NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - SOUTHERN UTAH VS NOTRE DAME

March 16, 2023

Niele Ivey

Maddy Westbeld

KK Bransford

Purcell Pavilion

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Media Conference

MADDY WESTBELD: It's really unfortunate, but we know that regardless of where she is on the court she's going to give us her heart and she will be with us on the sideline, and for the rest of the season we know that we have her and wishing her all the best for speedy recovery, and know that we have her, which is good.

KK BRANSFORD: It's super heartbreaking. I think the most important thing right now is having her back. She's really strong, so being able to be there by her side and she's being able to be there by our side as well.

Q. One follow-up along those lines. You obviously had two and a half games without Olivia you've had the last couple of weeks. So just from a team cohesion standpoint on the floor what's that been like?

MADDY WESTBELD: Yeah, our coaches have done a tremendous job thus far of just preparing us for anything that we have coming. So I think that that's just going to continue to go forward. It's been a really good week of practice and getting used to what the court is looking like without Olivia. So, yeah, I'm excited. Our coaches have done a great job of preparing us for that.

KK BRANSFORD: It's something you kind of don't expect, so just being able to adjust, and I feel like as a team we've done a really good job and as coaches they have put in the hard work to help us adjust.

Q. From a standpoint, Maddy, this is your second tournament, KK, this is your first and it's obviously the first for both of you getting to host, just that experience getting to be here for this.

MADDY WESTBELD: Yeah, it's incredible. It's such a blessing to be able to be here in a familiar environment, all of our family, our fans, everybody here supporting us. So, yeah, it's a big advantage for us and I'm excited to just come out and play as hard as we can for our fans.

KK BRANSFORD: Yes, for me it's super exciting, it being my first March Madness. Like, I am used to watching it on TV and now being able to be a part of is really great, and for it to be home with our fans and family makes it even more special.

Q. Maddy, how different is this team without Olivia? Like, without her in the lineup, what do you guys do differently, what do you do better, what do you have to do better from the Louisville game in the ACC tournament, knowing that she's not here?

MADDY WESTBELD: Yeah, it's very different. She brings an aspect to the court, not only her ball handling and her skill set, but just her presence on the floor. She's very influential and she is -- she shifts the momentum when she steps on. So us being able to do that without her has been, I think, the biggest adjustment.

But, yeah, I think we have to go about it in a very strategic way. A lot of teams, especially like that Louisville game, like they were playing very strategic basketball against us. So just figuring that out. It's almost like a chess match. So we got to just figure out where we -- what we bring to the table, what we're great at, and just execute that way.

Q. KK, you've become a big part of this team, filling in for some of the injuries. How excited are you to help lead this team in your first March Madness and does it make it easier preparing knowing that you get to do it here at home, at least to start?

KK BRANSFORD: Yes. During all this time, like, leading up from the beginning of the season this is what we look forward to. So it's just super exciting that now it's here, and my teammates have done a really good job of helping me through those adjustments and transitions. So I'm just super excited and it being here at home, like, my parents are able to travel and come see, so it just makes it even more special.

Q. KK, could you get a little bit specific about how your role has changed without Olivia because you obviously have the ball in your hands more against Louisville.

KK BRANSFORD: Yes. I mean, knowing that Dara and Olivia were our primary ball handlers from the beginning of the season, I've had to transition into helping Sonia bring the ball up the court. So just being able to do that.

Olivia and Dara are still in my ear helping me out because for me it's a tough task, but they're able to help me and support me in that way.

MADDY WESTBELD: I think a lot of what KK has brought to the table this year is everything. Like, from the beginning of the season she started out as a 4 player and she was playing the high post and being literally everywhere on the court knowing every position, and now she's expected to bring the ball up the court.

She's one of the most courageous players I've ever played with because she's a freshman and she's never been through this. So, yeah, any role that coach has brought to her, I think she's done it in such a great way. Yeah, I just wanted to bring that up.

