NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST FOUR - SACRED HEART VS SOUTHERN U

March 14, 2023

Carlos Funchess

Southern U Jaguars

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Now take questions for Coach Funchess.

Q. What does it mean to get to this point in the season? I know your first year as a head coach you guys got to the NCAA tournament. To be back here again, just what has it been like to get this group to the NCAA tournament?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: I'm just so happy for the young ladies. They started back in June lifting weights, conditioning, getting ready for this moment, for the opportunity to get to the NCAA tournament. I knew we had the talent coming in.

You know, you have to be a little lucky also, what you saw against Jackson State in the second round. But we did a great job preparing. We had some stumbles along the way, but they worked extremely hard and I knew they had it in them.

Q. To obviously win the way you guys have, it's been a very low-scoring tournament for you guys through the SWAC. I guess when you look at the way your defense was able to perform, how much is that important coming to March, if your defense is able to keep other teams in 40s and 50s, and even against a team like Jackson State, keep them at the low 60s to allow you to score your way into it?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Well, that's always been the strength of our team, being able to guard. They say defense travels, and it does. Shots going to be on some nights, some nights shots going to be off. Just take good looks and things like that.

But defensively, we have to guard and we have to rebound. You know, that's two staples of our teams here in the past. That's why we been successful, and hopefully we'll continue that trend.

Q. And when you talk about traveling, just what has this last 72 hours been like going from Birmingham Saturday, Baton Rouge Sunday. Just what's it been like for you watching your players go through this?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Well, it's been extremely tough. We had a tough pre-conference schedule, so did travel some early in the year. But we left last Monday; played in the championship game on Saturday; won that; got back late Saturday night; had a selection show on Sunday; jumped on a plane Monday.

Like you said, it's been a whirlwind. The young ladies, they conducted themselves like they needed to; made sure they got plenty of rest and just getting ready for the next task.

Q. I know you were an assistant for a long time before you became the head coach here. When you have been in the tournament, it's often been as a low seed going up against a high seed. To be in this First Four game, how do you feel as a head coach about it? Obviously it's an extra game you have to play to be in the tournament, but a chance to get a win, is that an important thing in your mind?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: It's important, but we go into every game and prepare for it like we're going to win, you know, regardless of the opponent. We played Oklahoma, Iowa, Iowa State, Texas. You know, it was no different in preparation for us as coaches playing those teams as opposed to playing a team in our conference.

We prepare the young ladies each and every game just like you're playing against a Power 5 opponent.

Q. What would getting the first win in program history in the NCAA tournament mean for this group, the school, to pick that off on Wednesday?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: I mean, I think it would be a great look for the conference. The Southwestern Athletic Conference, women's basketball, it's really, really good. We have a lot of young ladies that transferred from Power 5 schools. We have I think four young ladies that were top 50 in the country in their class coming out.

So, I mean, the league is extremely tough. It would be a great look for the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and help put us on the map.

Q. We were talking just before about how you have been in the NCAA tournament, men's and women's, as a player, assistant coach, now head coach a couple times. Can you tell us one of your favorite NCAA tournament memories?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Probably my first year as head coach, just to see those young ladies get that championship. We had four seniors who worked extremely hard. Didn't have an NCAA tournament appearance. We had three championships.

As a matter of fact, Coach Coco Parsons was a senior on the on that team. Those young ladies worked hard and they were disappointed so many times going into a championship game and we came up a little short.

But that senior year we came together, and just me seeing the joy from them -- it's almost like I have a two-year old granddaughter, and when they are extremely happy they're jumping up and down. That's how it feels. It's a youthfulness about it when they are able to accomplish a goal.

It's incredible, and I feel just fortunate to be able to coach these young ladies. They do a great job.

Q. When you look at Sacred Heart, I know it's been, what, 36 hours or less since you found out you were playing them.

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Yes.

Q. What have you seen in your initial look ahead to tomorrow about Sacred Heart as you get ready for the game?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Well, I know they're going to come out and play their style of basketball. They kind of want to slow the game down at times. Taylor is a tremendous point guard. They have some big wings that can shoot the basketball.

So it's going to be a task for us. We're going to have to play a disciplined brand of basketball to be able to get a victory tomorrow.

Q. With Ny'Ceara Pryor, freshman guard, I think she is listed at 5'3", I guess. What does she do that might -- as you're watching on film that you've taken that makes her as difficult to stop even as short as she is?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Well, she's extremely quick. She's short but she's stocky and she is strong. She can break you down off the dribble. She can get to the basket. She can shoot the mid-range jump shot. She's going to be difficult to go at for sure.

And they go as she goes. That's the big thing. So we have to slow her down. Hopefully throw multiple people at her. Fortunately for us, one of our strong points is our point guard position. Tyeniesha Metcalf and Chloe Fleming, point guard A1, point guard AB. I could start either one of them.

They have a lot of experience also, so hopefully we can wear her down a little bit.

Q. And obviously you have a very experienced group, period. Bunch of seniors and juniors there. Even though for many of them it might be their first real taste of the NCAA tournament, do you think that experience can shine through the moment, if you will?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: I do. You know, all these young ladies as juniors and seniors came in as freshman and played a lot. You know, that's the only way to get better, getting on that court.

Like you said, we are deep. We have experience. Hopefully that will play in our favor tomorrow.

Q. When you're playing at your best, what's the style of basketball that we expect from the Jaguars?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Hard-nosed tough defense, rebounding the basketball, and like Raven White said earlier, sharing the basketball. If we do those things we're successful most of the time.

Q. Obviously with the First Four, you have to win an extra game if you are going to go all the way, but it does give anybody that's watching women's basketball, if they want to watch it tomorrow, they're going to be watching Southern and playing Sacred Heart.

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Right.

Q. Is that a benefit to being in those games, even if maybe you would want to not have to play the extra game? The whole nation's spotlight will be on your program and the game tomorrow.

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Well, I think it's great just to get the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament. I don't look at it as it being a slight to the program or to the conference. It's just great to have this opportunity.

You know, if you win tomorrow you get a chance to play again on Friday. That's just putting your brand out there. That helps recruiting, the university as far as recruiting student-athletes, and keeps your brand out there in the spotlight.

Q. Coach, we talked about how you're trying to game plan for Sacred Heart. Who would be the toughest player to game plan for on your team?

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Probably Genovea Johnson. Even against Power 5 schools, they have had a hard time guarding her since she got here, since she came to Southern University. She is very difficult to stop off the bounce when she's dribbling and driving. She can create for all of our other players, our shooters, the Aleighyah Fontenots, the Amani Mcwains, Raven White, you know, bouncing the ball to her. Because no one really can really guard her one-on-one off the dribble. She is a tough guard.

When she is sharing the basketball and knocking down the mid-range jump shot, we're a pretty good team.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much Coach Funchess. Good luck tomorrow.

CARLOS FUNCHESS: Thank you, Sam.