how she does it. I don't think you can teach it. She is really good at finding way ways to slither through to get to the rim or pull up and she is an amazing sheeter as well she is one the best shooters I've been around. She is fearless. She walked into the gym and she didn't act like a freshman. She has so much confidence. She is fearless. She goes out there and does what G does and it's really fun to watch. The sky is the limit for her. She has so much potential.

DRU GYLTEN: Just to add on to add onto that. It's kind of like what Brynna said, I think if you watch her play, her focus and her mentality is she doesn't want to lose. I think that's an amazing talent to have an a freshman. I think she works hard. She's worked hard for everything she's earned. I'm not kidding you, you can go into our gym at seven a.m. in the morning and she is in there getting extra shots up.

I think it's going to be a great match-up. We had that same match-up in the Pac-12 Tournament when we played against Jayda Curry. There were some controversy about those two. She handles the pressure well. She doesn't really let that affect her. Just plays her game and plays for everybody on our team. So it's going to be a really fun match-up with the two freshman. I think it's just amazing having so much talent in such a big game. So it's going to be really exciting to play and watch.

Q. For the players, you guys haven't played in 12 days but you are kind of used to that with the COVID pause. How will that affect you and what have you guys been doing the last 12 days?

DRU GYLTEN: I think we had happen to us at the beginning of the year, the new year we got shut done for COVID. I think it's the mentality of the team. We are such a competitive team just naturally competitive. Sometimes a little too much but it's kind of March Madness and just us being so excited to get here and play a new game and play somebody different. So I think we have tried to stay neutral the whole season.

So I think we will carry that on to tomorrow as well. Just put our shoes on we are stepping on the court again. We have our scout. Just not getting too high or too low, just being grateful to play another game and survive and advance here in Texas.

Q. With last year's tournament bringing up so much discussion about equity between the men's and women's game, how would you assess where that is now is that something that you talk amongst yourself and other players in the conference?

BRYNNA MAXWELL: This is the first time anyone on our team has been to the NCAA tournament. I don't think we have a lot of experience with what it used to be like versus now. Compared to social media what was going on a social media you can already see improvement. I think women's basketball has some great advocates out there. Sedona Prince is really good at letting people know when things aren't right. There are a lot of people that are like that. I am really glad that the NCAA is listening and they are making improvements. There's a lot more to be done but there is definitely improvements happening.

Q. Brynna, Coach said you guys aren't just happy to be here. How has that manifested itself in your practice leading up to this?

BRYNNA MAXWELL: I think since the beginning of the year when we were picked 10th to finish in the Pac-12 everyone has kind after chip on their shoulder that we aren't here to plays games and finish wherever one wants us to finish. We are here to make a statement. We are a 7th seed, which everyone is happy, but we know we can win some games in this tournament. It's going to be tough. Arkansas is a really good team but we are not just happy to be here because it's our first appearance in a long time. We are not done with our season. I'm not ready to say goodbye to Dru or to the rest of your seniors.

So everyone is ready to play. Like Dru said this is the one of the most competitive teams. We are not just here to say we got here.

Q. Then obviously you guys are one of the most efficient offenses in the country. Three-point shooting is your bread and butter. Going into a new arena. Is there a shooter's gym and won't get a lot of time on this court how will that affect you guys?

BRYNNA MAXWELL: Throughout the years away games have helped us get used to different rims. Obviously we the Huntsman is our home gym the best gym for us. You get used to playing in different hoops, different gyms. Our assistant coach says shooters shoot, it doesn't matter which rim you are shooting at.

I think everyone will adjust pretty well. We have time here to adjust and we will be ready to go for tomorrow.

DRU GYLTEN: Yeah, I agree. Kind of the joke is don't make excuses, the lighting, the rim is too tight, new gym, new court but I think at the end of the day we have amazing shooters and that's what they do best, if they miss one shot they are going to shoot it again and not take any second guesses at that. So I'm sure the ball will hopefully go into the basket tomorrow.

Q. For the players and maybe coach can address this later but you are in Austin, I know it's all about basketball but you're in the middle of South by Southwest Festival. It's a big deal. Are you asking for any time off to check it out?

