NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: REGIONAL 1 SEMIFINAL - UCLA VS SOUTH CAROLINA

March 24, 2023

Cori Close

Emily Bessoir

Lina Sontag

Gina Conti

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

UCLA Bruins

Sweet 16 Pregame Media Conference

CORI CLOSE: Just thrilled to be here. I'm very aware of all the hard work that goes into hosting an event like this, so really thankful for Greenville and just all the behind-the-scenes work that's gone into it. It's a great field. I'm humbled. I saw yesterday an all-female head coaching group, all eight coaches, which is sort of humbling to be a part of that. Really thankful for a lot of things, but amazing opportunity. Looking forward to doing that, and just excited to have a chance to compete.

Q. I know obviously you've talked even last year especially when your postseason looked very different about kind of pushing the game forward. To kind of ask you a forward-facing question, if you guys on the women's side, if the NCAA does separate the media deal between the women's and the rest of the sports and gives the women their own media deal, would you be in favor of a unit system similar to the men to award for performance-based opportunities in the NCAA Tournament?

CORI CLOSE: Yeah, great question, and the simple answer is absolutely yes. I think it needs to happen hand in hand. I think it was one of the major parts of the Kaplan report a few years back, and I think it's our next step, and I think needs to happen in concert. As a new media rights deal is worked on hopefully by the NCAA for a standalone deal with women's basketball in that space, I think there needs to be a meaningful unit distribution associated with that.

I don't think any of us are asking for it to be just like the men. Obviously they're ahead of us in that deal. But I do think it's the next right step, and it needs to be hand in hand: The new media rights deal along with a meaningful unit distribution model.

Q. You mentioned this week your relationship with Charisma and how at times maybe it wasn't perfect. No relationships are perfect, but what were some of the difficulties of that, and how has it grown into where you guys are now?

CORI CLOSE: Well, I think that it's one of those things that probably is our biggest strength, her and I, but it's also ones that make us clash once in a while. We're both extremely competitive, we're very driven, and it can be -- sometimes both of us are well-studied and opinionated, and so sometimes you've got to work through that to come to some common ground.

But I think that that's sort of -- it may have caused some conflict at times in the early years with Charisma, but it's also what makes me trust her in such big moments, that strength of will, that competitive spirit. Look what she's doing right now when the lights are brightest.

I think that's coaching. I think sometimes the relationships that have to be worked on are the ones that end up being ones of great depth and long lasting, as well.

Q. On the unit distribution, where are the WBCA coaches on that? Does everybody have the same thought as you do? Who would be the person kind of leading the charge to make sure that happens?

CORI CLOSE: Well, I think that -- I don't want to speak for the group. But from what I -- in my sample size of what I have been pretty involved in that over the last couple of years, that I haven't really had anybody that doesn't think that would be good for our game.

I actually don't think it also takes away from somebody else. I think that sometimes is a myth that gets out there that we're looking to slice the pie, and we want to take a bigger slice of the pie. That is actually false. We want to look through the media distribution model and through broader investments through corporate sponsorship and investment that way. We want to grow the pie.

But I think in order to have, I think, a trickle-down effect onto all of the campuses -- our administrations on campuses have never been under more pressure than they are right now. And I think it's very important that -- it's understandable why men's basketball is at such a high value on individual campuses. There's so much at stake.

I think in order to have a greater investment and sort of understanding of how women's basketball could be a contributor on the campus, could add to growing the pie. You look at how football, men's basketball, ticket sales and media rights have dominated the revenue streams. I don't think the answer is -- they have tapped out almost. So what I'm excited about, it's not just women's basketball. Look at how great women's softball is doing and some of those other landscapes. Look at women's sports across -- look what the women's soccer national team scale is doing.

I think it's more of an opportunity. It's an opportunity to be a valuable resource on our campuses, but I do not think that is maximized by a unit distribution model.

But I really have not come across any women's basketball coaches that would not be in favor of that next right step in my opinion.

Q. Logistical question for you with the time change coming west to east. What does tomorrow morning look like for you guys, and did you do anything ahead of the flight to sort of kick start that?

A. Well, the good news is we're a morning group in terms of we practice that time every day. We've tried to keep things really as routine as we normally would. We've already -- this is our fourth cross-country trip this year, and I think that -- I really think now we've got a system to it and we try to stay as routine as we can. We don't let them sleep on the flight other than a small period of time.

We pretty much have a science to it now in terms of how we sleep, when we rest and so on and so forth.

But having the rhythms of the morning already embedded into us, I think it makes it a pretty easy transition.

Q. Obviously you've scouted South Carolina before. They've got great front-line players. Their bench, though, is pretty relentless and talented, as well --

CORI CLOSE: Absolutely.

