NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - VILLANOVA VS BYU

March 18, 2022

Denise Dillon

Brianna Herlihy

Maddy Siegrist

Villanova Wildcats

Media Conference

Q. Brianna, you're the only person on the team to have played in the NCAA Tournament. What are your words of wisdom to the team and how have you been helping them through this process over the week before?

BRIANNA HERLIHY: Yeah, I think the only thing that I can really say is just to kind of stay calm and play our game. Obviously this is a very big stage, and having so many freshmen on the team new to even a whole entire college basketball season, just kind of staying in our own team within ourselves, and yeah, just playing our game is the only thing I can really say, and kind of blocking out anything that you might hear on the outside. Because there are a lot of opinions surrounding this tournament. Yeah, just kind of staying within ourselves.

Q. There were some issues with the NCAA not giving you all adequate facilities. Has this year been different, and if so, how?

BRIANNA HERLIHY: I mean, yeah. We saw what happened last year all over social media. We weren't at the NCAA Tournament, but we definitely saw a lot of that on TikTok and Instagram. I think so far we haven't really seen a lot. We got here yesterday. But I think we definitely see an effort to make it a little more equal with the men. The hotel, having proper transportation, all that. So I think we've seen definitely an effort to make it a little more equal.

Q. Can you just talk about what it's like being on the bubble most of the season and then finding out you were going to make the NCAA Tournament this season? Secondly, what is your message to those first-timers who are going to be taking part in the NCAA Tournament for the first time?

BRIANNA HERLIHY: So yeah, it was definitely nerve-racking watching the selection show knowing that we had been on the bubble. I know me, Maddy and a lot of our teammates had been talking about it the whole time, how we are on the bubble and do we think we're going to make it, do we think we have a chance, do we think maybe we're not going to make it. So definitely nerve-racking.

Going into the selection show there were a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings, and then being picked in the last region, definitely a lot of scary thoughts, a lot of nerves.

Then again, like I said, just going into the tournament for the first time, it's definitely a very, very cool experience. Definitely take it all in, enjoy every moment of it, but again, just play our own game, stay within ourselves and then do whatever it takes to win.

Q. What have you guys seen in studying BYU this week and how are you preparing to face them?

MADDY SIEGRIST: Obviously they're a really talented team and experience is something they have. I think similar to what Brianna said, we just have to play Villanova basketball to the best of our ability, go in and have fun, and I think we'll be all right.

Q. Brianna, you are so many of these women in the tournament, you've been in college for a while, you took advantage of your extra year to come back. What's this last year been like for you, now to have it culminate in the NCAA Tournament?

BRIANNA HERLIHY: It's definitely incredibly special. I came back with the goal to make it here, and I think that everyone on the team has had the same exact goal the entire year.

Knowing it's going to be my last season, definitely taking each game and taking it all in and making sure I'm playing my hardest, because you never know when you're going to go home. You never know when your last game is going to be, so it's definitely been an incredibly special year for me.

Q. How would you guys compare your style of play to BYU's?

MADDY SIEGRIST: I would say they're kind of similar, to be honest with you. Both teams like to push, offensively very disciplined, very fundamentally sound.

BRIANNA HERLIHY: Yeah, I agree. When we were watching film, we definitely took time to notice the similarities. We are two teams that like to run a lot of half-court offense, so I think it'll be interesting to see the matchup and see how we match up with them. They're very deliberate and not incredibly quick in what they do, but we kind of try to play the same way, so I think it should be interesting to see that.

Q. BYU this year has been pretty versatile on offense. They have a lot of ways to score. Not to be too specific or anything, but what's kind of the general defensive game plan there?

BRIANNA HERLIHY: I mean, throughout this season I think we have seen teams who are the same in which they can score from the outside, score from the inside. I think a team that we play a lot that reminded me kind of of BYU was Creighton. So I think kind of in the same way we're going to try to run them off the three-point line and make sure they're not hitting a lot of three-point shots. And then the same thing, playing just like help the helper, crowd the paint, make sure they're not getting easy lay-ups, and yeah, pretty much the same thing we've been doing all year.

Q. Can you just talk about what this season has been like getting back to a sense of normalcy, playing a full season? Secondly, what was it like the last couple weeks of the regular season knowing that you guys were on the bubble and then you finally got invited into the tournament? And what team from the Big East conference best resembles the playing style that BYU plays?

DENISE DILLON: Yeah, I'd say first and foremost how great it is to have a full season, especially for the student-athletes, just for them to have the opportunity to play non-league games, to prepare them for league play, and knowing how tirelessly everyone was working to ensure postseason play.

Great appreciation for that, and I feel that our athletes embraced that.

As tough as last year was, you just saw a newfound appreciation to play, and I think that's what you always say about sports. You play because it's fun, and an opportunity to be on the floor with your friends and teammates, and last year was certainly a wake-up, putting things in perspective.

Seeing a little bit this year of some things going up and down with returning of COVID, just continuing to have that attitude and mentality moving forward.

With the follow-up of being that team who was talked about throughout the year because we put ourselves in a position to be recognized as a potential postseason team in the NCAA Tournament, just felt we continued with the same philosophy of do what we do every day at practice, competing, preparing, and the end result will take care of itself within game execution. And that followed through in the big picture of when the committee got together and recognized our performance and resume and then our name was called on Sunday.

