NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - BAYLOR VS HAWAII

March 17, 2021

Laura Beeman

Amy Atwell

Olivia Davies

Hawaii Warriors

Media Conference

Q. For Amy, I know this is the first time the program's been on this stage since 2016, that was the year before you joined the program, how much did you track that team and how much was that team an inspiration to you as you were entering the program?

AMY ATWELL: I watched a few of the games the year before. Coming in after I had committed and stuff like that. I was fortunate enough to play with a lot of those girls my freshman year and sophomore year and definitely drew from their experiences. Definitely use that as motivation and kind of as a learning experience.

Q. Now that you're here, looking back, to when you committed to get to this point, and to do it entirely at Hawaii, you had teammates come and go. The transfer point and stuff like that, to finish it out, go the distance, get to the program this point. What's that mean for you?

AMY ATWELL: It's been a long journey. Only took me six years to get here. It means a lot to be able to do it with Hawaii across my chest and say I played at one school my whole six years and to be able to play under Coach Beeman, it means a lot and it's just super fulfilling to kind of get here, finally.

Q. For Olivia, just, can you talk about the challenge of taking on Baylor to be at this level and to play the host team on their floor and how much you guys are embracing that challenge now?

OLIVIA DAVIES: I think everybody's being super open minded. I think we're preparing really well and it's an amazing opportunity, even just to witness and feel this atmosphere we haven't seen. I think Hawaii does a pretty good job, anyways.

Q. For both of you, how are you guys soaking in the atmosphere so far, in the couple days you've been in Waco?

AMY ATWELL: It's kind of been one of the emphasis from the coaching staff. We're one of the last 64 teams in the country, so to be able to soak that in and take in every aspect of this experience is super important, but also to prepare for a really good Baylor team tomorrow.

Q. Talking to all your teammates and everyone talks about this being a life long dream and wanting to be part of March Madness and playing in their backyards and in their garage, dreaming of this moment, did either of you ever dream of this happening and having this role? Was this part of the dream? Was being, attempting to be the Cinderella and trying to shock the world? If you could each answer that.

AMY ATWELL: Yeah, definitely. I think every kid dreams of being here in the NCAA final 64 teams. I had a different I was a bit different growing up. I didn't know a lot about college basketball in the whole tournament and everything like that, but ever since I got here six years ago, this has been the goal and we're in a great position right now.

OLIVIA DAVIES: For me, growing up, just college basketball, in general, was kind of how I was going to get school paid for, regardless. My dad and I always talked about it and you can be the best you can and the tournament was always like one of the goals. I know, too, coming in, me and Coach B talked about it too. I want to win a championship and I want to go to the dance. That's kind of just my take.

Q. Starting this journey on the home court of Baylor is a tough task, but have you guys noticed yet, that this arena is the exact arena of the Stan Sheriff Center, does that give you any comfort, any familiarity to, once you get onto the floor of, kind of, maybe playing mind games with yourself and acting like you are the Stan Sheriff Center?

AMY ATWELL: Definitely. We haven't been on the court yet, but we kind of all pulled up on the bus yesterday and were like "wait a minute, this looks a bit too familiar." So, definitely, yeah.

OLIVIA DAVIES: I'd have to say the same too.

Q. Kind of, overall, how has your experience been in Waco so far and my follow up would be, what does it mean to you to [breaking up] not only yourselves and the team, but an entire state, other teams, they have cities, you guys represent the entire state of Hawaii, what's that mean to you?

AMY ATWELL: Yeah, it's been really cool out here. I've never been to Texas before, so it's been a good experience so far. And in terms of representing Hawaii, that's kind of been a focal point for my six years. Coach Beeman always kind of preaches that we do represent a whole state and wearing Hawaii across our chest is definitely something we do with pride and a huge honor. And just to know that we have a whole state behind us is also huge.

OLIVIA DAVIES: I'd have to say, too, just being able to represent Hawaii is just a gift in itself and being able to bring it across the ocean to Texas is just an experience and just knowing that we also have the entire state behind us is something really special.

Q. Apologies if the audio kind of skips, I know for Kyle's question it kind of repeated twice. My question for you guys is, when looking at this Baylor team, specifically, this is a team that's gone far in the tournament before, how do you feel you match up to them, just their personnel and how confident are you that you can beat a team, especially given how talented they are?

