NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - NORTH CAROLINA VS OHIO STATE

March 19, 2023

Kevin McGuff

Eboni Walker

Taylor Thierry

Value City Arena

Ohio State Buckeyes

Media Conference

Q. Watching North Carolina yesterday and preparing, what do you see from the Tar Heels?

TAYLOR THIERRY: Yeah, obviously we just want to make it tough for the guards to score. We want to pack the paint, so it's not easy for them to get a post feed in there.

So we are just working on our scouts and knowing our personnel and we are just going to try and execute that as best we can for it to be hard for them to score.

EBONI WALKER: They are a tough team, and we give every team we play respect. We definitely analyze each one of the players and at the end of the day we still want to focus on what we do. So we want to make sure that we execute our plays and our defenses as well.

Q. When did you injure your face that you need to wear a mask during the games?

TAYLOR THIERRY: : I injured it last Wednesday.

Q. To that point, was it tricky to get used to it? It looked like it bothered you a little first half and got better as the game went on yesterday.

TAYLOR THIERRY: It's definitely an adjustment obviously but I don't let it get in my head. But I try to work with it. I don't really have a choice though. I'm working through it, and it's definitely going to be a process, but I don't let it to get to me.

Q. You've now integrated into the starting lineup. What are your thoughts on having that role? And you've become like this 17-foot jumpshot specialist. I know you didn't hit a ton of them against Iowa and yesterday a couple of them, but you're comfortable inside the arc as outside?

EBONI WALKER: Yeah, I did a great job trying to find open spots on the floor. I know we have a great team with people that can get to the basket. We have Cotie that can post up almost anybody. We have T-Mike that can hit almost any three-point shot. So I just want to find my range where I can help our team and alleviate some of the pressure that's on them, too, or for whoever else is on the floor.

Q. You guys have made a habit of comebacks this year, but obviously that's not the ideal plan, I would assume. What do you have to do tomorrow to start well and not get in a spot where you have to come back?

TAYLOR THIERRY: : Yeah, definitely work on trying not to dig ourselves a hole are be in a deficit every single game. That's not going to work against every single team. That's just something we are working on and try to play our best game and try to execute things as best as possible, so definitely avoiding that.

EBONI WALKER: I totally agree. I know, also, the comebacks come to -- kind of plays a role in how much we care about each other and how much we want to win at the end of the day. We definitely don't have the best stats. We don't have the tallest people. We don't have the fastest people, whatever it may be, but we do find a way to collectively win at the end of the day for each other and ourselves.

Q. Throughout the season you've played against centers like McKenzie Holmes and others. What do you see in Alyssa Ustby from North Carolina. What stands out about her?

EBONI WALKER: Definitely as a post player, I think everybody has their own individual skillset. I definitely evaluate each one of the players that we play against as their own person. I don't have try to, you know, kind of compare them because they are all different. They are all great in their own ways. She's definitely a great player. Definitely physical but I'm excited to just have that kind of competition and do the best I can against her.

Q. Your first NCAA Tournament game yesterday, your third school, what did it feel like, and then Taylor -- go ahead.

EBONI WALKER: Yeah, it was exciting at the end of the day. It kind of just -- I don't want to say it felt like another game but I've been doing my best to play every game like it's my last, especially this being my senior year.

The last time I was in this position, COVID hit, so it was like a big deal to actually be able to play in this tournament and have friends and family be able to come down and watch AND sit in the stands. So at the end of the day I want us to do the best I can, and I just want us to win at the end of the day and do best we can.

Q. Four o'clock tomorrow. Can you talk about the atmosphere yesterday? They sensed your run, the crowd. They got kind of into the game and you guys kind of fed off that energy, it appeared. But now the NCAA clearly caring more about TV ratings than fans coming here, set a four o'clock game, so you have to take a half-day Monday, whatever but what will it mean to get the fans back again?

TAYLOR THIERRY: : The crowd we played in front of last time was exciting and fun and loud. The fans helped us a lot, so I think that's going to be a fun environment to play in on Monday tomorrow.

Q. What do you remember about playing the Tar Heels when you were up at Syracuse and how those games went?

EBONI WALKER: So actually, I didn't even get the chance to play against them. That's another crazy part but I definitely was a part of the scouting. I didn't play too many games at Syracuse but I was able to actually watch.

I always say God works in mysterious ways because as an early player, I never watched basketball. I just always wanted to play. And having that year where I did have my injury gave me a chance to learn in different ways, really analyze different players, what their tendencies are, because you can't really see certain things when you're actually playing.

