NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - UTAH VS TEXAS

March 19, 2022

Lynne Roberts

Dru Glyten

Brynna Maxwell

Kennady McQueen

Utah Utes

Media Conference

LYNNE ROBERTS: Again, thank you, guys, for being here and covering our tournament and our program. We appreciate it.

We are feeling good about our game last night. I thought we played well. We certainly didn't play perfectly, but we competed for 40 minutes. We played tough, and we followed the game plan.

Arkansas is a very good team, and I thought we just kind of controlled it. But a lot of respect for them. And like I said last night, congrats to them on a great season.

And now we face Texas, and we're looking forward to the challenge. Like we said, I think -- I don't even know what today is, but the day before we played Arkansas, you know, we're not just happy to be here, we're here to compete. And same thing, we're not just happy that we won the first game. We're going to celebrate that, and we are -- I'm really proud of our team, but we're not just happy to be here, and we want to compete.

So looking forward to the match-up. I know how tough they are, so we're looking forward to it.

Q. For all of the players, Texas is obviously really, really physical. They can overwhelm teams with their physicality. I know you guys have played some teams similar to that in the Pac-12, but I guess what can you take from similar games you may have had against teams like Stanford and things like that and bring to tomorrow?

DRU GYLTEN: I think we've been saying this the whole time is that the Pac-12 as a conference prepares us so well for the tournament. And that's what a lot of teams do to us is pressure us and try to get us off our track, and just the opponents we've played in the Pac-12 have just prepared us.

And I think it's just a mental game at that point. We know what makes us successful, and we know what to do, so we just have to carry that on to tomorrow. Just the basics and the fundamentals are what we're going to focus on.

BRYNNA MAXWELL: Nothing we haven't seen before. We're used to that in the Pac-12. Every team is really physical and applies that pressure, so we had a really good practice today, and we're really excited for tomorrow.

KENNADY McQUEEN: Just echo what they said. And practice a big focus was on our free ups, just being strong, stuff like that. Yeah, Pac-12 prepared us really well for this game.

Q. Dru, knowing this Texas team is going to want to force turnovers and bite the head off the snake, I guess, so to say, what do you need to do kind of leading this offense to limit turnovers and limit that part of the Texas defense?

DRU GYLTEN: I think it's just a mindset. That's Texas's strong suit, is the pressure and getting into your head and full-court pressure. So we've been watching film on it, and I think it's a mentality that us point guards are going to have to have.

Like we've said before, there's been games -- like Arizona, they play the same type of defense. So I think we're just going to have to play under control. And just being a point guard and being a leader, I'm just going to have to come out strong and make that a focus for myself, and then hopefully the team will follow.

Yeah, I think that's just a theme. The Pac-12 has prepared us. So just having that mentality and carrying it out into tomorrow.

Q. For any of the players, obviously, it may be hard to nitpick about 92 points yesterday, but what did you like about the way you played in the opener, and what are some things you feel you need to get better at?

BRYNNA MAXWELL: I think Kennady had an okay shooting night. (Laughing.) I think our team shot the ball all right.

Yeah, our offense was working really well against Arkansas. Arkansas is a great team, and our team came out ready to roll, and it was really cool to see us piece all four quarters together.

Obviously, we can improve on rebounding and turnovers, but other than that, I'm just really proud of how our team came out and played. No fear, that's for sure.

DRU GYLTEN: I think if you watched us play the season, that really isn't any different than the way we've been playing. Maybe like Brynna said, putting the four quarters together. But the style of what played yesterday is what we've been doing all season, sharing the ball and shooting shots and getting out in transition. I don't think there will be any difference tomorrow.

KENNADY McQUEEN: I agree. I think we started the game really well, and Arkansas went on a lot of runs, and we were able to answer. We never let them back within 10, so we always kept that lead and moved the ball super well. It was a fun environment, and that's how we've played all year.

Q. For any of the players, is there a Pac-12 team or maybe any other team you played this year that you would kind of after watching film of Texas remind you of their style?

BRYNNA MAXWELL: I would say a mix between Colorado and Arizona. They both play really physical styles and pressure defense. So, yeah, we've played Colorado twice, Arizona once. So I think that's been huge prep for us being able it play Texas.

Like I said all -- like we said all year, Texas is a great team, but they have to beat us too. We bring a lot to the table.

Q. Question for Dru, since you've been around more. Would you rather play a game like this in front of a packed house, even if it's 99% Texas fans, or in front of an almost empty arena that's totally neutral?

DRU GYLTEN: I think just being here and being able to play in any game is great. Yeah, you -- we want to play in these big games, but I don't think it's the focus of our team. Our focus is just to show up, learn the scout, and just play Utah basketball.

And we have some mighty fans too. So our focus really isn't on the audience or the fans or anything like that. It's just when we step on the court, we're going to play together, we're going to play as a team, and the outcome will take care of itself.