OLIVIA DAVIES: Just looking over the scout, I know, especially from guard play, guards are bigger, faster, stronger than the Big West Conference, so it'll definitely be a period of adjustment. I think that we have prepared ourselves to match up with them pretty well.

It's going to kind of just get into the flow of the game, I'd say. Just more mental stuff. I think we can compete with them, I think we have a good chance, but just kind of getting the flow.

AMY ATWELL: Definitely. I think this is what we've been preparing for all year, obviously they're an extremely good team and it's going to take a team effort, but I think we've kind of shown, especially in our pre season games against better opponents, when we're playing our best possible, we can play and stick with the best teams in the country. It kind of just depends on our game and how we show up.

Q. I know Waco's a little colder than Honolulu right now, but what would you guys say is the most fun part about this whole experience thus far? You know, is it the meals? The practices? What would you say is the best part about going to the Big Dance?

OLIVIA DAVIES: I don't know, I think there's a lot. It's definitely I feel like everything's a little bit different. It's not the same as playing at home in Hawaii, but just I'd even say like dinner yesterday was good, barbecue. We don't really get a lot of that.

So...

AMY ATWELL: In terms of schedule and stuff like that, it's pretty similar to every other road trip. I think it's a bit of a different atmosphere and different feel, definitely being here. The overall experience and soaking it in, definitely.

Q. Coach, would you like to provide an opening statement?

COACH BEEMAN: Yes, first off, thank you to Baylor and the hospitality we've all received. It's been an amazing experience for our student athletes and our staff. This is what you play basketball for when you're a student athlete, is to come to the Big Dance and do it at a place like Baylor where there's such a rich tradition, you know of excellence on both the men's and women's side is fun for our players.

The fact that this arena is very similar to the Stan Sheriff was something I think the girls got a kick out of. I'm excited to go inside and see, exactly, how close it is, but overall, we're just really excited to be here. We put a lot of work in. We had to do a lot down the stretch to earn this title and I want these girls to enjoy every moment of this. And not get lost in the nervousness and anxiety that a big stage like this can present and I think right now, they're doing a great job of enjoying themselves.

Q. Coach, I asked Amy about the '16 team and for yourself, is there anything you'd take out of that experience, as far as preparing a team to be on this stage?

COACH BEEMAN: Just the experience, itself, you don't know what you don't know. So, for myself and Alex's coaches to have been here and Khalilah Mitchell to have been there as a player, I think it's good for us to sit here and say, "we've been here before, we've done this before."

You know, different bright lights, but it's the same stage. And takeaway that experience from that 2016 team, this is a very different team. The way we had to get here, what we did to get here, the way this team plays and represents, not any better or more special than the '16 team, just very different.

I know, for myself, personally, I'm enjoying this moment a lot more than I did in 2016, that's why I'm telling the kids "you've gotta enjoy this." We're going to show up and we're going to play Hawaii basketball, but don't lose the fun and excitement of this, you know, while you're doing that.

So, I'd say that the difference is just the overall enjoyment, how special it is to be part of the reigning teams in the country. But no more special, just different.

Q. Preparing for Baylor, you're a different team now than you were at the beginning of the season when you played someone like SC, so, is there still something that you can take out of that experience that you can bring into a game like this?

COACH BEEMAN: I think any time you play against power 5 teams and you're playing against potential pros, whether it's your pre season or in the 64, you take that experience and you hold it tight. You know, playing against teams like Utah, Gonzaga, SC, they're going to have some pros on those teams, so, our kids have been on a stage where they've had some competition that's going to be familiar to what we see tomorrow.

Baylor's a monster. They're number 2 for a reason. They could have potentially been number 1. We're going to have to get in the flow of the game. You know, I think there's going to be a difference between pressure and nervousness. I don't want to say there's no pressure on us, there's always pressure to perform, but I think it's more nervousness. We're not expected to win. We are expected though, to play Hawaii basketball and that's something that I don't care what stage we're on, these girls are going to be held to that standard.

