NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - NORTH CAROLINA VS ARIZONA

March 21, 2022

Courtney Banghart

Kennedy Todd-Williams

Deja Kelly

North Carolina Tar Heels

Media Conference

North Carolina 63, Arizona 45

COURTNEY BANGHART: First off, I want to thank the University of Arizona. They have been really great to us. They have been great hosts and they have been -- everyone who we passed has been very kind, even on the way out of the game today. So what a classy operation. I hope we come back and get a chance to play again.

Much respect for all they have done. You guys have a great team, a great program.

To say I'm really proud to be bringing a team to the Sweet 16 would be an understatement. There's been some roster reconstruction over the last -- since I got the job. These guys trusted me enough to say, let's do this, right, and that's one thing to say it and another thing to do it.

And it's so hard to win in March and this group has not won not one, but two on the road. We sort of felt like we should be hosting and only one thing to do is prove it. These guys deserved it, not only today but how you handled yourself all year long. Really proud of you and really glad you're mine.

Q. Deja, when Kennedy matches not just her season high in points but also assists, can you talk about what exactly she brought to you guys tonight and especially when you did needed it most?

DEJA KELLY: Everything. Literally, everything. She came out gunning from the dump. She was defending, running the floor, getting steals and she was doing a little bit of everything which is what we needed her to do. She was our X-factor tonight and she is probably the biggest reason why we won this game by a lot.

Q. Kennedy, especially when you were able to do an the defensive end, you only committed six fouls. Just can you describe what it felt like to be playing defense tonight when it seems like you were as interconnected and even if they were get going looks, sometimes that's basketball and those don't go in.

KENNEDY TODD-WILLIAMS: First off, one of our coaches said to build a wall before this game and that's exactly what we did. You said we only committed six fouls but I think we just played together and played with a lot of energy and that just showed because it transitioned to offense and we started rolling from there.

Q. First of all, congrats on the win. You knew coming into today's game it was going to be loud. There's one point, Kennedy, in the third quarter, you came down, hit the three and stared directly at the Arizona crowd silencing them. Can you talk about that moment?

KENNEDY TODD-WILLIAMS: We knew they have a big crowd but I mean, we were silencing them, and I mean, it was just the energy, like the atmosphere was great. We had our fans. So I don't know, we blacked out and I just stared at them.

But no disrespect to any of them because they have a great fan base everything, and so props to them.

Q. The buzzer-beater end of the third quarter, that was a huge momentum shift. Can you talk about that the importance that played in the game?

DEJA KELLY: That was a huge momentum-builder for us. Coach told me to get the ball in my hands with the last I think it was 12 seconds on the clock. I saw who is guarding me and I just attacked. She bit -- she kind of jumped at that first -- that first move, and then I just crossed, went up, she fouled me, went in, and our little student fan section went crazy. Our bench went crazy. So that was definitely a momentum shifter for us.

Q. You were saying it just out there, but as a North Carolina kid, getting to play an NCAA Tournament game in the Greensboro Coliseum, you guys were just there and it didn't go well -- sorry to bring it up. How much did that maybe have a little bit of extra juice for you guys as you came out West to say, if we win these two, we're going back home?

KENNEDY TODD-WILLIAMS: Yeah, we know that our crowd is going to be there for sure and that's going to give us a lot of momentum. Arizona is a great team but we were ready to play in the Sweet 16 and we are very capable of beating whoever.

Q. When coach subs you out with about 40 seconds to go, you have a big hug. When are you exchanging words at that point? What was said there, if you don't mind sharing.

DEJA KELLY: She just told me how proud she was of me and I just expressed how happy, excited I was. It was just a moment of like, we did it. We've been through so much. We have had such a long season and we've just been waiting for this moment. We've had talks about getting here, getting to the Sweet 16. We are finally going, so I think that exchange was just really special for us.

Q. You were able to go on these huge scoring runs, like in the second quarter, 15-0 scoring run, and third quarter you went on another one. What were you seeing and how were you able to do that?

DEJA KELLY: I think it was our defense. I think we definitely picked it up on that end, all game, really. We locked into our scout. We locked into our principles that we've been doing all season.

