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

March 14, 2023

Ny'Ceara Pryor

Sajada Bonner

Olivia Tucker

Sacred Heart Pioneers

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Sacred Heart student-athletes Olivia Tucker, Ny'Ceara Pryor, and Sajada Bonner.

Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Really just for all three of you, what has the past I guess like 60 hours been like going from playing in a conference tournament championship game to getting here.

Olivia, if you don't mind starting.

OLIVIA TUCKER: Yeah, it was an awesome feeling. I mean, to think 24 hours later after winning a championship we were on a plane flying to California.

So just creating these memories with these girls, it's something I'll never forget and will cherish forever.

NY'CEARA PRYOR: No, yeah, it was definitely a great feeling. We was watching Selection Sunday just amazing to see us play here and amazing to be here.

SAJADA BONNER: As a senior I'm so, so thankful for this team. It was so exciting to celebrate every moment with them and our coaching staff. To be in California is amazing within a few hours, so I am just so thankful.

Q. I hope you guys don't mind the wind you're getting out here. I guess it's a little bit better than snow. Sajada, especially to win your first trip to the NCAA tournament in your home state, can you just describe what Sunday was like in that way?

SAJADA BONNER: It was amazing. My whole family was there, my teammates' family. Like we were in another team's gym but felt like we were home because we had so much support.

I just felt coming to Sacred Heart I was home, and that moment was so full circle for me. I loved it.

Q. Yeah, Olivia, I'll start with you for this, but Sajada I want to ask. Since you both went to different schools first and transferred in here, what has drawn you as you got into your college career to come to Sacred Heart to be a part of this program and to get to that point?

OLIVIA TUCKER: Yeah, actually Sacred Heart recruited me out of high school, so it was kind of a crazy story. I just didn't have a great freshman year at my previous school, and then Coach Mannetti reached back out to me and I visited campus and the girls were just so welcoming, and also was a strange time with COVID, but they just felt like a part of my family.

So, I mean, just coming on campus I knew that it was going to be my home for the next four years, so I was very thankful for her and my teammates as well.

SAJADA BONNER: For me as well. Sacred Heart always felt like home from when I was younger getting recruited by them, and to get the opportunity to come back after graduating, it just amazing. To play for the four women that I played for, I think I'm forever grateful for them fully and I'm so happy to be here. (Smiling.)

Q. Ny'Ceara, as a freshman, what drew you to this program, and especially in this moment that this is where you wanted to start your college career?

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Yeah, to piggyback off what they said, I came from a big family, so this school just felt like a big family to me and that's why I chose to come here.

And also what better way to win with this team? Like we went through so much throughout the whole season. So the biggest thing for us was just to win and come together. I think ya'll can say the same thing, we just love our team and wanted to win.

Q. For Sajada and Olivia, to see what Ny'Ceara has been able to do as a freshman, like first time in the league winning all three of the major conferences awards, just what can you guys speak to about her game and what has impressed you guys throughout the season?

SAJADA BONNER: I'll go first. For me what stands out about Ny'Ceara is her heart. She's so humble, so kind. Like having a player like that in the NEC, it's unbelievable. Like she comes to practice every single day and her first thought is to help others. I don't think I've seen a player like that in a really long time.

I think that's what separates her from every other player, and I think she's so deserving of every single award. To come in and be a freshman and lead a team like this, you're not going to see it again in a very long time. She made history, and her teammates continue to tell her how great she is.

I'm very proud of you.

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Thank you, J.

OLIVIA TUCKER: Yeah. I also agree with everything Sajada said. Ny'Ceara is very humble, very selfless, she is always looking to help others, and I think that's really important, especially with all the awards she's getting.

But she is well deserving. She comes into practice and works 110% and she is pushing others and holds others accountable and is a great leader on and off the court.

I think that's what we really appreciated this season.

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Thanks:

Q. This is been a tremendous season for you guys. You started off on not so the right path, 1-8 in nonconference play. Then you beat Fairfield, and all of a sudden you get to conference play and you start going on a run. Like what changed? What adjustments did you make to get to where you are today?