DRU GYLTEN: It's fun coming to a new city and new state. I don't think any of us are have asked if we can wander around.

LYNNE ROBERTS: They know better.

DRU GYLTEN: Yeah, I think we know better. We are here for the Tournament. It's cool that it's in such a neat place but we are here for basketball. We are here just to enjoy it but also win a game. So that's also our focus. Maybe after that the game we can do something else, but right now all focus is on the game.

BRYNNA MAXWELL: It's a business trip.

Q. For both Lynne and the players, this is obviously new for you guys coming to the Tournament, are there nerves that are already starting to set in as you guys are creeping closer to the game?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Not for me. I think what I have shared about this group all season is how they have shown up every day the same. They have been incredibly steady and consistent. As Dru mentioned, they stay neutral. We all do. After a huge win, the next day is the same as if we lost a heartbreaker. They show up the same every day and that's what they have shown in this break. It was nice to get some rest and try to get and little bit more healthy. We have had struggles there everybody is going through that.

No, I'm not nervous. Maybe I should be but I'm not. Maybe it's abnormal to not be but I'm not in the course of the season your team shows what their character is and the identity is these guys have been so steady and they have approached the each game the same way. I have not seen nerves from them at all. Which gives me great confidence and kind of following their lead in that.

I'm excited to be here. I'm ready to play. Like Jay said, it's been 12 days, so that's a stretch to not be playing game. So there is excitement but not nerves.

Q. Just the same thing as far as nerves. This is the first time coming into the Tournament. It's a little bit different than the Pac-12 Tournament. What is going through your mind as you are going into this game?

DRU GYLTEN: I think as a senior and leader of this group, this whole season we have tried to put in place that we don't put pressure on one player. I think that's our strength because we have so many scorers and so many different weapons that not one person is pressured to, oh, I have to be the leading scorer of this game. I think our balance is so strong. That's what makes us the best team we can be. Naturally that doesn't put any stress or nerves on any players.

Like Coach Rob said, knowing our team, knowing our players, we are pretty well balanced. I haven't seen any nerves at least the past couple days.

Q. As far as you guys being here and this was seventh year that you got back, the patience that administration at the U has shown your program, has that made a difference as far as your being able to get back here?

LYNNE ROBERTS: I think years ago we were 13th in the country at one point. We have shown competitiveness. Yeah, I don't think we have been a bad team for six years at all. I think we have done some good stuff here.

Yeah, I couldn't feel more supported administratively. That starts at the top from our president, to Mark Harlan our athletic director, Charmelle Green our deputy AD and my boss. I think the thing I love being at Utah is that women's basketball matters. You walk into our facility and that shows. I love that. That's one of the reasons I wanted to be the Utah. No one puts more pressure on me than myself. I appreciate expectation. I want it, and that's who I am. It's like the adage, if the coach stops coaching you, you are in trouble. I want that expectation. I want people to care. I want people to want us to be great and we are there. We are not to the top of the mountain but we have turned a corner. Yeah, I am grateful for the support and that's a huge reason of why I love being at the U.

Q. I was asking the players earlier about the talent level of the freshman here. If you could speak to what Gianna has done for you this season and her matchup with Samara in this first game.

LYNNE ROBERTS: Both of those guys are such good players, similar styles with Arkansas. Mike and I have a similar philosophy, if you can play, you're gonna play. I don't care if you're walk-on senior or a highly recruited freshman. You've seen that with Samara, she's a talent. She's gonna be a best in the SEC.

Gianna for us has been, you heard them say it, she is so steady. She is as competitive as heck. She'll get frustrated with things but she doesn't let that affect her game. I think there is one or two games all season where she didn't have a quote/unquote a good game. Typically these talented young players they might go 7-for-10 one game and 2-for-10 the next game, so they average 10. But Gianna hasn't had that.

To Dru's point, no one on our team averages more than nine shot attempts a game. Gianna doesn't feel the pressure I have to score 20 or we don't have a shot. I think pressure is a dangerous thing, especially if you are young.

