NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - PRINCETON VS UTAH

March 18, 2023

Lynne Roberts

Kennady McQueen

Gianna Kneepkens

Jon M. Huntsman Center

Utah Utes

Media Conference

Q. You guys are on the verge of possibly getting to the third Sweet 16 in school history. This has been a historic season at first. You keep accomplishing things that you have rarely done in program history. What's the excitement level like right now knowing that it's one win away?

GIANNA KNEEPKENS: I think we are all really excited for the opportunity. I think that if we lock in and focus, we could do that, but right now, we have to just focus on doing the right things and playing the right way tomorrow so we can achieve that goal. But yeah, this whole month of March is just such an exciting and fun time for competitors.

KENNADY McQUEEN: To add to that, it has been our goal since the summer when we all came back was to make it to the Sweet 16 and fill in ^ in a ^ that empty circle in our gym. To have the chance and be one win away from that is a huge deal. We are definitely going to take advantage of it. We will be ready.

Q. For both of you, there's a 31 point difference between what Princeton gives up and what you guys score. It's going to be strength against strength. How do you like this match up?

GIANNA KNEEPKENS: We know they're a great defensive team. I think if we could play the way we know how to play and move the ball and make the extra pass and celebrate each other and just get our rhythm, I think we are a really hard team to stop no matter who is on the defensive end.

We have a lot of respect for their defense, but we will be ready to attack them and also get stops on the defensive end so we play a complete 40 minimums.

KENNADY McQUEEN: We definitely watched film on their defense and the presence their post and guard defenders have and just how to exploit that and take advantage to our strength. We will definitely be ready for that. We got to stop them on defense too. We have a good game plan ready.

Q. Kennady, if you think back to your freshman here when your college career first started, things were weird with Covid and there were a lot of restrictions and a lot of losing. Obviously, things have changed for the better as your career has gone along. Can you maybe reflect on what your journey has been for these three seasons?

KENNADY McQUEEN: Like you said, freshman year was kind of rough. We did experience losing a lot. So just to see -- we knew at the end of that season, Coach Roberts, all of was committed, she said we are not going to have another season like that. We all stood behind her, the people that stayed, and brought in great people like starting last year with Jenna and Gi and people like that who have had a huge impact in helping us lead to where we are today. They all came in with the same goal of the same people that stayed.

When you get together a group of people that have the same goal in mind and will do make anything to make it happen, I think that's where we have seen our success rate going up. This off season, just keep getting -- the pass off season, we just kept getting better, and of course, the addition of the Alissa Pili really helped. When you just bring a group of girls that have the same dream and same goal at the end of the year and doesn't care about personal stats more than winning, yeah, I think we get the season that we have today and prepare us for deep run in March.

Q. You guys obviously get a lot of deserved attention for how powerful the offense is and how capable you are scoring the ball.

Defensively, you have shown pretty strong throughout the season as well. What has kind of contributed to the defense being as strong as it is and allowing the offense to flourish?

KENNADY McQUEEN: I think last year is what kind of ended our -- when we resulted in a loss in a game or ended our run in March was came down to the defensive end. Everyone knows how good we are on offense, but if we can't get stops, it doesn't matter how good you are on offense.

So that's just been a key the whole past off season and all of this season. It's just getting better on defense. The teams that make a great run in March are known for their defense as well as their offense. You can't play one side. We know the importance of that. So I think that's what helped us be more successful this year is everyone is way more focused on defense as well.

So yes, stopping the other team from scoring and being able to score the ball like we do, that's the perfect recipe for success. Just focusing on both ends of the floor have definitely been important to us.

GIANNA KNEEPKENS: I agree with what she said. We kind of did a little bit -- we made some adjustments in the off season with our defense, so I think that's played a big ^ roll ^ role in a little bit better defense this year. We still have areas to improve on both offensively and defensively, so just learning from each game and getting better.

Q. Last night, they kind of guarded Alissa one or one for most of the game. Are you expecting a different approach? She showed everyone what she can do when there's just one defender on her.