Like Toddy, said one of the themes in this game is building a wall and we did just that. That went out to a lot of run-outs. Todd Toddy and Lyss got a lot of run-outs, got a lot of easy layups, and that allowed to us to go on a run.

Q. There's this one moment in the game, I forget exactly what it was but the crowd was just getting loud, and I saw you motioning to some teammates, like, it's okay, it's okay, you're holding your thumbs up. Can you talk about the importance of just remaining calm during those just giant like swells of noise in the crowd?

KENNEDY TODD-WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think it's a little distraction but I looked at all the players and I'm like, you know, we are good. We're okay. They are going to go on a run, but like we just have to stay composed and just know that everything's fine. You know, as long as we're connected, nothing can stop or break in between us.

Q. Your defense on Pellington, she scored 30 points against UNLV and she had three tonight. How were you able to do that and what was so effective on the defensive end overall?

KENNEDY TODD-WILLIAMS: All I can say is just the scout. I think Coach Walters did a great job explaining the scout, and we really like locked in. We knew going into this game, she's a great player. But we really just locked in. I mean, that's the biggest thing, and everybody stayed connected and we really built that wall for sure.

Q. Obviously you were at the top of the scouting report and they were defending you hard and you worked through it. Can you talk about how they defended you, and you still got your points and got some big baskets.

DEJA KELLY: Yeah, I assumed that was going to be their game plan. They were playing really aggressive on me, really tight but I thought that was fine because why not guard everyone else.

So now Kennedy is getting her bucket, Lyss is getting her buckets. Everyone is getting run outs and I thought that worked out perfectly because then my man was hugging and it allowed them to attack the gaps and allowed Toddy to attack the wins, so I think the game plan worked out well for us.

Q. For either of the player, the last game in Greensboro, you gave up 87 points. Tonight you held Arizona to the second least amount of points they have scored all season. Has there been an emphasis on defense?

KENNEDY TODD-WILLIAMS: Yes. I think like really the defense like really transitions to offense. We really hound into that and we really just stayed focused and just had fun.

Q. You've had games where the point number has been rower, but the discipline on defense, is this the best defensive effort you've put together?

COURTNEY BANGHART: We thought we might play Arizona so we did a little bit last week for them. You have that gritty game and then you have got all day to prep, that's it. So we broke down film; we did some in the morning and some in the evening. We had one practices; here the kid were pretty beat up, so we had to do more walk-through.

And so you know, we told them that part of your practice is to really watch film, right, you need to mentally understand and then your body will do it. And yeah, I thought their actions -- they are so hard to guard in that elbow rub action. Reese is dangerous there and so is Thomas and we were able to shut that down. Their dribble/hand-off action where they try to really win the paint, they will get you once, they will get you twice and we knew we were not biting on any of them. We were not biting on any of them.

And our guys were just really disciplined. And you have to be. We said you're going to have to beat a really good team on the road, a really good team, and you're going to have to go through them. You can't go around them; you can't ask them nicely to move. You're going to have to go right through them, and I thought they did that.

Q. If this were a neutral site, who knows what the crowd in the environment would have been like but does it make it a little bit sweet tore beat a team on their home floor?

COURTNEY BANGHART: Yeah, again, as I said yesterday, so it's not just because we won, it's a great environment for women's basketball, right. And you're playing in front of -- I was exercising this morning over at Orange Theory with a bunch of people, and I've been there, like, every day. And they are like, hey, you're back.

And someone said: I want to come to your game tonight, how do I get tickets? I'm like, you live here, I have no idea how to get tickets, I walk right through.

And she said: I'm going to come to the game. I'm going to figure out how to come to the game.

So I got you guys a new fan because I'm sure after coming to the game, I'm sure she would like to be there. We told them every time that something goes well for them, it's going to feel like it's going really bad for us. You just lock into the scoreboard and lock into each other and lock into me, and everything else is noise.

And I thought they did a really good job especially as they went on a little bit of a run. We tightened up a little bit and they sort of locked in.

