NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL FOUR: UCONN VS SOUTH CAROLINA

April 2, 2022

Destanni Henderson

Target Center

South Carolina Gamecocks

Finals Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Destanni is here. She can take questions.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: (Indiscernible) try not to get too ahead of myself, live in the moment, prepare myself for the next game.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like it helps with the coaching staff and teammates. I feel like it brings us all closer together. We all have the same goal, which makes it so much easier. We all play for each other, are happy for each other.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: This is a big opportunity for us. I mean, every game is an opportunity for us to get better. I just feel like in this moment, like it's just a huge blessing to be here. I feel like everybody has been working for this moment. We've all been playing for each other for this moment.

To win a national championship would mean everything, especially because we came so far, so close last year. We didn't get the job done. I feel like this year would be a tribute to that and a win for everybody.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Both. You get the great turnout, you win. I feel like it does boost your confidence. You shouldn't take any team lightly, especially during March Madness or any game in particular because we've been in that position where we have took our foot off the pedal and we lost a couple games.

I just feel like we have to play hard for all 40 minutes, all four quarters, just make sure we're the better team.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: (Indiscernible) have different rappers or songwriters. I just have a mix of things.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like I closed the book on that the next day after that (smiling). I just had other things I had to move forward on, take control over.

So I feel like just looking back at it now, it was a moment. I took it as a blessing in disguise because at the end of the day you learn from those type of games.

To come in here with a good mindset, not to really just think about it, just stay in a good mental space about it, I feel like is really going to be helpful.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like from a positive standpoint, I feel like we're so close, so not to like try to hang your head over a game that was played well on both ends. Stanford played an awesome game. We just fell one point short. I feel like as a team we worked so hard. Losing isn't an option. But sometimes it happens. You just have to bounce back from those moments.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I mean, to get sweeter... At the end of the day we just want to win, no matter who we're playing. I feel like the moment is just to win the national championship.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Yeah, I feel like it's a great matchup. I feel like both teams are really awesome. It's going to be a great game. I feel like both teams are going to come out and fight their hardest.

I just feel like from our end I feel like it's just crunch time. We just have to dial in, all be on the same (indiscernible).

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: It's a blessing. Just worked so hard since last year, just tried to get better as a team individually. I feel like everybody has been playing their role up until this point. I feel like we just have to continue that for one more game.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Early on, any game that they play, I feel like they're really good in transition. I feel like when weed play them, we made a few mistakes where they were getting scoring so much in transition. I feel like we're going to have to limit our turnovers and just make sure we try to get them in a halfcourt set more.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like I've grown in the position of being more of a leader. I feel like I was a leader last year. It was kind of like my first time necessarily playing as much as I ever did.

I feel like I kind of got in the hang of it a little bit. Just to come into my second year of actually playing, just really learning from my first time.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I was back at home watching it on TV (indiscernible). Just to know that one day I was coming to a great program. I'm actually living in the moment, which is really something I just thought about when I was watching that.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Their transition (indiscernible). Just to take away the turnovers as well, just to make sure we keep them in a halfcourt set as much as possible.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I just feel like we had momentum. It just worked out in our favor, I feel like. We were just attacking the basket, getting people into foul trouble.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like the coaches instill positive thoughts after the game, before the game. Just really keep our confidence up. Certain things like great practices, just great energy, I feel like that all are tools to help us in the long run. So I feel like that's what the coaches are going to do.

Especially about the players, I feel like because we are the ones that are playing the game. I feel like we're going to uplift each other, and I feel like that's just positive energy.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: From my standpoint (indiscernible) like we made some type of history. But I feel like at the end of the day we just want to win, I feel like that's the main focus, not to really like make them feel some type of way about them losing.

Yeah, I just feel like the main goal is just to win.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: That is a great question. It really makes me think.

(Indiscernible) just being overlooked about this team is that everybody on the team can be dominant. I feel like our depth is very interesting because not a lot of teams have that. A lot of teams have to play their starting five for 40 minutes.

I feel like it's important for a lot of people on our team to get a little bit of rest. So I feel like that is also...

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like us playing them early on gave us a little confidence. We kind of know what to expect, how we're going to play certain things, just make a little bit of tweaks, of course.

But I feel like, of course, we're going to have to chase over screens, chase certain people who like to shoot or drive, just make sure we stay engaged for 40 minutes. Even if we feel like we're not in the play, just keep playing, because you never know what happens.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: (Indiscernible) I feel like she's one of the best coaches that ever coached me. I feel like my four years has been a journey with the University of South Carolina. I feel like she's a big part of why I'm here today.

I feel like she's a coach to definitely learn from. I feel like I have grown and matured a lot on the court as well as off the court. Just trusting her process.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: When she was a freshman, I believe I was a sophomore. I feel like she came in with so much intensity defensively. It just always stuck with her. It's just something that we all realized since day one.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like, yes, it's all of it. I feel like you have to have all of it to be able to be that type of player mentally and physically. You just have to want to do it. She sticks up to that role very well.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: It's going to take us to be locked in, to stay focused, not to do anything necessarily different, just to be us, just to listen to our game plan and execute that.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I mean, it's just a blessing (indiscernible). A lot of that gets us excited. Whether they're cheering for us or not, I feel like it's going to be a great game, a great 40 minutes. I feel like it's just going to have to be us just really dialed in. It's going to be loud. So I feel like we all have to communicate with each other on the court, just listen to what's happening and just really be focused.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I don't necessarily think that deep. At the end of the day for me it's a game. Yes, UConn is really great. I feel like anybody that got to this point is the best of the best.