Q. Given the news of today, what's the morale in the locker room right now as you guys get ready to practice and get ready for your first March Madness game tomorrow?

KK BRANSFORD: I would say that having this news, a lot of people are bringing their support, which is super helpful. So it's just kind of a push in the right direction to welcome that support in it. And then getting ready for practice, getting ready for the tournament, we're just pretty excited for that, but knowing -- having Olivia on the back of our minds and keeping her in our prayers and things like that.

MADDY WESTBELD: Yeah, I think we're locked in at this point.

Q. Going back to you, KK, about Louisville. Some of the specific things you learned maybe in the last few games as your role has changed, could you just talk about that a little bit, because you're a freshman coming in, it's all new, I was just curious how you learn from game to game.

KK BRANSFORD: Yes, it's definitely taken from game to game. Louisville, I mean, it wasn't our best game as a team and for me just being able to step up as a ball handler. That was my first game I would say with a lot of pressure. We've had games -- when Olivia went out during that Louisville game, they didn't apply that same kind of pressure. So just learning from that and we've worked a lot in practice with pressure because we think a lot of teams are going to use that to their advantage.

So just being able to get past that and being able to bounce off of Sonia Citron as well.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you, ladies.

(Pause.)

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started. If you would like to ask a question, please raise your hand. Coach, would you like to start with an opening statement.

NIELE IVEY: Yes. Thank you for being here. I wanted to open today by addressing the news this morning on Olivia Miles, that she will miss the remainder of this season. As we said in our statement, she's been working with our doctors and trainers over the last couple of weeks and while it's devastating not to have her, she's progressing in rehab every day, she's going to be an active cheerleader, like Dara, leading from a different capacity.

We've determined that she's going to have her surgery late next week. The current timetable for her return is that we hope that she will be back for the summer in order to participate for the workouts. My focus now is on this team, excited for this opportunity to play here back in South Bend, a team that has overcome a lot of adversity, and super excited that we brought this the regular season ACC title back to South Bend. Looking forward to trying to make a deep run in the tournament.

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions, please.

Q. With Sonia out --

NIELE IVEY: No.

Q. Or not Sonia, Olivia.

NIELE IVEY: Don't start like that. (Laughing.)

Q. I had Sonia on the brain. With Olivia out, Sonia's role obviously changed in the last two and a half games and it will be different now. What's her confidence in not just being a scorer, but being the facilitator of the offense?

NIELE IVEY: Yes, her confidence is high. It's something that we've adjusted the last couple weeks. If you see the Louisville game, after Olivia went down, Sonia took over that role, point guard by committee a little bit, with some help from Jenna Brown. KK's done a really good job.

Again, Sonia is the type of player that's going to do whatever we need to help us win. That's what she's done. We had a really great week of practice getting her in situations handling a lot of pressure and just, again, facilitating, like you said.

So she's ready, she's ready for the challenge, and she's going to do whatever it takes to help us win.

Q. Cassandre, when she came in, she was more or less a luxury for you, losing Dara and now Olivia as well, but just how has her role changed over the course of the season and her importance right now?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, she's a blessing. She's been a blessing. It was a blessing to have her come early and, again, just how things have played out she's just been an incredible addition and asset to our team. She's learned a lot on the fly and also in the fire, first game being at Miami. So she's really taken on the role of being able to score, but also using her length and athleticism to help us defensively and rebounding, scoring in transition.

So she's doing, again, whatever we need, and she's just been picking up the game. Every game she's gotten better in this role, and I'm relying on her as well.

Q. Having gone through your own knee injury and one that was right before the NCAA tournament, if I remember correctly, what have you talked to about Olivia and being in her shoes? Obviously, you came back from that and won a national title, so have all you the experiences to draw on.

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, absolutely. I've had multiple conversations with her. I always feel like everything happens for a reason. It's in God's hands and his plan. And, again, if I hadn't torn my ACL twice or if I hadn't got a knee injury twice, I would have not had the opportunity to come back and play in my home stage in St. Louis and to have the opportunity for a redshirt year.

