NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST FOUR - LONGWOOD VS MOUNT ST. MARY'S

March 17, 2022

Rebecca Tillett

Tra'Dayja Smith

Kyla McMakin

Akila Smith

Longwood Lancers

Media Conference

Longwood Lancers 74, Mount St Mary's Mountaineers 70

THE MODERATOR: Can you start with an opening statement.

COACH TILLETT: Thanks for having me. First, just incredibly excited for our women. These three leaders and captains right here lead us all the way to this magical moment. You know, at the end it was really important that we celebrate, even though they're so about excellence, they didn't want the end to go the way that it did. To get as close as it did because they're about excellence. We reminded each other to celebrate. This is the biggest moment in Longwood women's basketball history so far. We hope there's more big moments after this. And just so incredibly excited for our women. And just the reminder that to get somewhere like this, what these women have to sacrifice, and what they have to do, and what the staff has to do. You know, there's just so many challenges. We've had tragedies on our team, we've had people go through hardships this year, and all of those things can either break you or forge closer together. And this group, every single time, chose to forge closer together, and I'm so excited for all of them.

Q. Akila, 32 points tonight. Seemed early on especially could do whatever you wanted in the paint. Did it feel like that as the game went on?

AKILA SMITH: Yeah, I just got a feel for the game at the beginning, and my team, they always tell me to just go to work, and I think I took that literally today and tried to make every basket. (Laughter)

Q. This is for any player who wants to answer. I know the coach said hopefully there are more big moments coming, but how big was this to moment to win the first NCAA tournament game in school history? And how did you soak it all in? And I know you got to move forward because more business to be done, but how do you kind of soak it all in the moment on the court?

TRA'DAYJA SMITH: It was a big moment for us. Like I said in the Big South Media, we all came here to write history and write our own story for Longwood. As you see tonight we did it and we're not done yet.

Q. Once again for anyone. Kyla especially want to hear from you. Saw so much emotion out there in the 4th quarter when things got tight in the 4th quarter, up by 20 and all sudden 5-point game. And what were you telling yourself and saying in huddles? Where did the fight come from?

KYLA MCMAKIN: Just to not panic and remember who we are. It was getting closer but that we have great scorers and always get it right back, and score right back with them. And I think there was a run, they would hit a shot and we would hit a shot, she would hit a shot and we'd go back and hit a shot. We're the type of team that we would always try and get it back. When we couldn't get it back that's where we were getting a little frustrated and so we're competitors, so towards the end we kept wanting to get it back. Winning I guess is pretty good.

Q. From press conference previously, and some other things about your coaches, how they prepare you. Some things that y'all do mindfulness and motivational speakers. I mean, how important has that been, and how has the coaching staff helped you prepare for games and take it all in as you go?

TRA'DAYJA SMITH: It's very important, I know I do mindfulness now before every game. Just to have that tool is amazing. I didn't know what was until we first started. And just like, knowing what could get me in a certain space is always great to have as an athlete.

Q. For any of the players, have any of you guys thought about NC State or is that something where all your focus goes tomorrow.

AKILA SMITH: I think we have, I mean we wanted to beat this team to play NC State, so yeah, we're thinking about it, but we have more film to watch and more preparation.

Q. To kind of follow-up on Mitchell's question. I know you want to celebrate. When you look at the brackets and see who is next. Have you started scouting already. If You've already started scouting when did you start it and what have you seen from State on film so far?

COACH TILLETT: Great question. So we did start scouting, you know, right away. Fortunately, we've got a good staff and can focus in different places. Obviously they have earned everything that their seeding. And for us, it will be go out and compete as hard as we can. We played a really tough non-conference schedule. First game was against Maryland. This year we referenced that. This year we tied them in the first quarter. It's just how long can you play at your best to compete with a team that on paper out matches you? And that will be our mindset going in. And you know, obviously we got a lot of prep to do for them.

Q. Looking at your social media. You are big on the history of women's sports and the history of the game. And this is obviously the first, First Four. And want to ask what did it mean to be part of this, and surrounded by the March Madness branding, and what did you think about that atmosphere?

COACH TILLETT: Great question. We are all about women's empowerment at Longwood women's basketball, and if you want to be about women's empowerment, then you have to know about the women before you. And certainly, you know what Sedona Prince did last year, as a student athlete, made more progress than what some women or men have devoted their careers, terms of equity for women. And her speaking up and I think just recognizing the power that student athletes have at this time in history. And I think there have been great strides this year. Obviously the student athlete experience this year is supposed to closely match the experience of the men. And step by step along the ways, and I think our women have benefitted from that. And this is the first group getting the exact same gear as the men. And all the women before them didn't have that opportunity. So while we're very grateful for that and want to be educated about that. We want to take the next step forward. So we're excited when the ESPN contract negotiation comes up and women's basketball can get the value that it's worth. Which thanksfully what Sedona did and then the report that came out that showed how much value there is in women's basketball, let's keep taking steps forward. And then let's get a unit for women's basketball, so that when these women put in all that work and all that sacrifice and they compete at a really high level. There's, you know, a monetary reward for the universities for that because if you invest in women, great things are going to happen. .

Q. Mount St. Mary's thing is 3-point shooting. In the first half that did not go so well for them. Did you kind of have a feeling that at some point they were going to start falling?

COACH TILLETT: We did. Obviously thought they played an incredible second half. And pretty much lights out everywhere in the second half. We actually thought they were going to really start to drive it first and they were struggling so much from three. And they did come out very first play drove it at us. And after they hit a couple. Bresee, she just played great. We had to try multiple defenders on her until we could kind of cool her off a little bit. So I thought she did a great job and they have such veteran guards, you know, super senior. They've got, you know, fifth-year senior. So we anticipated that. Typically we handle that better than we did today a,nd I think that's why our women we're kind of looking around like "come on let's get this". But again, I thought, you know, our response down the stretch was veteran. Our own leadership to just stay the course, find a way to win the game and thought we did a good job with that.

Q. Were your advantages in terms of quickness and athleticism against them. Where they even bigger than you thought they might be?

COACH TILLETT: Good question. I thought that we could force them to play the pace that we wanted to play. Certainly under -- you know, they don't have everybody right now available due to injury. So that is a factor in the games that you look at as a coach. So we already want to push the pace of the game and knowing they were not fully staffed. I didn't know we would do exactly what we did to start the game. That's how we played in the championship game, and at that time I thought that was a special moment really related to the opponent. And when we did that again, it's like, okay we're in a different space here. And wasn't sure we'd be able to do that on this stage. And they had already been on this stage. They were here last year, so it wasn't as new of an experience for them. So I think, you saw us come out in that space and then you saw maybe some of the nerves hit us in the environment as they started to make the run.

Q. [Inaudible]

COACH TILLETT: Great question, my time at Osbourn Park, Forest Park and brief time at Hitlon. All in Prince William County where I was born and raised, went to school. My entire family teaches there. One of my brothers Nate actually texted me today just saying that he's telling everyone he knows his sister's coaching in the NCAA Tournament. And I text him back as he's a coach, you know whole coaching family, and I said, Nate, everything that we did at that level, translates. For the lessons that have been instilled in me from my parents, and then also from the great coaches that I work with, it's that you teach, that you teach. You guys were asking how did they respond in those moments, what were we saying? And we're saying be in the present moment. Let's make the next stop, and make the next adjustment so you are teaching the whole time through the game, and if you do that enough and believe like they do and commit to one another really really special things happen. And so grateful for all the players I got to coach and got to learn as a young head coach, as a high school coach, I value all those experience and my heart is still in some of those places too.