NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - SACRAMENTO STATE VS UCLA

March 17, 2023

Charisma Osborne

Emily Bessoir

Pauley Pavilion

UCLA Bruins

Media Conference

Q. Charisma, just three weeks ago, you were kind of saying your goodbyes here because you thought it was going to be your last game at Pauly. How does it feel after the Pac-12 tournament run to kind of know that you have hopefully two more here?

CHARISMA OSBORNE: It's fun. I'm super excited to be back here at Pauly, all of my teammates are really, just being in a familiar place, and we practice here all the time. So it's super fun and just to be able to have our fans and like my family come out and see me play here again is going to be really fun.

Q. For either of you, this is a relatively new experience for you guys together, you know, playing in the tournament. I imagine most of you have not played in the tournament, the younger players on the team.

How do you balance that with also wanting to be comfortable and knowing that, you know, you are hosting for a reason?

EMILY BESSOIR: Yeah. I think that we are at a really good spot with our team right now confident wise.

At the end of the day, like yes, it is the tournament, but it's also a game that we know how to play and played this whole season. So yeah, there are more nerves and more emotions revolving around it, but I think we do a really good job of tuning that out during the game.

We have had some players like Charisma, Brynn, Gina and I, like we have played -- and Angela, we have played NCAA tournaments before.

So we have that leadership and that experience that we can help the younger players. But at the end of the day, like I think we have really good confidence and able to manage that.

Q. How much does the Pac-12 schedule, Friday, Sunday every weekend sort of help you with this rhythm?

CHARISMA OSBORNE: I think it helps a lot. We were actually just talking to Gina about it because obviously she previously played in the ACC. She was saying how when her team made it that one year, it was an adjustment because they I think got like two game -- or two days in between playing. So I think it will be helpful for us because we are just used to the schedule of playing like every other day, I guess. So I think we are like in a very comfortable spot and position.

Q. What's it been like for both of you kind of seeing this group of freshman grow throughout the season, and you know, being the two of the more experienced players on the squad kind of help shepherd and develop them through?

EMILY BESSOIR: Yeah. The freshman group, they have been so amazing. They're such sponges. But each and every one of them has their own edge and their confidence, but they're also so willing to learn. So I think it is been super fun having them. They're a great addition to the team.

And we just grew together as a team so much over the past few months.

CHARISMA OBSBORNE: I agree with Emily. They have grown so much. It has just been so fun to see them from the beginning to now to see like the players that they have become. And even just like I want to give a shout out to all of other like veterans like Emily, Gina, Cam, Izzy, Brynn, Angela, I think, that's all, just for leading the bay.

Obviously it's not easy having a lot of freshmen who play a lot of minutes and like we are so fortunate to have them, but I think they wouldn't even be able to do what they have been doing really without the leadership they have.

So just I think the freshmen have been doing great, but then also the vets have been leading them real well.

Q. Just also what's it been like actually having depth this season after two to three years of, you know, having a couple weeks of practice where you were going three on three?

EMILY BESSOIR: It's amazing. It's really good to know that whoever comes off the bench will give a spark. And that's just trust and the confidence that we have in our team.

CHARISMA OSBORNE: It is just fun practice to not have to go every rep, but it is nice to like have a deeper bench. And we have so many people we can rely on and stuff like that, but it is super nice to go against the scout guys, only have to be in one group versus being in every single time. But yeah, it's just been super fun.

Q. Charisma, how has your game changed this year because the last couple years you have been counted on be the dominant scorer, but you have had some experience with the group where this year it's been the freshman? And you know, have you become more of a leader or has your game on the court changed?

CHARISMA OSBORNE: Yeah. I think it's changed a lot. Obviously even the last two years, I have played point guard more. This year, I got to go back to the shooting guard ^ roll ^ role a little more. It's changed in that sense, but even just with the freshman, I think it's been so fun to have them because they have challenged me as a leader to just be a better teammate, just be more helpful to them because this is all just so new to them.

But I think I have changed a lot. Like there's certain parts of my game that I really like that I have maybe gotten better at or just look at things differently. But definitely I would say the freshmen have helped me a little bit with that just like figuring out how to lead them, how to lead each one individually and things like that.

EMILY BESSOIR: She's really doing a great job.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.