So you never know what happens, the reason for it. I've talked to her about her comeback being a lot stronger than the setback, just stay positive. We have an incredible performance team. I know that they're going to get her back. And, again, a lot of it is you get a chance to see the game from a different perspective. I know that it's going to help her mature and help her be a leader from the side.

Q. Having been a part of so many teams that make deep runs in March, both as a player and a coach, what do you see in this team just like culture-wise and some of the things that it took for you guys to get to that point maybe you see in this team as well?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, I think just, again, having opportunity. There's a lot of opportunity now. You have to have resilience when you go through adversity. I know that I've talked about that a lot, especially with Dara the last couple weeks and last month, of having the players step up knowing that we are relying on each and every one. It gives more opportunity, like I said. But just finding that toughness, finding the silver lining in everything, and knowing that you're playing for just more than yourself.

We have two injured players and two injured starters that would die to be on the court, so you're playing for a lot more than yourself. This team is a very close unit team. They play for each other, they have great chemistry, and they're an incredible group to work with. I know that having this opportunity, again, being in the dance, being here is going to raise their level and the excitement is there, the toughness and resilience of this group is there.

Q. When you see seeding during this time of the year, it was just no -- between those lines, it is just strictly basketball and it doesn't matter what seed the opponent is.

NIELE IVEY: Absolutely. March is March Madness for a reason. At any given point, moment, anything can happen. You hear so many amazing stories. I feel like the journeys are different and it does not matter. It's zero-zero, the records are a clean slate. You have to come out each game for 40 minutes and play dominant basketball.

Again, anything can happen in the tournament and that's what's so exciting because seedings don't matter at this point. It's a new season.

Q. You said Olivia does need surgery. What is the exact nature of her injury? And was there a point along the path that you were -- you did become hopeful that she might be able to play in this tournament?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, it's undisclosed for her privacy. She's just a knee injury. Again, we have determined the date of surgery. So excited for her to have that surgery and get on the road to recovery.

Q. When we talked to you on Sunday, you said you didn't know much about Southern Utah. Obviously, the announcement was still fresh. Now that you're a day away from the game, what have you been able to learn about them?

NIELE IVEY: Yes, well, very great team. First time playing in the WAC conference, won the tournament. First time being in the NCAA tournament. You could tell this team has grit. They're very well coached. They have an incredible guard in Daugherty that's leading them in almost all categories, great size in Williamson, 6'-5". You could tell that they have just great balance.

Again, they're coming off an incredible win, they're coming off of a high, excited to be playing, excited to be part of their first tournament. So it's a team where we have to do a great job of containing their guards but also protecting the paint.

Q. KK has stepped up for you through the injuries late in the season. What advice do you give her being a young player, leading her team, or helping to lead her team, onto the court for March Madness for the first time?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, I'm really impressed by her maturity. She has a quiet leadership. She's my freshman that's talking on the side all the time. She wants to win, she's competitive, and she plays for her teammates. She's really close with her teammates. I've been very impressed by her versatility. She's learned a lot. I put her in a lot of different scenarios, in late game situations, being an inbounder, running the point at times, being the 4 at times. So I've pretty much thrown everything at her and she's accepted all these roles.

Again, she's the type of player that can impact the game on both sides of the ball. And I love that her confidence has gained. With the way that teams are guarding us, she's been working on her game, working on her shot, and now I feel like she's more comfortable being in these scenarios. Early on as earlier freshman, she didn't have those responsibilities and her role expanded. So I think she's done a great job of accepting this expanded role.

Q. Staying on KK, could you talk about how things change or what you do specifically to get her in the flow. I'm basing it mostly on the last Louisville game. The pressure that they applied will probably be coming at you. How do you address that -- from everyone now, right? And particularly with a freshman.