I feel like when in doubt, it's going to be a great game and both teams are going to come out ready to play. We just have to be that better team and just do all the little things, all the technical things, do everything that we could to win the basketball game.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Yes. I mean, they're like the talk of the town. It was just a famous team when I was younger. So to come in and be playing against them now, again, I just feel like I matured, I've done seen the game, I've played them already, so just to come in and just be focused, not really think about that.

Q. How much did it help to you play them?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like playing them early on in the season definitely made us gain a lot of confidence. But it isn't something that we're going to just rely on because that is the past. We have something bigger ahead of us in the future.

So I feel like we just have to be positive. We have to be mentally strong, just come out and just be ourselves, do what the game plan is supposed to do, execute that, just be the better team.

Q. What are the biggest challenges that UConn poses for you as a team?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like they're a great transition team. I feel like we're just going to have to make sure our defense is top tier, that we make sure we all get back, just execute defensively.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: They have been playing longer together than I have. I feel like since last year with me getting in the starting lineup, actually playing with them two, I've been able to know what they're good at, what they aren't good at. Just be that point guard that puts them in a position to be their best selves.

I feel like with Zia just to know when to give her the ball, when not to give her the ball. The same with Bree. She's running up and down the floor in transition, there's a smaller guy on her. I be like, Post up, post up. Just to know when to give them the ball, just to make sure that they're good.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Yes. I feel like since over the years, I feel like it's just experience. I feel like I actually had to get experience to be able to know how to give certain information, also to be a player that knows how people receive information, as well. Not everybody receive information the same. Just to know how they are as a person, how to apply that on the court.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Well, I didn't even know that she didn't listen to music. I mean, I know every single thing about them. Yeah, I feel like everybody's different. Not everybody likes to listen to music. I like to listen to music. I feel like that pumps me up.

I feel like we may have our differences off the court, but I feel like on the court we're just locked in and we just all have the same dream, the same goal.

I feel like we're going to set our differences aside and just keep the main thing the main thing.

Q. How important is the guard matchup in this game?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like it's definitely important because I feel like their guards are extremely dominant. I feel like a lot of their points come from their guards.

I feel like the guard matchup defensively on our side is going to have to be extremely aggressive and just make sure that we stay locked in, stay in the plays for 40 minutes.

Q. Your guards play a really important role. Do you expect to impact this game?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Yes. I feel like we definitely have to impact the game, just make sure that we're taking good selective shots, not rushing our shots. Just make sure we're attacking the basket.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like because we have a schedule, I feel like most of the time I follow what we have on our schedule. Of course, I do listen to music, personal things, just talking to myself, making sure I'm in a good head space. I feel like for the most part that's the only thing I do (smiling).

Q. Can you share any of your affirmations?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I mean, I pray, of course. I mean, I don't want to speak what I tell myself personally. Just positive things (laughter).

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I've had scoring drops, especially in the fourth quarter. I feel like during fourth quarters we definitely have to stay locked in, not take our foot off the gas. I feel like if so, it puts us in a position where we find ourselves having those point drops. It kind of make us not as lazy on defense, but I feel like if we're not scoring, I feel like our defense isn't as great.

I feel like we have to keep that momentum and keep that fight and usual in us to play both sides.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Being so young, I feel like she's definitely onboard with everything, especially the (indiscernible). I feel like she has a lot of energy, a lot of personality, for sure.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: Yes, I first remember seeing her, I was on a visit, I was younger. I was in eighth grade and she gave me an offer to come to the University of South Carolina. Back then I didn't really know what that was, what that meant. I was only just playing basketball at such a young age.

But as I was a junior, I ended up committing because I feel like that's just what my plan was, what my purpose was, and it felt great especially because of her. She made me very comfortable and I wanted to be there.

Just all the accolades she has, everything that I've seen -- well, I didn't really see her do it, but I've known of her to do it's just great. I feel like a lot of things that she's done, I would want to do.

Q. Talk about your three guards. You seem very different. What role do each play?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like our roles are definitely different. Especially being a point guard, I feel like you have to the general on the floor. Anybody on the court can lead, but I feel like everybody has a different role on the team.

From my standpoint, I feel like I just have to put the ball in people's hands when it's best, just make the best decision out on the court.

I feel like Bree, be dominant, make sure she get offensive boards, defensive boards, scores, just match up defensively. Zia, as well, to be aggressive defensively and offensively. Just have to think about just shooting the basketball, not to do anything extra.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: It give us so much confidence. I feel like everybody give us confidence because everyone on the team matters. It isn't just one player or two, it's everybody. Even the ones who don't get spoke about, even the ones on the bench cheering, we all need that.

I feel like all of that gives us confidence. Just making sure that everybody is in a good mood, positive, just playing the game for each other.

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: No, I didn't know anything (smiling).

Q. Have you watched her on film ever?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: No, no. Like I was just there on a visit. I got an offer. Then when I got the offer, it was like, Do you know who that is?

I'm like, No.

Afterwards, that's when I started doing my research. When I got older, that's when I started to learn more. When you're a kid, you don't really know what an offer is, what it can do, how far it can take you.

Q. Do you understand she's one of the best point guards of all time?

DESTANNI HENDERSON: I know that now, yes (smiling).

Q. (No microphone.)

DESTANNI HENDERSON: No.