Q. How does that wear down opponents? I'm not talking about specifically you guys back in November, but just how they wear down opponents.

CORI CLOSE: Well, I think both of us rely on our benches a lot. I think that's going to be a key factor in the game tomorrow is which bench can come in and really give a spark and can allow them to play to their identity, to allow rotations to happen in a strategic, methodical way.

I think foul trouble and some of those other things can derail you, but both of us, I think, will look to use our benches so we can stay in line with our game plan as much as possible.

But I mean, Dawn and her staff have done an excellent job recruiting. And credit to the commitment of those kids that would be starting and getting lots of minutes on a lot of other rosters. I say the same thing about our roster.

But if you want to be a championship-level program, you have to have that kind of championship-level commitment and loyalty and commitment to the long haul and not just the short-term, and that is hard to find. And credit to them for having that be an embedded part of their culture.

Q. Since the first meeting back in November, how have you guys changed, good or bad, and how has South Carolina changed, good or bad?

CORI CLOSE: Well, I think we're both better. I just think the reality -- their numbers numerically, they were really good then and they're really good now. Their defensive numbers and rebounding numbers are remarkable. They get 48 percent of their offensive misses. The amount of second opportunities.

Then the way they capitalize in transition off of any of your mistakes. I think this is not a complicated game plan for us, this is just a hard one to execute because they're so good at what they do.

I think we are a better, more fluid team offensively. We are much more efficient and productive offensively than we were back then, and they are just as dominant in defense and rebounding.

I think it's going to be our improvement on the offensive end, and then how we can adjust to their switches. That really hurt us in the fourth quarter of our first game, and so I think if they choose to do it, to play that way again, our ability to grow through that and understand what our looks are with our group.

But I really do think it's going to come down to can we get quality shots and be able to set our defense so that they're not able to get rebounds and get out in transition. And especially limiting live ball turnovers will be essential.

Q. I have another logistical question. How do you feel about the two-regional format, especially from your perspective having to come all the way out here without there maybe being another regional closer to where you are.

CORI CLOSE: Well, there is a regional closer to where we are, but yes, in the time zone, a second one.

I think that I really try to keep a global view of this, right, that I am in favor of having more and more neutral opportunities in the regional sites. If this is that next right step for a higher percentage of the regional games to be played on neutral courts, I'm for it. Even if it doesn't benefit me individually and with my institutional hat as the UCLA coach, I think it's important to keep growing our sport.

Bottom line is look how many upsets we had on home courts in the first two rounds. So bottom line is you've got to play your best basketball and you've got to be a tough team, you've got to be a together team and you've got to find ways to win.

But I think that it's really important. I hope not just the individual teams that we travel with, I hope Greenville will really come out and support all the games. And not just even our South Carolina game, but there's so many great teams and great games going on. I think it's really important this year that both Greenville and Seattle have great attendance numbers because we want to continue to have more and more neutral opportunities within March Madness and for the women.

I don't think we're quite there yet for the first two rounds. I hope we will eventually get there, but we can't get to that point until we get to this point. So I think it's really important we continue to move the needle, the TV ratings are great, there's butts in the seats, so to speak, and that people come out to support more than just their team.

Q. Kind of bigger picture again, you've recruited internationally a lot, Dawn has done that, Maryland is in this bracket, too. What's that process like going overseas to look for talent?

CORI CLOSE: Well, I give a lot of credit, Tony Newnan on our staff is responsible for international recruiting and it's been pivotal for us. We happen to be in a location in Los Angeles that really is attractive to a global market and international players, so it was a likely candidate for us.

But I think just worldwide it helps the game, and I think there's a flavor to it.

You look at how the international scene has affected the NBA and how that's grown and how it's changed branding and different styles of play.

I just think it's part of having really a global view of basketball and what are the trends. And to see that both the WNBA and the NBA are greatly influenced by the international -- both in the number of players but also in the style of play, I think it's a natural progression for the college game to follow suit a little bit more.

Q. You kind of talked about it a little bit, you've seen South Carolina, even though it was back a while. Do you like having rematch tape? And you've seen them live. Are rematches a little easier to scout?

CORI CLOSE: Well, I think there's definitely -- there's a familiarity. And obviously with a team as talented and well-coached as South Carolina, and when you have a really young team -- I think we're the youngest team in the field of 68 this year. I think that confidence factor, that we went into their building and had a very, very competitive game, and I think there's definitely a confidence that we come into the game with.

Obviously a very healthy respect, but I definitely think in this case it's helpful to us that we had that previous meeting.

Q. Now that you've had some time to process what Charisma did the other night, what stands out the most to you about that performance, and what do you think is the key to seeing something kind of like that again?