KENNADY McQUEEN: I would expect a different approach. I mean, every team that we play that tries to go one, Alissa takes full advantage of. She's an All-American for a reason, one of the best players in the country. Defenses should probably key in on that. If not, we will take it, so whatever it takes.

Q. How much different is it hosting the tournament practicing in your own gym, being able to use your training staff while you are here?

GIANNA KNEEPKENS: I think the NCAA alone -- or the NCAA tournament alone is a special opportunity and not every athlete in the country gets the chance, but when you are able to have this opportunity and then on top of it have your home crowd, be at home, get to -- just have your normal routine on game days and even on practice, it really gives -- it's really special. So it is really cool, and I think we are taking advantage of it.

KENNADY McQUEEN: Being able to experience what it was like to play at Texas last year, just what an advantage it is to have your home crowd there. We saw it from the opposite end last year. To be able to see it from this end this year and have that Huntsman loud and rocking makes a big difference and makes our momentum go stronger and last longer. It's been a huge advantage.

Q. With Utah State men's team out, you guys are the last local team in the state. Do you feel like the whole state may be behind you? Maybe even those teams down south fans, there's a lot of support for you that might not follow women's basketball as closely as they have in the past? Do you feel that growing support?

GIANNA KNEEPKENS: I think just with how many people have been in the Huntsman and showing up for us has been awesome. I have heard a couple people say this is our first time here, but we are going to be back. So that's really cool to see, and we couldn't do without them. We are super appreciative of everyone that's come out.

KENNADY McQUEEN: That's a great way to put it, to see the Huntsman keep filling every game has been awesome. Like you said, I think we are the last team in Utah standing, so I think the whole city of Utah kind of rallies behind people.

Even if the team down south was the only team left in it, we would be behind them too. It's cool to have Utah represented on a national level. When they support them, they support us I'm sure.

Q. How much has the Pac-12 play, it's very competitive, one of the top in the nation, how much has that Pac-12 play prepared you for the NCAA tournament?

KENNADY McQUEEN: I think it's helped immensely. Everyone knows the Pac-12 is one of the best, if not the best, women's basketball conference in the country. So every night we came out during Pac-12 season. We have to be ready from 1 through 12, everyone is good. It's helped us. We faced all different types of offenses, defenses. So no matter who we face, like we know what we are going against, how they guard ball screens. We have seen it.

Every team is different in the Pac-12, so to be able to use what we learned from those Pac-12 games and be able to propel us far in the tournament, I think it's helped us a lot.

GIANNA KNEEPKENS: Same thing, you play against -- every weekend, you play against the teams with the highest IQ, high athleticism, high skill girls, every single night. Like Kennady said, every game you could lose or you could win. So just having that focus and detail throughout the season and learning consistency is super huge for March because every game is -- you are seeing someone new. If you stay consistent to what you are good at, that really helps.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys.

LYNNE ROBERTS: I appreciate you guys being here. Last night was a good win. Watching it back, I think it felt -- it was better on film than it felt during the game. I thought our players did a good job.

You know, we had not played in over two weeks, and there was a little bit of -- some of the turnovers were just kind of uncharacteristic, a little rusty. But I thought we did a great job, big win, convincing win against a very good team.

Stuck around to watch obviously the NC State and Princeton game, what a great game that was. Neither of those teams would have -- it's not like we had one where we wanted to play somebody or anything like that. They're both very good.

So we get Princeton, and we are excited about it. I think, you know, this is the game 364 days ago we lost the chance to go to the Sweet 16, and we have been motivated to get here. So our players are fired up, and our staff is fired up knowing the challenge that it will be.

Princeton is very good, incredibly well coached. They stayed up way too late watching film last night on them. So they're good. So we have our hands full, but we are looking forward to having another great crowd, and that was a huge -- you know, I'm a broken record at this point. It matters in winning. And it helped us last night, and we are going to need it tomorrow.

Q. This is another team that's on a roll. I think they have won 16 in a row. They give up -- I think the discrepancy between what you average offensively is 31 points. Do you look at this as strength against strength?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Yes. So watching them -- you know, I have watched a lot of film on them, you know, preparing for this work. I have been watching the three teams a lot. Their defensive is impressive. They're just so disciplined with it. Every time someone catches, they have hands up. They rotate so well.

