NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE VS UTAH

March 22, 2024

Alissa Pili

Kennady McQueen

McCarthey Athletic Center

Utah Utes

Media Conference

Q. How are you approaching the matchup -- a little extra edge going up against somebody that was able to have success in their conference like you've had success in the Pac-12?

ALISSA PILI: Yeah, it's definitely something I look forward to just playing against other good players and you know, it's just I kind of challenge myself in that aspect and just look forward to the competition because I'm a competitor.

Q. For either of you, the Pac-12 was really loaded this year and you guys beat one of the favorites to win the whole thing. How much of that confidence do you take into the postseason?

KENNADY McQUEEN: Yeah, I think just knowing what conference we come from, and night-in, night-out, what teams we played against, the level of competition, that prepares you all season long for March Madness. We are very blessed and thankful to be in a conference like that where you can get beat by the 12th team in the conference just as much as you can be built by the No. 1. Yeah, I think it sets us up for success coming March Madness and just taking those little lessons for the Pac-12 and applying them starting tomorrow?

Q. Sometimes people like to look at common opens. You've had a lot of success against South Carolina, 37 points against the No. 1 team and all that stuff. When you look at that, how much do you think about that going into this matchup, or do you just approach everything, new day, new game?

ALISSA PILI: Yeah, every game is a new opponent, and it's kind of a different approach every time but I think what stays the same with me is that no matter who I'm going against, I think I just -- I stay consistent in what I bring, and I don't try to go outside of my -- what I know I can do. And so you know, yeah, that was a good game against South Carolina but I think every game, I'm just trying to get better and do as best as I can in the moment. But yeah, I don't really, like, I don't know, like harp too much on just that one performance. I just keep moving forward.

Q. You guys are a 5-seed and the Pac-12 is so deep, and on any given night you could have been playing Stanford, UCLA, USC, all these really good teams and now you enter the tournament as a 5 seed and might be a bit overlooked. Do you have a chip on your shoulder with where you're seeded and just maybe how other people are perceiving you guys at this time of year?

ALISSA PILI: Yeah, we know what we can accomplish and our potential. So I think going into this tournament, you know, we weren't super happy with our seed. We wanted to host but any spot in the tournament and a chance to play postseason is a great opportunity. I think we'll just take this, and like you said, I think people are still sleeping on us and we're being overlooked but now is the time to kind of wake everybody up.