Q. Coach, the Fairfield coach last night was talking about if you are going to play Texas, you better have several ways designed just to get the ball up the court. You better have two or three players who can just -- who are capable of handling the pressure from them. Would you agree with that, and how do you counter what they do on defense?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Yeah, I do agree with that, and I think you can't be predictable in what you are doing. It can't be the same thing over and over. They will adapt and make it hard.

I don't think -- we're not going to be unprepared. We will have several things in, and that's what we worked on in practice a little bit today. Yeah, we do play four perimeter players out. Any one of them I have confidence in bringing it up.

So it's going to have to be -- Texas is not a team you beat one-on-one. You kind of have to do it by committee, and same thing with beating their pressure. We can't just be one person trying to put a Superman cape on and try to do it.

But I think you saw with our team yesterday our first five field goals were assisted of the game. So our first five field goals of the game were assisted, and they were made by five different players.

That speaks to our balance and our ability that it doesn't have to be -- that the pressure is not all on Dru or Brynna or Kennady or Gianna or whoever. Everyone is capable.

I know it's easy to sit up here and say that. I know we have our hands full, but I believe in our preparation and the plan.

Q. Lynne, Kelly Graves the other day said that the women's tournament has reached the point where, like the men's tournament, maybe first and second round games ought to be played at neutral sites. Did you hear those comments? Oh, you didn't.

LYNNE ROBERTS: I didn't, but we've talked about it. I've talked about it with some coaches before. Do you want my opinion?

Q. Yeah, that's where I'm getting at.

LYNNE ROBERTS: Yeah, I think the history of why -- and I don't know when it started the host sites. Ten years ago? I don't know. There wasn't people going to those games at neutral sites to see a 1-16 or a 3-14 or whatever, but I think we've seen on the women's side the parity has gotten so much better, and I think -- I do think people will come out to watch it.

I know there's been talk of super regionals, which I don't know enough about that in terms of the logistics as to -- but maybe that's a good idea. Pick cities that we know are women's basketball fans and send some teams there.

I do kind of feel like -- I hope soon we kind of graduate from this, and I always have kind of believed that women's basketball is always a few years behind the men's. I think we're catching up to -- you're seeing attendance numbers go up, TV money go up. People care.

And I was impressed with Texas's crowd last night for their first round game. That was really great. People care, and I think we're getting close, I hope, to going to more neutral sites or a super regional or something so that it's not home games for those top four seeds. But no one asks me, other than you, what I think.

Q. We talked a lot about Texas's defense and your offense, but what do you think you guys need to do defensively tomorrow to really limit them?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Well, it's not a secret that they're more athletic than we are. They're bigger than us inside. So we're going to have to be smart with how we negate that. We're not going to defend like they do, but we can play defense. I mean, we can be disruptive. It will just be in a different way.

Q. Obviously, you watched the game last night. What were your impressions of Moore, Aliyah Moore, her 18-10 last night? And what do you do inside to counter that?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Again, it's just like beating their pressure, beating anything that maybe you're out-matched. It has to be by committee, and it's got to be -- you know, it's not a simple answer. They've got a lot of weapons, right? They were clearly bigger than Fairfield and more athletic at every position, and that's tough.

I thought Fairfield did a nice job. They battled. I was really impressed with their fight, and they never quit.

But, yeah, every position we could nitpick either way, right? I don't think it's -- it's not a clean match-up for either team I guess is what I'm trying to say, and we're going to have to do our best job and be really tough and be really strong on the boards, be really tough on the boards.

That's going to be -- I'm sure for them that's a key for them too. We did a nice job rebounding yesterday.

Q. Lynne, I'm sure a couple of local fans -- more than a couple -- will remember Isabel and the contribution she had a few years ago. First, how did she kind of get to Utah, and what has she added to this team I guess these past two seasons?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Last year she was hurt, which she had the foot injuries that she kind of had a little bit here too, but Izzy is just a great player, great kid. She's from Australia. We recruited her. We were aware of her in high school out of Australia, but she went to Texas. Then when we knew she was leaving, then we just got right back in the mix and recruited her quickly, and she's been awesome.

Unfortunately for her, she's had just injury stuff. Last year she red-shirted because of her feet, and then this year she was doing great, and then she got COVID and was out for a long time. Just kind of the long hauler stuff, and just kind of unlucky. Then she sprained her ankle.

I thought she was great yesterday. She attacked, and she's aggressive. I think she's having fun playing here in Austin, but just an awesome kid. I'm so lucky to coach her.

Q. It certainly didn't seem like any of the players you brought up here today are happy to be here. Is that kind of the mentality throughout this entire team, that y'all want more than just a trip to Austin?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Yeah. What do we have to be nervous about? I mean, this is basketball, and this is what it's about, and this team has done a great job of just kind of being in the moment. And because we are not led by one or two people heavily, I think it's a beautiful thing that they're not feeling a lot of pressure, and they're young.

And so this is what it's all about. And I want them to enjoy it, but I also -- they're all competitive. They might look like choir kids, but they're competitive as heck, and they want to win. Yeah, I like their mentality. I don't feel any sort of anxiousness or pressure, which is fun.