NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: REGIONAL FINAL - UCONN VS NC STATE

March 27, 2022

Wes Moore

Kai Crutchfield

Jakia Brown-Turner

Kayla Jones

Raina Perez

Elissa Cunane

Total Mortgage Arena

NC State Wolfpack

Elite 8 Media Conference

Q. Kai, I was joking with your dad at I think it was the K-State game. I said, Kai might be the best defensive back in the house. I talked to him this morning and Brandon said you got those skills from him, but your dad said that you had been working out with Brandon and some other guys playing DB and working on that footwork skill. How has that translated into you getting to the passing lane, breaking up passes?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: Yeah, I had worked out with my dad and my brother and some of his friends. It's really being able to read the offense better and just knowing when to break on the ball when the person passes it, just kind of like being like a DB or a line backer. It's definitely transferred over. I feel like you see it's transferred over. It's one of those things that has become second nature to me, so I feel more comfortable breaking on the balls now.

Q. Jakia, I was talking to Azzi earlier and she mentioned you go back before your battles in the WCAC. Your thoughts on facing her again and what do you remember about facing her in high school and the challenges she presents?

JAKIA BROWN-TURNER: Yeah, Azzi is a great scorer, a great player, and I'm very familiar with how she plays. I know we're going to have to run her off that three-point line.

Q. How neat is it to have so many WCAC players represented this deep in the NCAA Tournament?

JAKIA BROWN-TURNER: It just shows that the WCAC is a great conference. I'm definitely biased but I think it's the best conference in the country. But yeah, it shows the WCAC has a lot of great players.

Q. Kayla, you exited the game in the fourth quarter yesterday. Physically how are you feeling? You guys have talked so much about wanting to get past the Sweet 16 and that being a big goal. How have you been able to balance being able to celebrate that accomplishment while also knowing you have another game to play and you have more that you want to accomplish?

KAYLA JONES: Well, I feel great, my body. BK and Felipe, they've done a great job helping me recover, and we're going to take the day to help recover and calm the knee down. And when it comes to getting over that hump, it's just an amazing feeling so you have to embrace that. Enjoy the moment, and like I said, we've been just living in the moment this whole tournament.

Q. Raina and Kai, just getting to the Final Four would be amazing, I know, but to beat a program like UConn to get to the Final Four, how amazing would that be for this program?

RAINA PEREZ: I think it would be huge. I mean, just finally getting over that Sweet 16 hump was huge for us, so just having another great win and big win against UConn would be huge, as well. It would be big for the program.

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: Yeah, I definitely agree with Rai. It would be big for the program and just getting to the Final Four in general, I think it would be huge itself.

Q. Raina, I think you were the closest to being alive the last time that you guys were in this spot. I think it was by two months, which shows how long it's been for you guys. What does it mean to have gotten that drought ended, to be at this spot, and what's it going to take to get to the first Final Four since '98?

RAINA PEREZ: I'm not that old, but I think it's huge. Like you said, the last time I think we were there it was 1998, and so it's huge for this program. It's going to take a lot of hard work and grit in this game especially just because it's UConn. They're always a good team, and we've just got to fight real hard and we can get there.

Q. Jakia, just want to add on what you were just asked. Can you just talk a little bit about how being from the DMV has prepared you for not just this year but your career? I wonder if there's anybody from back home that you would like to thank, as well?

JAKIA BROWN-TURNER: I'd definitely like to thank all my coaches and trainers from back home first. But definitely WCAC, every night we had a hard game, and it transferred to college because every game is going to be tough. I think in high school we prepared every day and before every game, and that transferred over to college. The same way we prepared in high school, I prepare now.

Q. Geno Auriemma who's been there a bunch of times has said repeatedly that this is the hardest game in the tournament, the one to get to the Final Four. Just for any of you to talk about what the pressure is on you because of this huge drought that you've overcome part of, to get to that Final Four. How much pressure are you guys feeling?

ELISSA CUNANE: Honestly I don't really feel like there's pressure on us. I feel like as a team we just want to prove what we can do and play to the best of our ability. That's not because it's been a drought. It would be an amazing accomplishment for us, but we want to do it for this team that we've worked so hard for this year and for our coaches and for the fans and for everybody.

I think it's cool to make history and do all that, but I think we're really just focused on playing our best basketball.

Q. Since the brackets came out and everyone saw the field, fans made a big deal about you guys having to come here, of course, and potentially play UConn. Now the game is actually here and you're going to play UConn for a trip to the Final Four. Would you want it any other way? If you've got to get there, would you want to go through the powerhouse, the best? Is this the way you'd actually want it?