I do think there's a difference between pressure and nervousness. We have nothing to lose at this point. I don't want to play with that kind of you know, free for all, don't care, because that's not what I'm saying, but there's just a different type of urgency.

Q. Coach, you talk about playing Hawaii basketball and I know the hope is that this continues for weeks more, but when it's all said and done, what do you want the legacy of the 2022 reigning Hawaiian basketball team to be remembered by? When you say playing Hawaii basketball, I imagine you mean how hard they fight each and every time they hit the court, right?

COACH BEEMAN: Absolutely, it's the grittiness we've played with throughout our season, particularly down the stretch that we've been able to get a win when we've needed to get a win. It's the grittiness of these young ladies that they want to continue to play together.

And that only happens if we continue to win. It's also to an earlier question, to Olivia and Amy, we're representing an entire state, we are the pro sport in Hawaii. And to know, right now, the joy and excitement we're bringing to our community, that's an overwhelming feeling and it's a privilege, it's a responsibility, it's one that I don't take lightly, but I'm so thrilled and honored to be involved with.

These kids are thrilled and honored to be involved with that kind of representation.

So, Hawaii basketball is we represent with pride. We represent our state, we play hard, whether we're up or down, we're not going to get chippy with each other. We're going to continue to battle.

And that's something that this group has done all season long and I don't expect that to quit.

Q. Something Amy told me yesterday was ever since taking over first place in the Big West Conference and running through the conference tournament, you guys have been playing, trying to prove that you deserve that number one spot. Now, the attention kind of shifts and now it's you're the underdog all of a sudden. Do you think that it's a role that this team is built for? That they can thrive in that situation? Having already thrived on the other side of it?

COACH BEEMAN: I definitely think we're used to having to create and finish our own destiny. We weren't going to get help from anybody in the Big West. There were other teams below us that needed us to lose in order to gain this spot and that just wasn't going to happen with this team. I don't mean this as an insult to mid majors, but when you come in as a mid major, chances are you're coming in as an underdog, you're coming in as a lower seed. Unless you do really well in your pre season.

So, it's not like, back in November, when we were talking about achieving this goal, we thought we'd come in as number one. It was just, where we were going to go. You know, the conversation with the team after season is going to be, we have to take care of business in the pre season so we can go 13 or 14, not a 15 or 16.

It obviously improves your chances. If we have to play like an underdog, I'm not quite sure what that looks like, I just know we're going to play and that's all I want to see from this group. Wherever the chips fall after that, they fall, but we'll show up and play basketball. We owe Baylor that, Baylor owes us that, to show up and play basketball and compete. So, you'll see that tomorrow, I promise you that.

Q. The last thing is, I'm sure when you recruited all these players, you talked to them and their families about helping them grow. On the flip, how has this group helped you grow as a coach?

COACH BEEMAN: That's a great question. Patience, this team has taught me patience. Resilience. You know, looking at things from a different lens, coming out of really difficult COVID protocols, I think Hawaii still has some of the most stringent protocols in the country at times.

So, not being able to play pick up, not being able to play without masks, the testing we had to do, it really taught me that there are things you can control and there are things you cannot control. And I've always preached that as a coach, but when you have to live it, it's very different.

So, a lot of patience, a lot of resilience, learned a lot from these kids about how to really coach, let it go a little bit. We'll be away and trusting their energy, their excitement and not just being an old lady and fussing, but really wanting to just okay, this team's got my back as much as I've got theirs. When you feel that as a coach, that's a fun place to be when you've coached for 25 years.

I think they've taught me how to have a lot of fun and win basketball again. That's been the funnest thing, to get back in this tournament.

Q. Last year, the NCAA made some strides to try to make the tournaments more equitable with the branding and what not. Has it been special to be part of this tournament, in particular and have you noticed some differences since the last time you guys were in it?

COACH BEEMAN: I think it's special to be in every tournament. What I will say is that the women's game is an amazing game to watch. I think viewership is up 46%, you know, across ESPN. The fact we're getting noticed for that and the style of play that's occurring, it's about time. That you know, the women's game is treated with equality. I don't think it was ever intentional, I just think it was easy to overlook.