CORI CLOSE: Well, if I knew how to bottle that up, I would have done that a long time ago. But I think Charisma, there's just an urgency about every little thing she's doing, and she's leading us in that.

What I've liked about her is that -- we talk about overused strengths sometimes and struggles in an earlier question. I think for her, sometimes in the past that drive and that just competitive spirit, like I want to make this happen so much, it has maybe put too much pressure and didn't lead to increased performance.

And I think her maturity is really showing through in that, that she had a steadiness about her. There was not a panic or I'm going to go make every play; it was truly I'm going to be steady, I'm just going to do whatever it takes for our team to win. And there was just a calm about what she was doing, almost to the point that I was surprised when I saw how many points she had.

Because her demeanor was just about winning the next possession, and if that was her scoring, great; if that was her rebounding, great; if that was her setting a great screen, great. But I just thought there was a maturity about her emotional approach to it, which I actually think bodes well for her having an opportunity to do something similar.

I don't care if it's 36 points, but I want to see that same approach mentally and emotionally because I also think it feeds into the rest of the team playing with great confidence.

Q. For all three of you, how have both teams changed good or bad since the first time y'all played back in November?

EMILY BESSOIR: Yeah, I think for us, I think since November we've really grown together as a team. Kind of just recognizing all of our strengths and like individual tendencies and all of that and just really coming together.

Then for South Carolina, obviously they're a really good team, and they just use their weapons really well, and I think they've just expanded on that.

GINA CONTI: Yeah, going off of what Emily said, really being able to play together and see what that's been like. We had a whole conference season before this and then also a Pac-12 tournament and now March Madness. Really being able to see what our tendencies are and locking into what our anchor is and that's defense. So building our defense and playing together.

LINA SONTAG: I think they pretty much said everything. I would add that we've really worked on details on offense and defense, like getting all those small details down, but other than that, I would just agree.

Q. Gina, did having the close game with them and maybe even throwing a scare into them early, does that give you confidence in what you might be able to do tomorrow?

GINA CONTI: Yeah, I think just the fact that we've had a lot of close games this season and we've faced a lot of different adversity and how we've responded and what we've learned from those games: how to close in the fourth quarter, how to string four quarters together.

Not only just with South Carolina but I think just within our season and the games we've played this year, I think we've built game confidence in having these opportunities come to us and also be able to learn from them and then build off that. I think just with all the games that came down to the end and being able to change the outcome has been something that has gained us confidence.

And also with working on special situations in practice and setting us up for times like that has been something that we can gain confidence in.

Q. How has your trip been coming across? Have any of you come to South Carolina before, coming across the country to play?

EMILY BESSOIR: Yeah, I think we've been here when we played them in November, and then before that I've personally been here before, yeah.

I think we have really good facilities and like the resources we have that we're so grateful for, so we've had easy travels, yeah. Slept well in the hotel.

LINA SONTAG: Yeah, it's my second time being here, November and now. And all our staff makes sure that we're fueled well, we drink our waters, we're hydrated. We're all good, I think.

Q. Coach was saying that Dawn told her after that November meeting we'll see y'all again. When you left the court on November 29th, was there an expectation that you would match up with the Gamecocks here in March?

EMILY BESSOIR: Yeah, we said after the game in November, we said we'll see them again in March. And maybe some of them didn't think we would see them this early, but at some point. So yeah, it's nice that we get to play them again.

Q. This is your first time on this stage, the Sweet 16 stage. How do you balance soaking in the moment of this achievement but also knowing that you want more after this?

EMILY BESSOIR: Yeah, obviously it's huge being in the Sweet 16, and like you said, we've all never been here before, the three of us. I think just being grateful that we are where we're at, but at the same time just remembering it is a game of basketball. It's nothing different than what we've played this season before. It's still one ball, 10 players on the court.

I think just being able to recognize that during the game and not letting the noise from the outside come in.

GINA CONTI: Yeah, and just being present the whole entire time. That's something we've talked about the whole year, enjoy the little things. Whether it's our bus ride, our dinner chats before the game or whatever it may be. So enjoying all the small details and knowing that this team is going to be this exact team for one year because people graduate.

And so being able to soak in all the small conversations and then also the preparation that we do leading into the game and then the in-game experiences. Coach always talks about it's one possession at a time. So if you look at it that way, the game doesn't get too big. The Sweet 16, it's a really exciting opportunity. Like you said, I've never played in one. But if you focus on the small possessions and what you can do and what the next right thing, then it focuses your mind.

LINA SONTAG: Yeah, definitely agree. It's about having fun, and then also not looking too far into the future but focusing on the next step.

Focusing on this game and not focusing on what's coming after so we can leave everything we have on the court for this game. Because if we don't, it's not going to go further.