ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 7, 2024

Joanna Bernabei-McNamee

Teya Sidberry

Dontavia Waggoner

Boston College Eagles

Postgame Press Conference

Louisville 58, Boston College 55

JOANNA BERNABEI-MCNAMEE: I think my players, our coaching staff, we feel the pain of the loss, and we're all sad, disappointed, but trying to get them to focus on the positives, which is that they ended the season with two pretty big wins, convincing wins.

Then they came in and we took it to Clemson in the ACC Tournament, and I thought Clemson played really well in that game. It was a game where I thought we shared the basketball and did a lot of good things.

Then today it was a battle where we had some opportunities to win. I was just proud of how they battled and stuck together. I thought we looked like a true team in each of our last games. I don't know how much more you can ask as a coach from your team but to play extremely hard and stick together. So I'm very proud of them.

Q. Teya, you're just a sophomore but you set your career high on back to back days. I know it sucks now, but what will you take into next season?

TEYA SIDBERRY: I think we picked up a lot of stamina and everything these past four games, and it felt good, and I think we found our groove as a team. I think this really hurts, so for next year we're already thinking about that already.

JOANNA BERNABEI-MCNAMEE: Sometimes -- you kind of just pointed out, and I often forget, that Teya is only a sophomore. I look at her, and I think she's an older, more mature player with her poise, the way she handles the ball.

I think she's kind of that triple threat type of player that she has great timing on her finishes, which looks like off timing, but it's the perfect kind of timing because she gets the shot off right as the defense is just going up to maybe contend her.

But what I love and what you guys don't see as reporters is just her mentality and her fun-loving attitude that she brings to practice every day. She's been a blessing for our team, and she's really picked up just the lightheartedness. There's not a practice I don't think, and Teya can probably agree with me, that we don't look at Teya and laugh over something. She's the Frappuccino coffee queen, and she comes in ready to play. And one day she'll be Dr. Sidberry; there's not a doubt about it.

Q. How much have you seen your roster take on that maturity level from your upper class players?

JOANNA BERNABEI-MCNAMEE: Yeah, our upperclassmen really took on a leadership role, and they also -- kudos to how they were in shape and they got their bodies together. And they took their recovery seriously because we shortened up our lineup quite a bit at the end of the season, and it was really because they were playing outstanding. It wasn't because the people that are the bench players aren't good. They're actually also very good players.

But our starting six kind of played really, really together and kind of stepped up their games so much, it was really hard for me to see a point to take them out. And their leadership and together their cohesiveness was something that I didn't want to junk up with something because they were so together, and it seemed like they were on one page.

Q. What does Kaylah Ivey mean to this team?

JOANNA BERNABEI-MCNAMEE: She's definitely our glue. She's a great leader on and off the court. You just said it; she's never hunting for her. She's always putting the team first. I've said it since she chose us when she was a senior in high school. She has the best court vision of any kid I've ever coached, and she sees the floor better than any player.

But what I love about her this year is how much poise she played with. I think they can attest that she always can kind of calm us down and gives us that layer of confidence that we need when we're out there. And she does it very selflessly, so that's what makes her an impressive player.

Q. You guys were down big multiple points throughout this game, especially in the third quarter. But you managed to come back, go on that 11-0 run to retake the lead. Could you guys talk a little bit about this team's resilience, not just this game, but throughout the entire year, and how you just battled and seemed to fight your way back into games, no matter the situation?

DONTAVIA WAGGONER: I would say we started off the season really rough, but as we got into a groove these last four or five games, we've got into a groove. And we have the buildup and momentum of just playing together, and I think us playing together has really caused us to be a better unit and compete way better with teams.

Q. Dontavia is now finishing her career, about 200 steals. Only a handful of people in program history have ever done that. What she has meant to that defense, playing from the back up?

JOANNA BERNABEI-MCNAMEE: Like I said, she's the spark that ignites us on the defensive end. I can actually just see it in her eyes. She gets a little low, she gets a little sneaky, and I'm almost positive she's going to come up with that high-post pick. When she gets on the ball, I would definitely never want to be the person that she is guarding because she's so active.

What I think is also impressive and what she does better than anybody is the way she rebounds for her size. She's so tenacious on the boards. She brings us that level of toughness that every team needs, but we really, really appreciate it because she makes everyone around her a little tougher.

Q. Dontavia, heart and soul defense. I saw you getting frustrated out there with the calls, the consistency. Can you speak to being level-headed and being a great defensive player in a game that was called that way?

DONTAVIA WAGGONER: I think that when I get into my head a little bit, my team and my coaches really get me out of it. And I think that once I get frustrated, I get a second off, regroup, and then I come back on the court. I think that I tried not to get in my head too much because I know if I stay in my head, then I won't help my team.

So I just tried to help in the way that I know I'm doing good on. So when it comes to steals, rebounding, even if I'm not scoring, I just want to be consistent on that aspect of everything.