AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 8, 2023

Keitha Adams

Curtessia Dean

Trajata Colbert

Dickies Arena

Wichita State Shockers

Postgame Press Conference

Houston 72, Wichita State 64

KEITHA ADAMS: First off, I told our team that I'm extremely proud of how hard and how competitive they were in this tournament. I felt like we really, really came down and played with a lot of passion and that they had no reason to hang their heads.

We're disappointed that we didn't win today. Houston has got a good team.

Obviously their defensive pressure is a big challenge to go up against, and I thought at times we did well with it. But it's a 40-minute game that they really grinded out.

Laila Blair and Tiara Young, they both had big-time games, and they played very well, and they hit some big shots. I thought we struggled at times and just come up short.

But we fought, and I'm proud of that.

Q. Coach, it seemed like in the fourth quarter there was a stretch there you were up two, they got six quick points, offense off their defense and called time-out. Did you go into that time-out thinking that was going to be a real pivotal point in the game either way?

KEITHA ADAMS: Well, yeah, I felt like -- I thought we looked a little fatigued, and too, one of the things that I wanted to do is not let them get on a big run. They had a little bit of momentum there. You just felt like they had some momentum.

Time-outs are good to rest your team, regroup, try to break the momentum and not let it get away from you, so that's why.

Q. Trajata, this is Game 114 for you here at Wichita State. The game just ended so obviously maybe not the time to reflect back, but how do you assess going through the trials and tribulations with this program, and getting to the Conference Finals was a big step forward. How would you assess things?

TRAJATA COLBERT: I'm really proud of my team. I feel like over my years here, we've experienced a lot in this program, and I feel like this year we got a lot of new pieces, a lot of good pieces on offense and on defense. I feel like this year Sham really stepped up for us. She was a great defensive player. She was assigned to the team's best guards, and she really shut them down. She was really good for us this season. And NuNu is a good scorer, Jane being an amazing rebounder and scoring around the block and her driving ability, and D.J. just leading us. I feel like all of us really played hard this season, and we just had a lot of high moments and some low moments.

I feel like tonight there was a lot of emotions because this was a big game, and it kind of got to us a little bit, and I feel like we kind of got worked up and kind of hung down on ourselves a little bit.

But I'm really proud of ourselves this year. I feel like we've really showed what this program can do and what Coach Adams can do, and I'm really proud of us.

Q. Curtessia, in a game where Houston forced 21 turnovers, kind of what they do, you finished with zero turnovers and scored 15 leading the way. What was working for you tonight?

CURTESSIA DEAN: My coach putting the ball in my hands and wishing me the best, that she was able to know who to call on to get a basket.