Q. Can't help but notice your hair is a little bit wet. Take us through what happened in the locker room.

COURTNEY BANGHART: So we got them, actually. So I had -- we all had the water bottles and I knew they were going to do something, and so I don't know if they were going to do water or not but we all came in one after another, film and assistants and we came spraying.

So again, I don't -- I feel a little bad because the locker room is now wet. But it was well earned. So yeah, we got them. We got them. And then in turn they got me. But we got them first.

Q. To have this team, it's a team you've been able to slap together a little bit, usually six deep but you can go seven, how does it feel as a group to get this group to this point?

COURTNEY BANGHART: Remarkable. I mean, if you think we start four sophomores -- most people have COVID seniors; we have COVID freshmen. Those sophomores are basically pressure men, and really led by Deja had to really talk a chance. The program was in a time of transition.

And then Carlie the point guard I had at Princeton, she was choosing between Arizona and Stanford who played in the National Championship game. I was texting her during the game like: Babe, come on, I've already recruited you once, right. And then Eva is from New Hampshire where I'm.

From we had to piece it together because it's a little earlier rebirth, and these guys worked so hard. I know every coach says that. I've been coaching for a long time. This group is really, really into it and so they earned it and so this is for me just a gratifying experience for me to be a part of.

Q. When you talk about those COVID freshmen that are sophomores, maybe at the end of the game, you could look at the some of the turnovers that you would not want to get back, but in the 35 minutes coming up on the offensive end, the discipline that they show with Arizona is very stifling, defense throughout the day.

COURTNEY BANGHART: That's the most dangerous part of this game was that if we allowed their pressure to make us tentative.

So I really tried to get into them that we are going to have run through Arizona, run right by them in transition, run through them in quarter court, cut hard through them or we're not going to be able to gently work our way through this game.

And I think that freed up the guys to know, all right, when I drive hard, I've got to make a pass. Because if you're hesitant against pressure it's not good. And so I'm most proud of their ability to be aggressive and play with confidence on this stage in this environment being so young.

Q. We've hit on it multiple points in the press conference but can you talk about the importance of Kennedy Todd-Williams in today's game?

COURTNEY BANGHART: Yeah, there's probably no bigger fan of Kennedy Todd than me. She is such a gem. We needed her to have a great game. She can do so many things on the court, and you know, for a kid like that to be able to impact the game, I called her Scottie Pippens since the day I recruited her. You saw today she's like Scottie Pippens. She does a little bit of everything that contributes to winning.

And to see that Deja, who has been such a headline all year just so honestly and genuinely and authentically love on how Toddy played, that's what, who this team is about. We would not be sitting here if Toddy had not played so well.

Q. Aside from the matching the career high and the point and assists, she really especially towards the end of the game was playing with some flair. Can you talk about how the energy that she plays with, how that impacts the team?

COURTNEY BANGHART: Yeah, she played with great energy and she didn't let -- she kind of let her emotions, she can be pretty stoic, so I can, I can kind of meet her there. But I said in March, you have to bring it out of yourself. You have to come outside of yourself, and she did that and that's not an easy thing to do.

Yeah, I'm so happy she's enjoying her process because that kid could be really special.

Q. Charli Turner Thorne used to go into the locker room with a towel wrapped around her head so her hair would not get wet after a celebration.

COURTNEY BANGHART: She's more stylish than me. I got you.

Q. You mentioned that you thought you all could have hosted and that you had this great environment and winning on their home floor is a big deal. But I wondered, you've had some big-time upset in the women's tournament, which is great, including Iowa and Baylor. Is it time for us to move the women's tournament to-all-neutral floors where theoretically we would have even more upsets?

COURTNEY BANGHART: What's hilarious about that is that we're finally at the point where we will host and I'm going to tell you, it's hard, because this environment is so great. Are we ready? I'm a purist in knowing that the environment is important. So it's got to be in certain environments that can prepare for that because you want it to feel special.

This felt really special for both teams. March is all of for everybody but one when it all comes down to it, right. But nobody here tonight, whether it's a fan or a player won't remember this. And so that's why I just want to make sure it doesn't get lost is the moment of remembering how special the energy and excitement is.