NY'CEARA PRYOR: I will say the accountability part. We held each other accountable through everything. Coach always talked about we ride the highs, survive the lows. I think that's the biggest thing the whole season we did.

SAJADA BONNER: I agree. I felt like I knew this team was special coming back from Christmas because we just were so connected. We were gone for about five days and it was like we didn't skip a beat.

I was like, okay, this is a family and everybody cares about each other. So I just knew we were going to turn it around at some point, and that's exactly what we did.

OLIVIA TUCKER: I also think we were still trying to figure out who we are. We had so many new players. We had transfers, we had freshman, and it was like a brand new team. So still trying to figure out who we were, and I think we finally did, and we created that bond on and off the court and I think that is really what led to our success as well.

Q. This question is for you, Ny'Ceara: You were recruited by Sacred Heart when you were being overlooked by other schools. When you got to Sacred Heart you started lighting up and you started getting these points, these steals, these rebounds, and then all of a sudden you sweep every major award in the NEC. Did you ever think this would happen?

NY'CEARA PRYOR: No. I never thought I would get this many awards in the same year, but I always tell people that it don't matter where you play as long as you play your game.

So that's the biggest thing for me, is just playing my game and showing other people from my city that they can do the same thing.

Q. Quick follow-up on that one. Ny'Ceara, how do you get so many steals?

NY'CEARA PRYOR: I think it's just defense. That's always been my thing. Always wanted to play defense that turned into my offense, so...

Q. Ny, what's the next step you think you can or need to make with your game? I mean, it's a pretty incredible freshman year, but I assume you want to continue to do more beyond this.

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Oh, yeah, definitely going to continue to lead my team. Also just working on my shot, working on things that I need to get better at. It's only up from here, so...

Q. Sajada, I know when you were at Quinnipiac you played in the WNIT. What can you remember about postseason basketball from last year over there?

SAJADA BONNER: Postseason basketball was a fight. I think every day in practice you really had to lock it on the important things. The games, as I can remember, were tough. You played to the wire. You played other great teams that had great seasons.

So for us and what I can tell my team is that just keep doing what we been doing: Fighting, staying together, staying together as a team, and willing ourselves to a win.

Q. Olivia, you have just found out getting over here, but what have you seen about Southern in the little bit of time you've had to look ahead to tomorrow's game?

OLIVIA TUCKER: A lot of credits to our coaching staff because they had to put together a scouting report, game plan, in less than 24 hours. So kudos to them, especially because I know it's been a lot of work.

Then also my teammates as well. We have been locked into scout. So I think we have a great game plan coming into it and I have confidence in us. It's definitely going to be a tough game because everybody at this level has won a championship, so I think just coming in and just playing the game that we usually play.

Q. I guesses Ny'Ceara, to know that if you guys get this win tomorrow it's the first NCAA tournament win in the school's history in the women's basketball program, is that a pretty big deal to be able to achieve at this point?

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Oh, yeah, for sure. We're going to come out and stick to the game plan, and the outcome should be the way that we want it to be.

Q. When you're playing at your best, what's the style of basketball we can expect to see from your team?

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Definitely pushing the pace. We play our game. I think that's the biggest thing for us, is just to push in transition, play at our pace, don't take bad shots, take great possessions, and play defense.

Q. Who is someone on your team to watch tomorrow that isn't currently sitting on the podium?

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Everybody. (Laughing.) My whole team is a bunch of dogs, so everybody. My whole team.

Q. I guess last one: Back in December after that Army game, did you believe you would being sitting here right now getting ready to play March Madness with the March Madness logo in front of you and behind you?

SAJADA BONNER: That's a really good question.

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Yeah.

SAJADA BONNER: We were a young team. I think after that Army game we were just focused on getting the next win. I don't think we were thinking about March Madness and how special this team could be. We just wanted the next win. We were hungry.

NY'CEARA PRYOR: For sure.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you Sajada, Ny'Ceara, and Olivia. Good luck tomorrow.

SAJADA BONNER: Thank you.

NY'CEARA PRYOR: Thank you.

OLIVIA TUCKER: Thank you.

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