NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - MISSOURI STATE VS OHIO STATE

March 18, 2022

Kevin McGuff

Taylor Mikesell

Jacy Sheldon

Ohio State Buckeyes

Media Conference

Q. Taylor, Jacy, for each of you, Taylor, you played in this tournament before. What would your advice be to your teammates? And Jacy, what do you expect in your first NCAA tournament?

TAYLOR MIKESELL: I think this is the most exciting time of the year. So I think the advice I would give to my teammates is just enjoy the moment and I think just do what we've been doing this whole year to get here.

At the end of the day like we don't have to make it bigger than what it is. It's still a game at the end of the day. I think the advice I would give is just to have fun and enjoy the moment.

JACY SHELDON: Yeah, like she said, anybody that loves basketball, this is the best time of year and most exciting time of year.

I think as long as we play our game, stick to what we do, and stay together, it should be fun.

Q. You guys stay up late or get up early to check out Missouri state? If so, what do ya'll know about your opponent?

TAYLOR MIKESELL: Yes, we did. We came to the game last night. They played well. They got a nice good feel for the arena too being able to play the first game.

But I think excited for that matchup. I think it'll be a really good test for us. They run really fast in transition and they play hard and rebound well. It'll be a good matchup for us.

JACY SHELDON: Yeah, like she said, we got to watch them last night, and then this morning we got to watch some more film on them.

We are going to continue to prepare at practice today and go through some of the stuff.

They're a good team, they play well together, and like she said, they push in transition.

We're excited.

Q. The schedule wasn't as daunting as the makeup games on the men's side. Just in terms of having the Big Ten tournament, you're two shooters, Taylor especially, 105 threes, having that week and a half off, has that allowed you guys to kind of get physically right, get your legs back under you? Do you think that can be a benefit or maybe not a benefit going forward?

JACY SHELDON: Yeah, I can speak for both of us. We didn't take that much time off. I think that helps us in a way. We find a way to stay in the gym. I think it definitely probably benefit our legs a little bit.

We're going to continue even today to work in practice, and then tomorrow we're excited to play.

Q. Thoughts on Missouri State, if you don't mind?

TAYLOR MIKESELL: Yeah, kind of like we just said. They're a really good team. I think they won their conference again this year; Sweet 16 team last year.

They definitely deserve to be here. They run really fast in transition, they rebound the ball well, and they just play hard together.

I think it's going to be a really good test for us and just excited to get out on this stage and play here.

JACY SHELDON: Yeah, like Taylor said, they play really well together. They move the ball well. They push in transition, and we're going to have to be ready to play for sure.

Especially in March, if you don't come ready to play you're going to get beat. So like I said, we're going to continue to prepare today and play tomorrow.

We're excited.

Q. Having done as well as you did in your conference, were ya'll a little bit disappointed to only be a 6 seed? Was that a motivation for you?

JACY SHELDON: We're just excited to be in the tournament. I think we always stay motivated. We look at ourselves as they underdogs honestly this whole year.

We definitely have that in our mind. We're excited to be here, excited to play. A lot of us haven't been here yet, so I'm excited to be here for the first time.

TAYLOR MIKESELL: Yeah, I think kind of what Jacy said, just having that underdog mentally regardless. I think there were a lot people that didn't think we would in the position we're in right now, so I think just using that as motivation going into the tournament, having played in the tournament before, I think just this being like a really exciting time of year, it doesn't matter what number is next to your name; at the end of the day, you still have to show up and play.

Q. Slightly goofy question. Taylor, you're from Massillon?

TAYLOR MIKESELL: Uh-huh.

Q. Jacy, you're from Dublin, which I know is right around the corner from Muirfield Village, being a big golf fan. I take it ya'll haven't been in this part of the country too much. You're here during crawfish season. Have you or would you try a crawfish if given the chance?

TAYLOR MIKESELL: Yes, I would love to try crawfish. I have never had it before. This is my first time being down here, so I would love to try it.

JACY SHELDON: I would not personally, not going to lie. I'm not a big seafood -- I don't like trying new things there, but I'm sure it's good.

Q. Jacy, for you, obviously you're still scoring a lot toward the end of the season. You guys had a one-week break, but just it wasn't falling for you behind the three point line. How maybe did some time off help you and what are you feeling with your game there behind the line?

JACY SHELDON: Yeah, that time off gave a lot of us a chance to get in the gym and get a lot of shots up. Being a shooter you're going to have nights where it goes in and nights where you don't.

I don't really let that bother my mentality at all. So just keep shooting, and eventually it's going to go in.

Q. We talked a lot about your season and kind of how it went and developed. You guys grew, progressed along, but at what point or what moment did you realize that you had a chance to have a pretty good team, a team that won the league, a team that did it without their starting point guard? When did you start to think, Okay, we got something going here pretty good?

KEVIN McGUFF: I thought the way we came back after Christmas is when we really started to kind of come into our own. We hadn't played as well in November and December, and I think we're feeling our way not having Madison with us.

But coming out of Christmas I thought our mentality was good. Our focus in practice, our commitment to just continuing to get better.

That's really the time where I thought we had a chance to really have a special season.

Q. I asked the ladies, do you feel like a little down time will help some of them get their legs under them? As Jacob alluded, Jacy's threes hadn't been falling. She can still get to the rim. But just in general, the shot ability and selection, and not only them, but some others to step back into that role?

