NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - BELMONT VS TENNESSEE

March 20, 2022

Madison Bartley

Destinee Wells

Belmont Bruins

Media Conference

Q. For both Madison and Destinee, just what is the significance of playing the second round game here against Tennessee, and how are you guys doing after that -- that was a huge win yesterday. Have you come down from that? Are you still sort of riding that high?

MADISON BARTLEY: I would say that we always talk about, you know, look in the mirror for 15 minutes is what Coach Bart tells us, and after that 15 minutes, it's like we have so much adrenaline from yesterday. So, we just try to ... like, we celebrated, but now, today is like focusing on Tennessee and we need to get our minds straight for Tennessee today. And I think that is just what we're focusing on.

DESTINEE WELLS: Yeah, we're really proud of ourselves and the way we played last night and now we're just turning the page and getting ready for Tennessee. I'm so happy to be here, can't wait to play in front of that huge crowd, on this big stage. I mean, it's going to be amazing. I can't wait.

Q. This is either for Destinee or Madison. What does it say about this team to outlast Oregon in double overtime and just how tough you guys are?

MADISON BARTLEY: I would say as a team, throughout the year we have always focused on being tough and being together. And that's just one thing that we've always focused on. I think yesterday we really showed the world that we can fight through adversity and that we fought through every single overtime that we went through. I think if we would have even went one more, we still would have fought through and won that game. And I'm just proud of our team for fighting and sticking through it together.

Q. You guys obviously faced a lot of size last night, and you're going to face that again with Tennessee. Do you feel like that was almost kind of a blessing to have that first round challenge to kind of learn and prepare for now Tennessee?

DESTINEE WELLS: I mean, that's exactly what we played against in our nonconference schedule, and me being so small, it's what I played against my whole life. So we're going to be ready. Just come out there and fight like we do every game.

MADISON BARTLEY: Yeah, I would say last night the size definitely prepared me for tomorrow, playing against -- they were great bigs and it really prepared me to be ready for bigger sizes tomorrow. I think that's something that all of us can take away from.

Q. Two questions, first for Madison. When you're trying to stand in there in the paint against somebody that's maybe bigger, what's the keys to doing that and holding your ground?

MADISON BARTLEY: That's so funny you asked that. Today we talked about -- Coach Bart made a really good point -- the lower person wins. And so, just getting low and using all my strength in my legs and pushing them back, or like pushing them up when I'm on defense and just making sure they don't get position is something that we really focus on when we're doing post-play. And just trying to, like, gain our position and stay in our position is something that's really important to us.

Q. And then, Destinee, you're a Tennessee native. Growing up playing basketball in this state, you know, obviously, Tennessee has not won a national title in a few years now, but how aware are you of their history and what it means to women's basketball? Does that add to the aura around this game in addition to the stakes that are on the line tomorrow night?

DESTINEE WELLS: I mean, yeah. Tennessee is a really great team. They have -- I know a little bit about their history, how many championships they've won. They're just a great team all around and I'm just happy to be here and get to play against a great team and basically show what I can do and play in front of this great crowd, on a great floor. I'm just really excited.

Q. For both players, the Belmont fans turned yesterday into a home game. I mean, they were loud. The majority were right behind me, and it was deafening behind me. Did they all stay in town? Are you expecting a good turnout of your fans for tomorrow night?

MADISON BARTLEY: I'm going to say yes. We found out the students got a Provost Letter. So, we're hoping the whole school turns up and that would be just amazing for us, and even yesterday, like, our fans were such a big part of that win. Hearing them cheer with us and celebrate and, like you said, they made it a home game for us. And only being three hours away is really big, just a really big difference for us.

DESTINEE WELLS: Yeah, especially coming from last year when we couldn't really have fans, it was amazing to see how many people actually support us and were willing to make this drive. And I'm excited to celebrate with my family after every game and they were there (last night), so it means a lot to me.

Q. Bart said last night that in regard to kind of the chip on your all's shoulder there were players who felt under-recruited, felt they could be at this level, too. And that kind of drives the chip on your shoulders. That combined with the feeling you guys have that you can still be really competitive, and does that kind of drive your guys' team?

DESTINEE WELLS: Oh, yeah. Rankings don't really matter to us. We just come out there and play our game. We know we can basically compete with anybody in the country. We just have to show it and I felt like our fight against Oregon really showed that.

MADISON BARTLEY: Yeah, I think something I was told is that everyone puts their shoes on the same and that's something that I go by. So, when she said rankings don't really matter, when it comes to this part of the season, whoever is the toughest team is going to go out there and fight and win the game.

Q. For either player, going back to that win against Oregon, I mean it was apparent just how much you had to fight to get that win and you eventually did. Is there anything that you guys said to each other or to your teammates to sort of get yourselves amped know and know that we can overcome this in overtime?

DESTINEE WELLS: Something we've been saying to ourselves in the locker room all year, just stay the course and I feel like that was what we did -- and play together. One of our keys to our game, every single game: be resilient together and I feel like we showed that.

MADISON BARTLEY: Yeah, and I feel like last night all of us, through the tough times and the good times, we all looked at each other and we're like, we got this. Every time like someone was down, I know I looked at D (Destinee Wells) and it was like, I don't know, six seconds left, and she was like, 'We got this.' And I was like, 'Yeah, we got to get a stop, though.' Six seconds left, still. I was so worried about the six seconds. But that was our key. Like we got this, and we backed each other up that whole entire game. No matter if we were high or low, like we had each others' backs, and that's something that's super important in our program.