Mitchell, their center, is kind of their anchor. Incredibly impressed with them. And seeing it live, it's even better. So they -- you know, go figure, it's probably safe to say that they're a smart team, go figure, Princeton has a really smart defensive team. And they don't make mistakes seemingly defensively. So that's why they're so good in that regard, and yeah, but we could score. They have to stop us. It's going to be the battle of wills I'm sure in that regard.

Q. I'm just curious for you, Pili had the first 30 point game of the tournament. I am curious for you like how she's fit in and how much she brings to this program and what she's going to bring on Sunday?

LYNNE ROBERTS: She kind of is the straw that stirs the drink for us right now. She's a nightmare to defend. And because she can shoot the three, because she can -- she's, you know, big and strong, but she's really athletic and mobile, so it doesn't matter who we are playing. I think you have to game plan for her. But then with our three point shooting, you know, you have to pick your poison.

She's done a tremendous job of fitting in to answer your question. She's, you know, a transfer. And the credit goes to her and her buy in and her ability to do what we are asking. So she's been obviously a key superstar for us.

Q. Just curious when you look at the Princeton offense, just curious what your thoughts are on Kaitlyn Chen and how you balance going against her, but also, you know, not letting some of their other players like a Grace Stone get going?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Chen is really good. And I was so impressed with her. Again same thing, watching on film, really liked what she did. And then watching her live, she was even better. She's kind of crafty. She changes pace so well and has variety of different ways to finish. She's not the biggest out there, but she's an athlete and can get off the floor. But her ability to use the glass and finish different ways. And then if you collapse, if she's able to get downhill and you have to rotate, that's when she's excellent finding shooters. So you know, we have to do a good job of containing her.

I don't think you can completely do it, but you have to do it the best you can. And we have different people with different size that can have a go at her, but she definitely makes them go.

Q. Pili's passing out of paint, how much of a weapon is that to your program especially with the three point shooters you have on perimeter?

LYNNE ROBERTS: It's a luxury. I never had a post that can pass like that in traffic.

She's just got great vision. She can palm the ball off the dribble. So her hands are I think one of her biggest strengths. Just her catching, she can catch just about anything. It's hard to take it from her in traffic because her hands are so big and strong. Her vision is great. She's unselfish, like that's the key.

You know, later as we have gotten into February, everyone's opposing team's game plan is to take her away or give her something to think about. She's doing a really, really good job of letting the game come to her and not trying to force it. If you are open and she's not, she's going to pass it.

Q. You have indicated in the past that as parity persists and as attendance improves that maybe you will be open to the first and second rounds moving off campuses and moving to neutral sites.

Now that you have experienced this on campus, the advantages of the crowd, do you still feel that way that maybe the first two rounds should move back to neutrals?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Come on, Josh. I certainly can -- I could say both. I understand why we do it. And I think we are a ways away. You know, this year the way the tournament -- we are doing the kind of super regionals for the first time on the women's side, South Carolina region and Seattle region. The winners from these 16 sites, 8 teams will go there and 8 teams will go there, and the two winners of those will go to Dallas. That's a new kind of method.

I think it is important as like you said, the parity, if you look at the top ten, there's been a lot of people jumping in and out. There's a lot of, you know, mid-major teams that are really good. And you know, it's evening out which is really good for our sport. Eventually it should move to neutral, but not right now, not tomorrow, not next year.

Q. When you look at just how proficient the offense has been for you guys, defense has played a huge part of that, comparing, you know, just what the team has done in the past on defense to what you are doing this year, where have you seen the biggest strides and biggest evolution from your team?

LYNNE ROBERTS: We kind of -- I have said this before, but last year, I think we finished 8th in the country in offensive efficiency. We were like 240 in defense. So you know, we talked about it in the summer. If we want to take the next step and win this game tomorrow like beyond, we have to get better defensively. Offensively we are good enough, but defensively we are not.