KEVIN McGUFF: You know, it's such an interesting thing because with both Jacy and Taylor, we can take tomorrow off, but that doesn't mean they're taking time off.

What makes them special is their commitment to their game, to getting better, and they're both the type of kids when they go through a Big Ten tournament or end of the year where they don't shoot it as well, their reaction is not to get rest.

That's my reaction. I try to get them out of the gym, but they'll find a gym to get into, which quite frankly I would rather have that.

And so we did, as team, get some rest. I think overall that will be good for us. We did also get to work on some things I think just focused on us and not -- without an opponent before we knew we were playing Missouri State.

But I think a combination of a little bit of the team rest and them actually getting in the gym and getting their rhythm back will be -- hopefully all show up tomorrow.

Q. Coach, obviously this is new territory, playing a team that played in the First Four.

KEVIN McGUFF: Uh-huh.

Q. A lot of ways to look at it. How do you feel about the fact that you guys haven't played for two weeks and they're coming off a game? Maybe that allows them to get a little rhythm, they can play a little better than they did last time?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, no, it's interesting. You're right. Obviously it's a brand new thing for us or anybody in women's basketball, because this is the First Four concept is new.

But more so it is what it is, they played; we didn't. We finally have an opponent now. That was probably the more interesting thing. Usually you start the week after Sunday Selection so you know who you're playing.

And so we split our time, because as you guys saw last night, it was a very competitive game. Could've went either way, and Missouri State played really well in the second half to win the game.

So that was probably the more -- the bigger thing I think is not knowing who you're preparing for.

Q. Curious, were you breaking down film of both teams?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah.

Q. Now that you've seen them in person, any other thoughts?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, no, they were very well-coached. They play incredibly hard, very scrappy. They are very, very good defensively, and you can tell that they kind of hang their hat on their preparation and effort on that end of the floor.

Quick up the court and really good at getting to the rim. I know we'll have our hands full. Their thing is they have a lot of older players who are used to winning, and they have been very successful over the years and they're very poised.

They got off to a big lead to start last night, and then Florida State made a huge one and Missouri State never looked rattled. They kept doing their thing until they got the game back under control.

Q. I know you're the head coach of this team, but what about being a dad for a daughter playing in this tournament at Belmont?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, no that's exciting obviously. My daughter is playing. They're the 12 seed playing in Knoxville versus Oregon tomorrow, so a great opportunity for her an freshman.

She's had a great experience so far at Belmont. So we play first and they play after us, so hopefully be able to have some success tomorrow and I can follow that game as much as possible.

Q. Looks like your roster you have a lot of players that have transferred in and played elsewhere. Was this using the transfer portal more, players that have been on your team before the transfer portal got so hot? How did your team come together the way it did?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, combination of both. We've got a couple transfers, mostly high school kids who have been with the program and kind of grown over the years with us.

Taylor Mikesell is obviously a really big addition to our program coming from Oregon last year, and has just been terrific for us on and off the court and in leadership roles.

So in 2022 it's a little bit of everything. You know, we'll probably at least hopefully always hang our hat on high school kids and just kids that mature in our program.

But there is a lot of talented kids in the transfer portal, so sometimes that will be a part of the equation as well.

Q. Just following up on that, your three players with tournament experience are transfers, so how huge is that for not only your juniors right now, but even some of the younger kids?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, no doubt. I think they can impart some of wisdom on the younger kids, and they have already just in terms of the focus and intensity and kind of sticking to what we do this week and trying to be the best version of ourselves.

They been really good in that regard.

Q. I'm sure having been around women's college basketball a long time you can remember days when it seemed like Baton Rouge was a first and second round host all the time. I think this is the first time in about eight years. What are your thoughts of now your team experiencing the environment here with the tradition that LSU has had in college basketball?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, so this is obviously a historic place from that standpoint with the success they've had here, and then obviously with the higher of Kim. She's going to do an amazing job. Already has and will continue to do an amazing job.

LSU will continue to be among the best teams in the country for years to come for sure. I think having said that, I expect a great environment tomorrow. Even though we're not playing LSU, the fans will show up and it will be a terrific environment for our players.

That's one of the cool things about this, is you get to take your players different places around the country, and certainly this is one of the unique and special places in women's basketball.

So great opportunity for our kids to really have a terrific experience.

Q. Specifically with Missouri State and their defense, what makes them a good defensive team?

KEVIN McGUFF: Well, one, you can tell they have a great commitment to it, and that's a big part of their identity as a program. They coach it very well. You can tell they put a lot of time in the preparation.

They play really hard and they have a lot of experienced players who have been in that system doing the same type of defense for several years now.

Q. On that note, obviously you'll need Jacy and Taylor to play to their ability. But to do that, how important will it be to get other players going so it kind of, I guess, takes some pressure and attention off them and they can get free for some shots?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, no, I think we're not going to necessarily just beat them early in the shot clock or in transition. I think they're too good defensively for that.

Collectively our execution is going to be have to be really good to generate quality shots not only for Jacy and Taylor, but for the entire team.

Q. And last thing from me, behind the scenes, how much value did you put you have put into what Tanaya and Braxtin Miller have been able to do this year?

KEVIN McGUFF: No, they've been huge. They're both great kids who compete every day in practice and on the court, and they provide a great leadership throughout the last couple years.

They also play with some grit and toughness that we really need.