NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - GEORGIA TECH VS KANSAS

March 17, 2022

Brandon Schneider

Zakiyah Franklin

Chandler Prater

Kansas Jayawks

Media Conference

Q. Have you ever faced Nell Fortner before as a coach?

COACH SCHNEIDER: Not as a coach, I have not.

Q. Coach, anything about Georgia Tech that is there a team in the Big 12 that, you know, you liken them to as far as what they present in challenges?

COACH SCHNEIDER: Probably, Kansas. I think the two teams are very similar in that we're both statistically very balanced. You know, they have four players averaging double figures and a fifth very close to it. They've got good interior play, guard play is very good. I think, just a very balanced team and team with an international flavor, obviously, similar to ours and, you know, really good team size.

Q. What do you think about Cubaj as a whole on both ends?

COACH SCHNEIDER: Terrific player, double double machine, very skilled, can, obviously is terrific around the basket but can stretch her game out on the perimeter as well. I'm very impressed with her as a passer. Does a great job of creating for her teammates. And then, you know, statistically, obviously, an elite defender.

Q. Just talk about, aside from avoiding fouls, what she needs to do to really impact this tournament.

COACH SCHNEIDER: You know, I think Taiyanna's participation in minutes played has been a direct reflection of our success, you know, on nights where, you know, she plays around 20 minutes, we've struggled. We've got to get her 28 to 30 minutes. I think that's very important. Our entire defensive, I guess, scheme is centered around her being able to protect the paint, protect the rim.

Q. Give me a general statement on your seed, and were you happy to be the 8th seed or surprised or whatever?

CHANDLER PRATER: Me, personally, I'm grateful to be here. It's always been a goal for our team to make it to the NCAA tournament and go as far as we can. So, for me, the seeding doesn't matter, and we just want to win as many games as possible and compete.

THE MODERATOR: How important was that stretch for preparing your team for the NCAA tournament?

COACH SCHNEIDER: Yeah. I think, we had probably the most difficult schedule down the stretch in the country. We didn't have as much success as we would have liked, obviously, in three of those games. But I felt like even in losses to Iowa State and Baylor and Texas, our team still got a lot better and continued to improve. And I don't think we came away from those matchups any less confident, in fact, maybe more confident in what we feel like we could do given the opportunity to play in the tournament.

THE MODERATOR: What do they bring to your team?

COACH SCHNEIDER: You know, leadership, I think, consistent performance. You know, Zakiyah leads our team in minutes and has played a lot of games in a Kansas uniform and has continued to just get better and better each and every year. I think she's a very calming presence on the floor for us. Her poise and her composure with which she plays is, I think, one of her greatest attributes. Chandler is very capable of being probably a starter for us but has really relished the role of coming off the bench and being a spark, provides us with great energy, and we rely on her heavily to, often times, defend the best perimeter player on the opposing team.

THE MODERATOR: What does it mean to be back in the NCAA tournament, to your program, for the first time since 2013?

COACH SCHNEIDER: I think it's a tremendous accomplishment for our young women. You know, it's the process of building the program to this point has been slower than, maybe, we would have liked. But we tried to stay really true to our values and to the pillars of our program in hopes that if we did it the right way, we could build something that was sustainable.

Q. Do you think this game could come down to how the game is officiated and who gets to the free throw line more and makes those free throws?

COACH SCHNEIDER: You know, I think for us, that's a stat that is important to our success. We talk a lot about going into each and every game trying to win the battle of the free throw line, not only to promote aggression on the offensive end, but also, discipline on the defensive end in terms of playing without fouling.

Q. Is that the key to the game, in terms of how you handle their defensive player?

COACH SCHNEIDER: You know, I think, I don't know that it matters who the opponents are. My question or my answer to that question is, typically, going to come down to defense and rebounding wins most games. And I know that they're an elite defensive team, so, you know, our execution and our ability to create and make open shots will be really important.

Q. But just talk about where you were a couple of years ago, the frustration, and did you dream this would happen, both of you?

ZAKIYAH FRANKLIN: Honestly, just like Coach said, a couple of years ago, we bought into, you know, the system and our pillars, and we just stay true to that. And to be here now, it's like, it's a great feeling, and we're just thankful to be here.

CHANDLER PRATER: Yeah. I think both me and Zakiyah knew committing to Kansas that we had a lot of work to do, and we both, obviously, saw a vision for this team. And it's just exciting to see it all play out.

THE MODERATOR: What did that do to help you prepare for the NCAA tournament?

ZAKIYAH FRANKLIN: It helped us a lot. Honestly, built our confidence. Like, those games that we played down the stretch, like, going against Baylor and Texas, we were, you know, right there in those moments. We very felt like that we were capable of beating them and that just gave us the confidence that we needed down the stretch and, especially, in the tournament right now.

CHANDLER PRATER: Yeah. Like Zakiyah said, we've been building our confidence and knowing that going into every game, no matter what our opponent is, we're pretty fearless and knowing that we're together and game by game, play by play we it don't matter who it is. We're competitive, and we're ready to compete against whoever.

Q. Keeping Twin on the court, Taiyanna Jackson, on the court and being that positivity that she can present and the problems she causes for opponents, just talk about that and what it means to you guys as far as having that rim protector behind you.

CHANDLER PRATER: Yeah. Twin is a great presence, and not only is she huge on the defensive end, but she is a great teammate as well. And like, she's one of the first people to stand up and clap for you even if she isn't on the court, and she's always one of the first people to pick people up. And she's just a great teammate and great player to play with, so we're really grateful to have her on the court as much as possible.

ZAKIYAH FRANKLIN: Definitely, what Chandler said, she's just a great overall teammate, and it's no surprise to the success she's having this season. Her presence in the paint is huge for us, and we just want her on the floor as long as possible to help our success.

THE MODERATOR: What's it been like for you two to be playing for him as a team this season?

CHANDLER PRATER: We are so proud to have Brandon as a coach. We all committed here, and when we committed here, we committed to playing for him each and every game. So him getting that recognition is just huge, and we all feel that it's well deserved.

ZAKIYAH FRANKLIN: Yeah, to play for Coach Brandon is, honestly, extremely fun. And the success that he has had this season and receiving the Coach of the Year in the Big 12, it just speaks to, overall, just, his success as a coach and, like Chandler said, what we bought into when we decided to come here to Kansas.

Q. Zakiyah I kind of asked you this but, again, at times this year, you've been unstoppable in taking your guy off the bounce, reversing directions and whatnot, just, what situations do you look for in being able to take that because it certainly means a lot to us when you are able to do that?

ZAKIYAH FRANKLIN: Just trying to stay aggressive, and like Coach said, we really pride ourselves on our toughness stats, and free throws is one of those, and just being able to know that if I can get by my defender or, you know, be aggressive and draw the contact and get to the line, that's just doing something that's going to help our entire team.

THE MODERATOR: What's jumped out at you from your scouting of Georgia Tech?

CHANDLER PRATER: Like Brandon said earlier, they are a lot similar to us, and for me, personally, I'm excited to guard a lot of their players. They have another player from Kansas city who I played against before. And it's obviously fun to see people representing KC and Kansas. So I'm just excited to guard against their really good players and, you know, play defense like we usually do.