So I don't know if we're totally ready for that entirely yet but I think getting more games on TV and having these upsets are showing the quality of play.

Q. Congrats on the win. So you shut down a team who regularly score 70-plus to 45 points on their home court and held them to a season low before that three-point at the end. What or who was the key tonight?

COURTNEY BANGHART: Five-on-five. You know, we said like any matchup one-on-one against this team. I don't like any of them. So luckily we are not going to play it. We are not going to play one-on-one on anywhere on the court with any of their players. So we made it a five-on-five game. We made sure we showed their main favorite actions, and we said this is where they like to iso, iso, iso and we are just like, we are not having it.

So five-on-five, there's no one kid that stopped it. It was five-on-five all the time.

Q. You emphasize hustle; there was a point where Alyssa seemingly came out of nowhere and blocked shots. What does it mean to see that kind of hustle from your team on a daily basis on the court?

COURTNEY BANGHART: Alyssa is the motor. She played all 40 minutes. I took her out so she could be celebrated. That kid plays so hard every minute. We would not be sitting here this far along many March without Alyssa Ustby. She's just the motor of our group. She had to guard the five. When Reese was in, she was guarding Reese. When Reese wasn't in, she was guarding the five, and she's a 6-1 guard.

Yeah, all about heart and that's what we pride ourselves on as a program.

Q. Could you sub her back in any way?

COURTNEY BANGHART: I didn't have any more healthy people to put in to let Carlie come out.

Q. Can talk about the defense, seems like there was a lot of Kennedy.

COURTNEY BANGHART: We wanted Toddy's length on Pellington. Also we knew she would try to pick on us, which is what they did the very first possession of the first half and the second half with our length.

So we knew that Deja was not an option there, and we moved Deja to Thomas and wanted her to contest at the arc and we'd have good gap help by some of our longer defenders.

So you know part of it was scout and part of it was in March, good players making good plays.

Q. What are the emotions as you're building the lead during the time-outs and as the game progressed, and did you think that you would build that sort of margin that early in the game?

COURTNEY BANGHART: We've been spurt-ability all year. As you know, I think our margin of victory still is in the top five in the country and that's even after a very challenging ACC schedule where we played NC State twice, Virginia Tech three times, etc.

We've kind of been doing that. We've been -- we're a hard team to put away and we also were dangerous to go on runs.

So that's been pretty much our staple in terms of our -- of most of our season. So this game went kind of as, honestly, as planned.

Q. And obviously you saw South Carolina in a preseason scrimmage. Can you talk about the challenge that they give you, and maybe you can't tell us too much of how that went, but a little?

COURTNEY BANGHART: South Carolina is one of the very best teams in the country and they have some of the very best players in the country. They are incredibly dominant inside. You're playing the No. 1 seed overall, them and Stanford are fighting for that right now. That challenge will be formidable.

We take one week at a time. I know it's a very quick turnaround because we are on the other side of the earth right now and we have to get back home. But we have played them. We've recruited those players so we know them well. Familiarity obviously is clear.

But I mean, our guys are going to give what we got and that's a very, very good basketball team and it will be exciting to be playing them in Greensboro.

Q. I know there's a lot of celebrating to do tonight or whatever, but just in case I don't get to talk to you before Friday, I just have to hear your initial thoughts on the atmosphere you're going to be expecting on Friday, North Carolina, South Carolina, Sweet 16. I can't imagine that place having one seat available, so I just want to hear your initial thoughts on what you're expecting this Friday night.

COURTNEY BANGHART: Yeah, me neither. I can't imagine. I remember we were doing our celebration when we figured out where we were playing for the tournament and all of our fans are like, oh, Tucson, and then we figured out that it was Greensboro if we advance and they all said just please come home.

I mean, I have -- I think going into this game, I had I think 181 unread text messages so I can't even keep up, people saying come on, one more so you can come home.

I think we will draw well. The environment will be great. South Carolina travels as well. Women's basketball is in the best spot it ever been in. I've given my life to the women's basketball game, all I've ever done with two Ivy League degrees, a lot of people would question that, including my parents. The game is the healthiest it's ever been, and the crowds will show out for it.