So it was kind of a philosophical mindset change of the players, and we worked on it a lot differently, a lot more intentionally. And then you know, just strategically we made some changes of how we are going to defend, and I won't bore you with that. But there was a lot, you know, just different things that -- because you have to play to your personnel. You have to play to your strengths. You can't be a run and jump pressing team if you don't have the depth and athletes to do it. You can't be a zone team if you are not super big. You have to figure out what fits your personnel, and so that's what we did.

Q. Coach, do you kind of feel the swell of support from around the entire state, not just Utah fans, but you are the last team standing, men's or women's, in the NCAA tournament? I mean fans of other schools are taking interest in you. Do you feel like that ground swell?

LYNNE ROBERTS: I do. I do. It means a lot. It's been -- you know, I always use the analogy of pushing the boulder up the hill. And doing things for the first time, you have to have that mindset. You have to keep pushing. It's been incredibly fun to see the support, and I think the swell is a perfect word for it. You know, most importantly, our players feel it.

This is why you play, right? And it means so much, and I know I say it over and over. I don't -- this is not going to be a flash in the pan. This isn't going to be a one, oh, remember that year they had such an incredible year. We are going to keep doing it, but it has to go hand in hand with that support and that community support because recruits care about that, players care. That's how you build a sustainable championship program.

Q. Jenna Johnson seems to have the moniker of team mom on this team. I'm curious from your perspective how do you kind of see that manifest like day to day, week to week throughout the last couple years she's been here?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Oh, Jenna. Jenna is phenomenal. She's 19 going on 40. She's the most like just mature even keeled consistent player we have. What I love about her is she is who she is. There's no -- she's confident in who she is. She knows who she is. She also is incredibly busy off the court. We were talking as we were getting ready to watch film, just shooting the breeze a bunch of us, we were talking about movies. And she was like, oh, I don't watch movies. Why not? I don't have time. I get bored. What do you mean you don't have time? Do you watch shows? No, I don't ever watch TV. It is because she is doing all of these other extra curricular activities. She's involved in her church. She has student leadership stuff and FCA. Her schedule is packed with stuff, and that's the way she likes it.

Everyone loves her. She beats to her own drum. I have so much respect for young people that can do that.

Q. Of course you are worried about tomorrow and hopefully potentially next week this season. If everybody comes back, you have no seniors, do you ever find yourself like your mind wandering towards what could be if everybody comes back next year?

LYNNE ROBERTS: Yes. I think it's exciting to think about, but I have cautioned all of us that nothing is guaranteed either. And so you know, I didn't want us to get into this trap as we head into, you know, down the stretch of season to like, well, you know, next year, we will have everybody back because you don't know. Like things can happen. Sports are crazy that way.

We need to play this year is the year. They need to approach it like who knows what next year will bring. But yeah, of course, it's exciting to think about. And we have a couple recruits coming in that are going to be great freshman again. Then you know, that's how you keep building it, but stay in the moment for sure, but yeah, I have thought about it.

Q. You had a chance to play against Alabama earlier this season. The Pac-12 and SEC are some of the top conferences in all of college basketball. Playing preseason games like that, is that something that the Pac-12 should explore more like having Mississippi State here at Utah or you guys out there, just more preseason games to get preparation going into the season for the tournament?

LYNNE ROBERTS: You have to know your team and what your team is ready for. We knew we had a good group coming back, so we scheduled -- we wanted to get those tests, Oklahoma here, Ole Miss and Alabama on the road. And we knew going into scheduling those, we might not win those, but they're going to be great tests for us to see where we are at before we head into the Pac-12. We were fortunate to win them, which has helped us, you know, get the two seed.

But yeah, I think scheduling is tricky. You have to know how good your team is. I don't think in the Pac-12 because we play 18 games that are NCAA tournament caliber games, you don't need to schedule really challenging ones all the time. I don't think it's smart as a coach to schedule a game that you know you are going to get thumped. But if you know your team can compete, I think you should. So where we are at right now, yes, we are going to be looking to doing that more and more.

THE MODERATOR: That was your final question.