KAYLA JONES: Yes. I mean, it was written like that. I feel like Kai said it, it's all written. God has it planned out. That's how I see it. That's why I'm not worried. It's no pressure really because we've just got to play good basketball and that's something we can control, our energy, our effort. The way the brackets look, like Coach Moore said, we're focusing on one game at a time so we don't put that much pressure on ourselves because it's something we can't control. We're just ready to play, that's the main thing.

Q. Raina, this team, your team is very balanced in terms of what you can do offensively. UConn is similar in that sense. How do you see that matchup in terms of what you have to do defensively to know that there's a variety of weapons that they pose offensively that you'll have to shut down? And, vice versa, how does that help you when you guys are on offense, that you know that they have to do the same thing and try and stop a majority of you guys who can go out and score, too?

RAINA PEREZ: I think we've just got to follow the scout. We watched film this morning, we watched film last night, and we've just got to go by the scout to get some stops and then score in transition, make them turn over the ball.

But I think it's good that we have a lot of depth. It's going to be hard for teams to kind of stop every single person on this team, so if they take away one player, we've got someone else who's going to step up, so I think our depth is going to help us a lot.

Q. Raina, you've been involved in your short time here at NC State with two of the biggest plays in the history of the program. How does that translate to your confidence on the court and how you're going to apply that in the game tomorrow?

RAINA PEREZ: I mean, I'm real confident. After you hit one play, you're confident. After you hit two, you're like, oh, shoot, right? It's crazy because I never really expected for those things to happen. You don't go into a game saying, oh, yeah, I'm going to hit the game-winning shot or I'm going to get the game-winning steal. You don't ever think those things. It definitely brings up my confidence, and I'm just happy that it helps the team win. That's the main goal.

Q. You had a really good rebounding game yesterday and obviously that's going to be a key. How much of a focus has that been for you guys?

ELISSA CUNANE: Huge. That's one thing Coach Moore focuses on all the time is that offense sells tickets, defense wins games, and rebounding wins championships. I think we're really just focused on rebounding. And yesterday in particular, I was focused on not letting her get O-boards, not letting the other team get O-boards and that's going to be huge tomorrow as well, looking at the numbers that UConn put up yesterday as well. I think just focusing on boxing them out and not letting them get O-boards and then hopefully going to get it myself.

Q. Kayla and Kai, both of you are graduates. What was the decision to come back? Was there ever a doubt that you would come back, and had you not come back, what might the two of you be doing right now?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: I don't know. So the reasons why I came back, I felt like it was a no-brainer. Another year of education, one; and two, I mean, I just love these girls, really. I love the program, I love NC State. I was born and raised in Raleigh, so just leaving NC State -- I wasn't ready to leave yet.

What I'd be doing right now, I have my own business so maybe focusing on that a little bit. I'm not sure. I guess corporate America. I don't know.

KAYLA JONES: Basically to piggy-back off what Kai said about coming back with the team, I really love my teammates and I feel like we've gotten closer this year, especially Rai because she was quiet last year, so we get more of her personality. And then I feel like we weren't done; it was unfinished business. To just get over that hump and then to see it happening now, it was worth the come-back.

What I would be doing, I have no idea. I have no idea. Hopefully basketball somewhere on the next level, but yeah, I don't know.

Q. Kai, I was wondering what Elissa just said about you're not trying to make history or anything, you're just doing it for your team. Having been together so long and winning the three ACC tournaments, does that just give you more and more confidence as you go along?

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: Yeah, I would say it gives more confidence, just that team camaraderie and gelling together even more over the past few years. And like KJ said, we weren't finished yet, so having that -- I guess building on to that confidence, that team chemistry, it really helped give us an extra oomph, and that oomph helps us get over the Sweet 16 hump.

Q. I have to follow up on Kayla's comments about, Raina, you being a little quieter next year. How have your teammates coaxed you into being more vocal?

RAINA PEREZ: I don't know, I just feel like last year was the first year. It was COVID year. You don't really get to like see the school before you get here, you don't really meet the girls before you get here, because I couldn't take an official visit. So going in there, it's like new everything. So you don't really know. But I was just always in my room. I was kind of more of a homebody, watched TV, kept to myself. Then this year I was like, it's my last year, I've got to get out and start talking.

KAYLA JONES: She's really goofy. She shows her personality. We love it.

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: We tried to talk to her.

KAYLA JONES: We tried. We really tried.

Q. What's the goofiest thing she's done?

KAYLA JONES: I guess her cheesy jokes. But it's Rai.

KAI CRUTCHFIELD: You don't expect her to make a joke...

ELISSA CUNANE: She says the East Coast is terrible and the West Coast is the best coast.