We're appreciative but recognize that I think we put the effort in and the results to get here. As we just keep reminding our players, of course it's a goal to get to the NCAA Tournament, but now it's on you to have that same mentality and execution in order to prove that you belong here and do what is necessary. Play your game, don't get caught up in everything else, try and eliminate the distractions, and do what you can to keep your name in the conversation moving forward.

Q. We heard Brianna talk about this a little bit, but how do you plan on slowing down a BYU offense that's eighth in the country?

DENISE DILLON: Right, yes. As we know, they're extremely efficient in what they do offensively. It's their system, it's their style, but their advantage is their experience. When you have players who have played season after season within the BYU system, they're comfortable with what they do, and then playing together, knowing each other's games and feeding off each other.

At this point every team is a great team. You're aware of that. But in an offensively sound team of BYU, we know we have to be on point as a whole defensively.

The one-on-one stop is important, contesting shots. But as Brianna had mentioned, it's not just tagging your player, you've got to be there to help each other out. Staying consistent with help, the helper mentality.

But again, they're going to get looks, just try to force some more contested shots, and then end result just try and limit the possessions. So it has to be the one-and-done mentality of rebound the basketball.

Q. How intriguing is it as a coach for you game planning against a team that kind of looks similar to you?

DENISE DILLON: Yeah, well, I think it's always great when you're watching games and you're scouting your opponent and you learn more about the game. Like you're seeing things that they do, and I appreciate even our players seeing it, and they're like, oh, all right, yeah, I like what she does.

Whenever a player wants to emulate another player when they're watching their game, they're only going to get better. I think that's the same thing in coaching. When you're watching a team that's had great success, you feel like you're raising your level of performance, as well.

I have great respect for what they do on the floor and what they've done year after year, and last year, this year, exceptional.

Is it a lot of work? For sure, but you want that challenge and you want to win to get better and count on your team to follow suit.

Q. What team from the Big East best represents what BYU will resemble?

DENISE DILLON: I think Brianna had mentioned it, as well. I'd say Creighton for sure, just with their constant movement without the ball, their ability to score from the three, off the dribble, and strong post play, as well.

They're definitely a team, if you're trying to prepare your players to just have an idea in mind, that's who we brought it back to, recognizing what Creighton does and has done.

Time to watch some film, but just keeping that in mind, the constant movement of Creighton, the effort. Yeah, they're just a gritty group, and I think BYU is very similar.

Q. Here at Michigan there are two coaches that are alums of the school, and they always talk about how it means more to them to be coaching at their alma mater. You've had the opportunity now to do the same at Villanova. What does it mean to you to be coaching where you played, and what was it like to take over for Harry after all the time he spent there?

DENISE DILLON: Yeah, it's an unbelievable feeling, and it's just every day the recognition of being back at Villanova and being a part of an incredible place.

I feel there's just this level of I'm where I belong and doing what I love with so many incredible people around me. But I was aware when I was a player, a student-athlete at Villanova, when I was an assistant, it's always about the people. That hasn't changed one bit.

I came back as if I had just left a couple years ago, and it's 20-some years. It's a remarkable place, and I'm so extremely fortunate to take over after Harry and what he has provided and accomplished. The foundation he put in place is why Villanova women's basketball is so special.

To be in the position is -- it's cliche, but a dream come true. I expect our players to represent Villanova to the best of their ability, and it's something I certainly hold myself accountable for.

I just think we're given a lot more from Villanova than perhaps we're giving back, so we want to make sure we remain true to that. It's a great place.

Q. Your relationship with Harry, is he still around at all over the last couple years?

DENISE DILLON: Oh, yeah.

Q. Has he sort of given you free reign to do whatever you want?

DENISE DILLON: He's around. He's definitely around, which is very welcoming and very entertaining, as well. But Harry and I always had a great relationship. I think, again, as a player and then when I got the head coaching job down at Drexel, it was constant communication.

It was advice, but just us talking as coaches, so it was fun to just build that relationship of coach to friend and mentor. Yeah, we see a lot of him. I am counting on -- he's going to be making his way in the car headed this way. He doesn't like flying. He'll let everyone know that. I'm sure he'll be en route for the game.

Q. You've talked about BYU being an experienced team. You're a young team. How have you seen your group kind of getting their feet wet on their first trip to the tournament?

DENISE DILLON: Yeah, well, everything does happen so quickly. Again, we practiced after the Big East Tournament and we just got right back after it to prepare for postseason. But there is no way of knowing who your opponent might be.

Just really staying true to the same approach of just working every day to get better, individually and collectively, and then you figure out some of the strategy behind who your opponent is and what you're doing.

But with this group, I give the credit to Maddy and Brianna, how from day one -- we brought five freshmen in. We have four upperclassmen, so certainly not experienced in time on the floor, but within who we are and what our identity is as a team, this group bought into early and just stuck together.

It's been really great, and it gave us an opportunity when we finished practice the other day just to take time to reflect on the season, and you realize how much the team actually has gone through, like individually. And they just worked it all out together, to stay true to the goal they put in place, and as I said, Maddy and Brianna just took this group under their wing and led them to do some great things.

I wouldn't say some unexpected things; I don't think they -- the things that they achieved -- that they were looking to make sure that we accomplished. But just really pleased with the overall mentality and effort this group has put forth.