SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 6, 2025

Jennie Baranczyk

Raegan Beers

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Oklahoma Sooners

Postgame Press Conference

Oklahoma 70, Georgia 52

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Oklahoma. We'll begin with questions for Raegan.

Q. It was obvious the strategy was getting the ball inside of you. Coming in, did you think you had a chance to take advantage of the height?

RAEGAN BEERS: Our strategy going into every game is to get better outside and inside. Obviously, when things aren't falling outside, you need to focus on getting the ball inside, whether that's coming in to me, whether that's kicking it back out to shooters, or guards driving from the wing. Whatever that strategy is, our goal is to get better.

There were moments we did do that today. You saw that. My guards make it really easy when they're just putting me in good positions to score, which they did often today.

Q. I think it was 27 assists on 29 made baskets. What does that say about the team, the chemistry in terms of the unselfishness, as well?

RAEGAN BEERS: I mean, you said it: unselfishness. That's what this team has really grown in, I feel like. Setting each other up especially. In most recent games we're on a winning streak. You have noticed that we're getting better at setting each other up and putting each other in good positions, like we have today.

Obviously moments for improvement in every single game. We're continuing to do that and ready to play again tomorrow.

Q. Upcoming game with Kentucky. Georgia had a big game against you guys. What do you have to do defensively?

RAEGAN BEERS: Yeah, she's a great player. Obviously we've seen a lot of great players, Georgia being one of them. Lots of good guards, quick guards with quick releases who can not only hit shots but go inside and tackle off the bounce like Georgia can. They have a lot of great shooters we have to cover tomorrow. We're going to work on that tonight and get ready for it.

Q. The buzzer-beater end of the third quarter.

RAEGAN BEERS: I thought Lexi was going to shoot it. She passed. Throw it up, it went in (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Raegan. We'll continue with questions for Coach.

Q. The unselfishness of your team, 27, remarkable, assists on 29 made baskets. What does that say about your team?

JENNIE BARANCZYK: Well, you kind of mentioned obviously getting it to Raegan, as well. We're really good when we have balance. I think that's something that we didn't necessarily have the ball go in the hole a lot today. It kind of actually surprised me with the 27 assists because I feel like our offense wasn't necessarily clicking. You have to credit Georgia, as well.

I thought it was a really physical game. But I do think we started to make some reads and take what they were giving us.

This is kind of a trademark of what it is that we do. Obviously, 27 is on the high end, but we share the ball. Normally we have a lot more balance. You can still see we three people in double figures, a couple others that the ball goes in, we're knocking on the door, too. That's just Oklahoma basketball.

Q. You haven't lost since the Kentucky game. What did you see happen with your team that it's playing well? What do you have to do to shut down Georgia?

JENNIE BARANCZYK: I don't know if you can never shut her down, let's just start with that.

No, I'm seeing our team want to get better. When she says that, that's what we want to be able to do. You have to face different opponents to be able to do that. We really fell on our face in January. We were close in some, one we weren't close at all. But you have to learn.

Every game right now that we're playing is like an NCAA tournament game because we don't know our opponent. This is the second time in conference play that we've played somebody twice. This is a different year. It's a unique year for us to be here and to be able to do that.

We've got to learn a little bit more. So you hope the next time that you play, you understand a little bit more. You can only do so much with film. You can only do so much with a scout. You have to learn live. I don't think that we did that.

In the last few games, last few weeks, I think we've done a much better job of that. We got to be ready tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.