Q. I wanted to piggy-back off the question in regards to you guys being in this position where you have to win a de facto game to get to the Final Four, but this group has won some tremendous games on the road before. How will you be able to take that experience going into the game tomorrow to help you shock that crowd that'll be in attendance tomorrow, most of them rooting for UConn?

ELISSA CUNANE: Yeah, I think tomorrow is a home game for them. There's no question about that. We've gone to South Carolina and beat them at their home, we've gone to Louisville, beat them at their home, Indiana this year. We're capable of beating a great team on their home court, so we know we're capable of doing it tomorrow.

Q. You talked about Coach Moore's humor, intensity, all of those things that you see in him as a coach. Has he ever opened up to you about his background, growing up in Texas, went to school in Tennessee, what brought him to NC State? Have you ever heard him talking about those things?

JAKIA BROWN-TURNER: Yes, we've heard a couple of stories. Well, his friends are down here right now, so we've been able to see a couple of his middle school pictures and when he was younger and stuff. But yeah, he definitely talks about his journey here and how he's grateful that he's worked hard to get to where he's at now.

WES MOORE: Again, just really proud of our kids and the effort they gave yesterday. Would have been real easy to feel like, okay, it's not going to happen today. But that's just not in them.

Kept battling. We told them at halftime, I think at that point Notre Dame in the second quarter shot 77 percent from the field and 80 percent from the three, and just tried to reiterate to them, okay, we've got to play better defense, but also they're probably not going to keep up that pace, and we've got to make sure we're still locked in and ready when the opportunity presents itself. And they did.

Proud, happy for them. A lot of them came back for this very reason, to try to rewrite this chapter, so excited for them.

As far as tomorrow, we know it's a great challenge. Geno built something really special here, and obviously he's got a lot of great players, a lot of talent. We know it's, like I said, going to be a big challenge for our program, but we're excited about it, excited about the opportunity, and trying to take one more step.

Q. We were just with the players before and they were joking about how Raina has come out of her shell this year and you can just tell they seem really close off the court. In what ways have you seen bonds form between the players?

WES MOORE: Yeah, we thought we were only going to have her for one year, and it was unbelievable how a year ago she just immediately fit. When you have a veteran team back as we did a year ago and you bring someone new in that's going to play a major role, you worry about how she's going to be accepted and how she's going to fit in.

You just can't help but love her, just her personality, her unselfishness.

One thing as a coach I really appreciate is everything we do she does full speed, she does game-like. I call her a pro. She comes in there when we're doing the simplest of drills and she's going game speed. And that's why on the biggest stage, it doesn't faze her because she's used to going that speed.

Yeah, just a great personality. Even when I first started talking with her on the phone, we could cut up, take jabs at each other, and just knew she was special. On the court, off the court, it's been unbelievable.

Q. Given the non-conference schedule you've played with a lot of great teams also in the ACC, does UConn remind you of anybody stylistically-wise that you've played this season?

WES MOORE: You know, again, I think right now they're definitely one of the best teams in the country. They've got everybody back. They're healthy. They're playing extremely well. Geno seems to always get them to peak at the right time, and they seem to be doing that.

Yeah, I don't know if I'd make any comparison. Again, I just think they've got a lot of weapons, a lot of people that can hurt you, and obviously he's a great coach. It's a big challenge.

Q. We just saw the five of them today and we saw them a couple days ago. They seemed much looser today, joking around, just really happy, and they're facing what Geno has called repeatedly the hardest game of the tournament. Do you think that there's a connection between what they managed to do yesterday and the looseness that they're apparently taking into this --

WES MOORE: Yeah, I don't know. Again, we're fortunate we've got a veteran team, and they've all been here several times. I think the preparation, you don't really change anything. You want the process to be the same as it's been all year, and so I think it's typical for them to enjoy being around each other, enjoy the game that they have such a passion for.

So I think that helps keep them loose. But again, I just think they're in their normal routine, and take it, again, one game at a time and worry about who's next.

I think we had an opportunity to watch film this morning and then to get out here and get back on the court a little bit and just go over a few things, and hopefully we'll be well rested and ready to roll.

Q. To get to the Final Four would be amazing for this program, obviously, but to get there by beating UConn, the perennial powerhouse that they are, would that make it even more special for the program?

WES MOORE: I think it would be pretty special no matter who it is, to be honest.

Again, this is why -- I keep saying it, but this is why a lot of these kids came back, a lot of these seniors. They wanted to rewrite the last chapter, and we're here. We have an opportunity to do that.

Probably really focused on us and doing what we do and trying to be the best version of NC State that we can be, so it really doesn't matter who that's against.