I think the team balance has really helped her just kind of do what she is able to do. Then who she is and what her talent level has taken her to the next level. But she has the intangibles that kind of separate opportunity to be great to elite and I think she has the chance to be elite because she is competitive, she is really humble. She wants to be coached. She doesn't think she knows anything. You'll talk to her and realize she is 18. She is just the sweetest kid in the world, but yet just a lion on the court, which is a fun balance and she has been a joy to coach.

When you have a freshman as the leading scorer, sometimes upperclassmen can get potentially a little bit jealous but who Gianna is and how she doesn't think she has all the answers has made everyone rally around her.

Q. You mentioned earlier the match-up against Mike Neighbors, when you saw that on the bracket have you reached out to each other? Have you talked? What are you expecting from his team?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Yeah, we did. I've known Mike for a really long time. He's been a great pioneer for our game. He is an open book. He is very confident in what he does. That allows him to share what he knows and I respect that a lot. There is no kind of paranoia or anything like that with him.

But we have always had kind of similar teams in terms of style of play and comes from the similar philosophy that we both have. But yeah, I did think to myself, the Committee probably enjoyed putting that match-up together.

I've said this but we are both kind of nerds at heart that try to act cool. We both love the analytics piece. Studying things, geeking out on stuff, the numbers part of it. What you see big picture is the style of play. My philosophy has always been the goal of the game is to score more points than the other team. That's in the rule book. That's what we try to do and I know they do too.

Q. Coach, I come to with you with the earlier question with the equity with issues the NCAA after last season. What is the conversation among coaches heading into the Tournament? What you seeing? What are you expecting? We see the March Madness behind you, the trademark. What is the conversation with coaches with the equity issues?

LYNNE ROBERTS: I appreciate that question. I think there has been, how do I say this? Sometimes things have to blow up before they get fixed. I think last spring we saw it blow up in a negative light but it needed to happen. I am proud of the student-athletes that raised the awareness and the different coaches that spoke out about it. I think it's important. Whatever waters and gets sunlight grows. I think it sheds some light on issues and that's the starting point.

I don't think we are where we are need to be. I think the NCAA is working hard to seemingly fix some of the optics, but I think systemically we have a long ways to go. If you are talking about television and media and advertisement, that's where the true money comes from. If we are talking about true equity, the resources need to be the same. The argument of well more people watch the men than the women, but again systemically why is that? What can, as an organization the NCAA, but what can we do with our media partners and advertising and all to level the field in that way? And the high tide rises all ships. I think the whole thing needs to be elevated.

That's not a discredit to what Lynn Holzman at the NCAA is trying to do. They are trying to do what they can, but I think it needs to come from, personally, from a higher power in terms of again the roots of it and where we can take this thing. The numbers show people do care. People will watch. We have seen advancements in that the last two, three years but still a long ways to ago.

Q. Hi, Coach. I do want to piggyback on the equity question. Salt Lake City, the fans how have they rallied around this group to make it known they support the women's program? Have you noticed a change or trajectory since when you first arrived until now?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Salt Lake City is a sports town. We don't compete with another university or other things athletically. There is the Utah Jazz obviously, but in terms of the college market, we are a sports town. I think can you see that with our football team and playing in the Rose Bowl and how many Utah fans traveled for that, our gymnastics team averages I don't know what it is, 12,000-13,000 fans that was one the goals and one of the things when took this job I saw the potential there in Salt Lake City of, this is a sports town but you have to give them reason to come want to watch you. It's not a one-way ticket. We have got to produce and make a reason to buy the ticket and show up.

So it is growing. It is growing. I think attendance is up 580% since I got the job, which is great. But we still have a ways to go in terms of where I want to be. I think you can look at some of the programs that are consistently in the Final Four and their fan base is steady and consistent and impressive. Again, I think we have to put the product on that makes people, the new ticket person, the new fan to come to a game.

Again, I believe if you build it, they will come and we have seen that. There is definitely been more excitement and following and all that kind of stuff with our program this season and we intend to build on it big time.