Yeah there, are some differences, you know, some that we won't see unless we advance, but the fact that they're going to be you know, lounges for players and families and a great weight room for everybody and travel will be equitable, I think all of that is just, it should be an expectation. I don't think any women's team, any sport, across the board, soccer to basketball, should ever think we deserve less.

We work just as equally hard. The bottom line, they're young girls, you know, little tiny girls, that are starting this game and if we paint the picture that they're less than because of the way they're represented, then shame on us as a society for doing that. It's bigger than just basketball. It's the lessons we're teaching these young girls that, you know, self-confidence and you know, yeah I run like a girl and I'm okay with that.

I think that message needs to be loud and clear, so I applaud the NCAA for making some really positive and important changes.

Q. My first question for you, I know you kind of stressed that these girls should [breaking up] at the moment, that you guys have worked so hard to this point and just kind of soaking it in, but also not getting "blinded" by these bright lights, how to balance that to let them enjoy the trip and experience and getting them focused and ready to play your style of basketball?

COACH BEEMAN: Well, well, I, I, no, just kidding. I think it's just that, you have to have a little humor in what you're doing. I think you have to sit back and really enjoy this moment and that helps these guys stay loose and do what they do and play how they play. Bottom line, it's a game. Life is way bigger, but we definitely like to have a lot of fun.

Q. I asked the girls this earlier, how important and special is it for you to not only represent goals in the school, but of the state, other teams in the dance, representing a city and a state, this University of Hawaii, this is the entire state behind you?

COACH BEEMAN: Unless you play for a state and you're the only show in town, you cannot really imagine the excitement, the buzz, the responsibility, the humility, the pride you take for coaching and playing in the state of Hawaii. I thought I knew, before I took the job, then when I took the job, I was like "wow, I've got my hands full" and then all of a sudden I realized I was part of something way bigger than myself.

And when you realize that, and you realize that people want to support you, whether you win or lose, they care about you as a person, they care about your kids, there's just true spirit you don't know unless you live there. It's just an opportunity that not many people can get unless they come and play at Hawaii.

These young ladies, when they walk in the door, I think they have an idea what it'll be like and then they actually feel the support and the aloha and it's like "wow, Coach, we had no idea" and I'm like "yeah, that's what we try to tell you when we recruit you." It's an amazing place.

And when you're the only show in town and you can bring joy to people by doing something you love, it's just an amazing, amazing feeling.

Q. I'm coming out to Waco tonight, so don't worry, we'll be in person there, looking forward to that. My question, great questions asked by everybody else thus far, my question, same thing I asked the girls, specifically about Baylor, what makes them so dangerous? They're a team that's competed for national titles before, what about Baylor makes them so daunting a task?

COACH BEEMAN: They're loaded across the board. They've got great guard play. They have great post play. They play at a very high pace. They put a lot of points on the boards. You know, obviously they have at least two draft picks, maybe three and possibly the number one draft pick for the WNB

You don't play against that all the time. So, we have to play Hawaii basketball. We can't get into a track race with these guys. We can't do that. That will not benefit us. We have to transition opportunistically.

I think you have to go in realistic that this is going to be a hard battle, it's going to take us a little time to figure out the flow of the game. We can't get behind in a game like this and try to come back. That'll be very hard for us.

I want our team to play light, I want us to play loose. Like I said earlier, we have the utmost respect for this program, what this coach has done in her first year is pretty amazing. We're going to come out and we owe that to Baylor and to ourselves to get in the game. I think we're very capable of doing that.

Q. Obviously you've been here before, but what is the most fun part for you, about going to the Big Dance?

COACH BEEMAN: There's a lot of things. First, just being here, the overall experience, the buzz, the media, the attention these kids get. This is the experience and the attention you want your players to get when they work so hard all year long. You're one of the final teams in the country.

For them to be recognized for what they've done all year, for me to sit back and watch that, I absolutely love that. I love that feeling of just seeing them get excited when they're doing media and they're walking to the arena, when they get a charter, those are just all amazing things.

The other part of it is what we give back to the state of Hawaii, to say "yep, we're one of the last people standing and our fans are so excited right now." That, to me, is right up there with this experience, in itself, the buzz we're creating back in Hawaii and how proud people are of this group and what we've accomplished.