Q. You talk a lot or reference a lot Kay Yow and Pat Summitt. Did you ever talk to them about being in this situation or these kind of situations, and if so what kind of advice did you get from them about competing in these moments?

WES MOORE: No, why did you bring it up? Now I am wondering why they didn't. Man, now you give me something else to think about.

No, really didn't. I was fortunate to be with Coach Yow when actually the young ladies that went to the Final Four for NC State in '98. They were freshmen when I was there, and '93 to '95, so I was around that team. Coach Yow, again, she made everybody loose, everybody feel good about being there. But no, really haven't done that.

I keep referencing I do think you do what you've done all year, and a thing that we've really focused on and we saw it last night watching UConn, they're a great rebounding team. I think Geno referenced it after the game, they had 19 more shots than Indiana had, and that was the thing that I learned and loved about Pat Summitt and Tennessee is just they were great rebounding teams, and I think that's what you have to do this time of year.

I think UConn is following that same blueprint, and so we have to try to match that.

Q. Earlier Geno said he recalled when you were at UT Chattanooga you came up to a practice and you guys went out and talked a little bit after that. Do you remember what year that was? Do you remember the conversation? Were you picking his brain a little bit when you met with him?

WES MOORE: Oh, yeah. Yeah, I don't remember the year, but I tried to -- when I was at Chattanooga, when we had fall break, we'd give our players off for three or four days, and I would try to go somewhere and learn and get better. So one year I decided to come up here to UConn, and Geno was gracious enough to let me hang out for two or three days. And before practice or after practice we'd sit down and visit, maybe grab something to eat, whatever. He's been really good to me.

I think sometimes it's been so long, not that I'm saying he's old or anything, but he's been here so long you lose sight of the fact that he built this program. Before that I don't know that women's basketball at UConn was on the map. He's built something special, and the rest of us are trying to get there.

But yeah, he was very gracious with his time and with his knowledge, and it was a good weekend.

Q. What attributes have allowed you to have the type of success to win three conference championships in a row, and is there something different or elevated about this year's team that could allow you to take that next step to the Final Four?

WES MOORE: Yeah, I think the key to our success is high-character young ladies, student-athletes. I want to enjoy the journey. I'm selfish. I want to enjoy the ride, so to speak, and I want them to. I want this to be the best four years of their life, and I want them to have a great environment and great atmosphere to play in.

Because of that, we're real selective who we bring in that locker room and who we bring into our program, and so all these young ladies are unbelievable people.

I think high character wins games and wins championships. Obviously they've got to be talented to play at this level and to compete for a Final Four, but I think that's the thing that separates us sometimes, the unselfishness, the willingness to --

Before COVID year, I think it was us and one other program were the only two Power Fives that had never had a player go in the portal, and I think that says a lot about the people that are in that locker room. They enjoy being around each other and enjoy playing together, competing together.

As far as what separates this team, I think you've got to have talent. We've had that. But I think the depth and the experience, we've got more depth than we've had. Last year when we lost Kayla Jones in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, we weren't prepared for that. And so now I think this year we're a little bit better equipped if we get in foul trouble or someone is having an off-night. I think we have some options that can come in and not just hold down the fort, can really take off and give us a lift.

Then, like I said, the experience. We've got three players that this is their fifth year of college basketball. Elissa Cunane, her fourth; Jakia Brown-Turner, Jada Boyd, Camille Hobby, their third. So we've got a lot of people who have been there, and I think that helps this time of year when you have that inner confidence, just like last night. Like I said, it would have been easy to say, okay, it isn't happening, but they believed it could.

Q. UConn has used 11 different starting lineups this year just with injuries and various other reasons. What impresses you most about their current lineup they've used throughout this tournament?

WES MOORE: What troubles me the most?

Q. What impresses you the most.

WES MOORE: Impresses? Well, I mean, they're just all great players. I tried to recruit most of them. I guess Geno is just cooler than me.

You know, again, now they have Bueckers back, they have Fudd back, and obviously really the whole lineup. Williams -- I've done USA Basketball, so I've been around a lot of these players, as well. Williams is a great athlete and gets to the rim, does so many things for them. You can go down the list. Aaliyah Edwards, I did a home visit with her up in Canada. That was good, wasn't it? Like I said, she loved me, obviously. Ododa -- again, they're just super talented and well-coached.

You know you're going to have to play extremely well, and we understand that. But this time of year you need to play well no matter who you're playing. Hopefully we can do that.

Q. I know you did not want to talk about the other night because you're focused on Notre Dame and now you're here playing them in front of a home crowd. You've had success against South Carolina at their place, Louisville at their place. How much is it going to help that you've faced some tough hostile crowds?