Q. Going back to Gianna, you talk about her commitment and will to just get better. Have you noticed that rubbing on the freshman class on possible work ethic? Sometimes seniors inspire the young cats, but have you noticed she is inspiring the upperclassmen as well?

LYNNE ROBERTS: All three of our freshmen, Gianna Kneepkens, Jenna Johnson and Inês Vieira, those guys work. There's a humility to them and a blue-collar attitude to them. I love coaching that. Who wouldn't? Brynna Maxwell, who was up here earlier, she was always that. She would walk into the gym, expecting to be the first one and there's three little sweaty freshmen already. It's kind of like, oh I've got some friends in here. That's contagious. I walk in the gym 20 minutes before practice and everyone is there already getting work in.

Then that speaks to the leadership of a Dru Gylten, Brynna Maxwell and the mentality of our young guys of there's a humility to them and a work ethic that has separated it and you've seen it. I always say great players are the consistent. Great teams are consistent. They have been consistent in that. It's not after a bad shooting game they are there shooting, it's been since September getting work in.

Honestly, we have had to tell them to stop. There is off-days for a reason. You need to rest. You need to recover. But then they will find ways to sneak in when we don't know.

That's been the personality of this group. I love it. I pretend that I get mad at it but I love it deep down.

Q. Something that you had talked about, if you build it, they will come. Of what you built is a brand of basketball that is very exciting to watch. It changed this year. What kind of led to that change of changing your philosophy to where you guys are really pushing the ball, shooting a lot of threes trying to put a lot of points on the board, what led to that change especially with such a young roster?

LYNNE ROBERTS: That's a great question. I think after last year, last year we had a disappointing season. There's a lot of variables. I don't want to talk about last year, but it forced me to look in the mirror, and what are we doing right and what aren't we doing well. I reached out to coaches in our league that I know care about me and I very much trust, I told them I want the honest truth. What do you see, what aren't we doing well? And they gave it to me, which is great. I appreciated it and still value it.

Once I kind of figured that out and started peeling back the layers of where we need to get better, as I said, I'm a nerd, I did a deep analytical dive into all of the other Pac-12 teams, what did they do well, not as well. From there separate some key analytics as to what separates the great teams that are consistently great, what are they doing independent of styles of play, personnel, whatever, and identify three or four things analytically that the great things consistently do, again, independent of how they do it, in terms of style of play and everything.

I was able to hire an analytics person who has been instrumental in identifying how pulling it back to how. We know this, now the question is how. We have changed everything in terms of -- the players, as an example, the players don't get a regular stat sheet after games. We don't meet after games. They don't look at them. We have created our own. We call it a smart box. It's a way to evaluate and quantify the things that matter and the things I've identified as winning basketball. So they get those instead. For example, instead of assists, it charts good passes. Instead of assist hunting, we are charting if you made a good pass. It's not like 50 a game, but a pass that is the right pass but doesn't get you the assist, might get the assist in two more passes, stuff like that.

50/50 balls we chart. If you have a chance to come up with a loose ball or big a rebound, we chart that rather than overall rebounds. So things like that and shot selection has been the key. Where are the most effect field-goal percentage, where are we getting most points per shot attempt, points per possession. We are charting all of that and the players in their sleep could tell you what a good shot, a bad shot, all that kind of stuff.

So a lot has changed, I could tell you a lot as a nerd but I'll leave it there.

Q. I'm also kind of in nerdy space as far as stats but when you go ahead and change the way you do it. Talking to other coaches in the league and do all the research. Did you have to find that you had to have certain players that fit that system or it was a one size fits all kind of thing?

LYNNE ROBERTS: The reality is I've never been a walk-it-up slow-it-down coach. This is my 20th year, we have always tried to be up tempo. We have always recruited shooters. We have always tried to play fast and score as many as we can. We have kind recruited the personnel necessary, it was just changing the focus -- not changing it but laser focusing in on things that matter. It worked with who we had but it was getting the players to buy into it, which they did. To their credit, winning is the great elixir. When you start winning and seeing the results, buy-in gets easier.

It's a combination of all those things but we did have the personnel in place to have it be successful.