NIELE IVEY: Yeah. We had a really great week of practice. That's the only thing I did. I broke down a lot of fundamentals, a lot of ball handling, a lot of breaking the offense or breaking the press with two defenders on her. I had a really great week again of practice. My practice squad really ramped up the pressure with all of our guards and put KK in those scenarios to make decisions that she received, the pressure that she received. I kind of tried to simulate all those scenarios for the last week to help her because a lot of it is just, again, like you said, being in that position, a position that she hasn't been in a lot. And she's done a really good job.

I thought she had a really great week of getting better, handling the pressure, and making decisions with a ton of pressure. I think that's going to help her once we see the different things and different defensive schemes that we're going to see, even tomorrow.

Q. When Dara went out, you kind of experimented with the bigger lineup a few times and had some success with it. I'm curious how much you think that factors into you now. And you mentioned Southern Utah has a 6'-5" player, but you potentially could go three big on the court and does that become your identity the next couple weeks?

NIELE IVEY: Yes. I think for me it's honestly scout-driven, very scout personnel-based, what I think is going to be the best way to start the game. I have had that three big lineup for multiple games and they're very comfortable. And again, I think that will help us versus Southern Utah, like you said, with the 6'-5" presence that they have.

Every game kind of changes what I think as far as what our strengths are or how we can counteract who we're going to see in our opponent. But I really do like that lineup.

Q. You did get a chance to play a couple of games without Liv in the ACC tournament. Curious what you learned that you like and maybe that you don't like, without giving away the game plan, in terms of like being comfortable heading into this weekend.

NIELE IVEY: Yes, again, just taking care of the ball. I think half court execution is something that we worked on a lot. Putting my guards in scenarios that before they didn't have to decide or make decisions in. So just making sure that they're ready for those moments. I've kind of adjusted the offense a little bit. We've worked on a ton of like screening action, shooting action, a lot of fundamental stuff. But again I think it's just watching a lot of film. I took from those games, I watched a lot of film individually with my team, with Sonia, with the guards and like, okay, specifically, what could have been the right answer for this. So breaking it down, but also simulating on the court. I've done that a lot. I'm hoping that those scenarios and the way that we have broken down the offense the last several days can help us tomorrow, depending upon what we see. Because you never know. You I think I have an idea what Southern Utah's going to do, but again you have to be prepared for everything.

Q. The news nationally of Olivia being out may come as a surprise, but the fact that you kind of knew since the game in Louisville that you might or probably wouldn't have her for the NCAA tournament, how has that helped moving forward in, okay, we're not going to have her, this is what our team is going to be in March.

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, again, just having those games where we didn't have her, having the film to watch, what we needed to work on, what we can prepare for. Having all my guards, Soni, KK Cas and Jenna being in these positions in practice the last several or last couple games. They have had a little bit of that experience, just being in it without Liv. So that's going to prepare them for what we're going to see. Again, like everyone knows that, when you have somebody go down, we had Dara go down, everyone has to step up, everybody needs to do more. I'm relying on everyone to do a little bit more. We have to do a little bit more now. Even more. So they understand that, they understand where we're at and I'm expecting us to raise our level.

Q. Obviously you don't want Olivia to go down with an injury, but now that you've had time to adjust, you've had plenty of games where I think you had five players score in double figures. Do you kind of present this as an opportunity for players to kind of shine when Olivia has been getting so much of the attention throughout the season, especially on this stage?

NIELE IVEY: Yeah, I think, again, I'm coaching a team that is unselfish. I have an incredible group of young women that play really hard. We've come so far in this program and this year and again, they play for each other and they play for me. So they know, like, I need to do more to help this team win. We're missing, I don't know how many points we're missing, but they know I have to do more to help this team win. Whatever that case might be. That might be being a defensive stopper, scoring more in transition, taking more threes, getting to the free-throw line more, getting more rebounds. They all know that we all have to step up, we have to help. The way that we play unselfishly I think that's going to help and that's what you're going to see. Everyone's going to have more of an opportunity to kind of showcase their game, but do whatever we need. That's what I love. I'm coaching a group that wants, that is excited, that is excited to be dancing and excited to be here with our fans.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you.