WES MOORE: Yeah, I think no doubt that gives me confidence, so hopefully it gives them confidence. A year ago we went to No. 1 South Carolina and won, we went to No. 1 Louisville and won. This year we went to Indiana and won in front of big crowds. You know, that's the thing; Connecticut fans are great. They love their women's basketball. If I'm out somewhere traveling or something, I run into them and they love their women's basketball and you've got to respect that.

I don't know why, but I've agreed to a series with UConn starting next year, and so we'll be coming back up here. In case y'all want to come back and see me again, I'll be holding a press conference again, and then they're going to come to us the following year.

You know, again, that gives me confidence. Hopefully it gives the players confidence that that really doesn't matter. They're not going to be -- we're going against five at a time.

Q. What do you want to see from your defense for 40 minutes tomorrow? I know you mentioned Notre Dame was shooting these crazy numbers yesterday that you figured weren't probably going to last, but in terms of playing such a good offensive team, what do you want to see tomorrow from your defensive --

WES MOORE: Yeah, energy and urgency. We've got to fly around. They've got too many weapons. If you're not on edge, if you're not locked in, if you're not talking and focused, you're going to be in trouble. We've got to make sure we bring all that.

And then part of that, I know it sounds crazy, but offensively we've got to take care of the ball because they do pick sixes, okay. We're up here playing football if we're not careful. We've got to make sure we take care of the ball first and give our defense a chance to get back and guard them in the half court.

Q. From previous years to now, do you think there's a difference with the tournament being branded March Madness, and do you think the sport is getting the respect it deserves?

WES MOORE: Yeah, I think everything -- I think it's getting better. I'm excited about it. It's great to have that March Madness on the court and everywhere. I mean, that's what it's about.

I call it March gladness, but whatever. This is the time of year you work for all year, and you're excited about being here. It's just to see where the game has gone. I've been around a little while. It's just amazing.

Again, I think last year it was good. We had some student-athletes speak up, and because of them I really think -- I know I'm fortunate. Our administration has done so many things to make us feel like we're special and we get equal opportunity.

From my standpoint, I'm loving it. And I think our players are treated extremely well.

It's fun to see them getting the attention and being marketed. We've got a great game, and we draw, and we attract numbers TV-wise. Let's keep building and let's keep pushing it and watch how far it'll go.

Q. I just wanted to ask you in regards to Elissa Cunane, you talk about marketing or how she's been playing in the tournament. Do you feel like she's getting the respect of like an All-American like you hear about other players? Tell us what she's meant to NC State's program?

WES MOORE: Yeah, just amazing to think about what she's done for this program. That's why yesterday, Kai Crutchfield made some unbelievable plays for us down the stretch. Again, I expect that out of her even more because she's capable of doing that. Then obviously Raina Perez made the play of the day. SportsCenter opens up with it, you know it's pretty big. But I didn't want Elissa to get lost in all that. She had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and just did so many things during the game to give us an opportunity.

But what she's done throughout her career here, four straight Sweet 16s, three straight ACC championships, okay. Before we won the ACC championship it had been 30 years. I'm talking about the tournament. Before we won the regular season championship this year, it had been 32 years, which I hate to even bring those numbers up.

But I want you to realize not only Elissa, what all these players have done for this program and the legacy they're leaving. I couldn't be prouder, couldn't be happier for them, to see where they've come from in the last four years. It's pretty amazing, they've put this program on the map.

Q. You've got three graduates on your team who could have started their career or gone on and not come back and played basketball. Does that put a little more pressure on you as a coach knowing that you wanted to send them out the right way?

WES MOORE: My goodness, why is everybody doing this to me? The reason they came back is because of me. You know, they couldn't resist. One more year with me saying get it there or turn your motor up or whatever? Come on, they couldn't pass up that.

Yeah, I don't know if I'd call it pressure, but that's probably why I was so happy last night when Raina made that play and all was because -- again, I hate to say it, that's why they came back. If we would have just got -- folks, it's not easy to get to the Sweet 16, and you've done that four years -- this is four years in a row we had done that.

But everybody was like, oh, yeah, man, they're going to lose again?

I'm so happy for them because they came back, and now it's paid off. To win the regular season, to win the tournament, those were great. Now to take another step in the NCAA Tournament and we're not done? We've got another opportunity.

Yeah, maybe a little bit of pressure. I probably felt more pressure this year all season than I have because I knew our expectations were so high. I'm not talking about just inside. Outside the building. So maybe I have felt more pressure. But mainly it was just wanting them to benefit from the decision they made.