But being able to sit and watch certain players and their tendencies, what they like to do and how they win and how they lose is, like, a really big key to kind of why I am the way I am today.

Q. What was your injury last season?

EBONI WALKER: It was kind of a concussion but almost like, undisclosed, but, you know.

Q. When you get the first win out of the way, is it easier to be more comfortable now?

TAYLOR THIERRY: : Definitely not. I think every game is going to be hard, and we can't just look at it, oh, we won this game so the next one is going to be easy. Everybody is going to be playing their hardest.

This is a crazy month. There's upsets. So we are just going to approach every game like it's going to be our last, so I think we just have to go in with that mindset and we'll be pretty good.

EBONI WALKER: I totally believe that because the competition only gets harder the more that you go. At the end of the day even from the beginning of the first round, you're playing against winners and champions of their league. So you have to play everybody like, you know, basically like they are the best.

Q. Is it good to have less time to worry about it? You guys had like a week looking ahead, and now you're like boom, boom, quick scout and all that.

TAYLOR THIERRY: : I definitely think preparation is key, so obviously having as many days as we can to prepare is nice. But you know, this is a quick turnaround, and so I think it's just even more important that we lock in and really focus and trust each other when we play this next game.

EBONI WALKER: Totally. And we practice this throughout the season. We had a lot of quick turnarounds in a lot of different tournaments that we've been in before. We've kind of been ready for this.

But at the end of the day, like I kind of alluded to earlier, we do focus on what we do as well, being the team that we can be regardless of what they may be running. As long as we communicate and simple things like that, we'll get the best results.

Q. You talked a couple weeks ago about how the Big Ten, they throw so many different defenses at and you it helped prepare you for this. Is there any team UNC reminds you of within the conference?

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, boy, well, it's kind of -- it's kind of different, because like when they go smaller, they would remind you of Maryland a little bit. Really athletic. Quick up the court. A really good scoring lineup creating great spacing. When they go a little bigger, probably like somewhere in between Maryland and Indiana.

So I think those teams are good kind of guides to the level of team that I think North Carolina is. They are incredibly talented and well-coached, and we know we'll have a real challenge tomorrow.

Q. Then yesterday, you were kind of alternating Eboni and Rebeka for defensive and offensive purposes. Going up against Alyssa Ustby, what do you see in that matchup tomorrow?

KEVIN McGUFF: No, she's a great player. Really difficult matchup because she's got great skill and seems to have a great basketball IQ. She catches it around the basket and is very patient in reading the floor and seeing where she can make her move and get to the rim. She's also really good. She catches a lot at the high post and she squares up and she can shoot it or pass it.

So just a really, really tough matchup. One of the better kind of forwards in the country in my opinion.

Q. You guys have kind of made a habit of come backs this year but I know it's not how you would prefer to be winning games. What are the keys tomorrow in not ending up in a situation that you have to come back?

KEVIN McGUFF: We didn't make any shots early yesterday so we have to make sure we are, one, executing at a high level on the offensive end.

And two, getting some balance in our offense where we're not settling for threes or -- usually, if we're not getting balance, we're settling for threes. So we have to try to get to the rim, maybe get to the free throw line, just to generate some offense early to allow us to get in an offensive rhythm.

Q. Turnover numbers for the two teams are very similar. What do they do well defensively, and then after that, I've got a second.

KEVIN McGUFF: Yeah, I think they game plan really well. So they kind of look at your actions and try to figure out ways to take it away.

And they have got really, really, you know, fast, quick athletic players who get their hands on a lot of balls and disrupt you, and so make it a little bit harder to run offense.

Q. You play at 4:00 tomorrow and the crowd yesterday was incredible. What's your feeling starting a little earlier and how much can that help you tomorrow to have people come out?

KEVIN McGUFF: Well, yeah, I'm hopeful that we can get another great crowd. It was extraordinary yesterday. I thought they were great and it was a great environment for both teams to play in, and I hope we can do the same thing tomorrow. It's an earlier start but hopefully people can find a way to get here. It should be a great matchup.

And we need you. We need you guys out here to make this a great environment.

Q. UNC has played a couple Big Ten teams and had trouble against Indiana and Michigan. What have you seen that was effective against them?

KEVIN McGUFF: North Carolina is kind of similar to us in the regard of when they have had their highs, they are a top -- easily a Top-10 team in the country. Now they have had some days where they weren't that, and we've done the same thing.

So that's going to be the interesting part is who can kind of show up and be the best version of yourself, because, boy, when they are really, really good, they are really, really good. I think the same about us, and so I don't know. I think it's a really interesting matchup from that standpoint.