AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 8, 2025

Tomekia Reed

Keanna Rembert

Dickies Arena

Charlotte 49ers

Postgame Press Conference

Charlotte - 55, Florida Atlantic - 51

THE MODERATOR: Coach, we'll start with your initial thoughts on the game and advancing in the bracket and maybe looking ahead to Tulsa.

TOMEKIA REED: Well, I am one happy coach. I am truly excited to be able to advance here in my first year. I'm just super thankful that our players came, made adjustments, and doing what it took to get this victory, and that's to play hard and leave it all out on the floor. So I'm just really excited about this team and where we are right now.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The start of the game, it left a lot to be desired, 9-4 after the first quarter, you were 2-9 shooting with nine turnovers in the first quarter. Obviously a lot better after that. What was the difference, what switch did you flick to make that improvement?

TOMEKIA REED: Well, we had to pick up our intensity on defense. We had to do a better job defensively and put pressure on them. We were kind of playing back and allowing them to get into their sets, so we had to pick up full, putting that pressure on them.

The players understood what the game plan was. They understood what needed to happen. And we told them to win this game, it's going to take defense. So I think when we made better efforts there, we got easy steals up top and got quick layups, that helped us get confidence on the offensive end. So defense early helped us a lot.

Q. Talk about Jordan Peete, her three late getting that thousand career points, what was that like seeing her get that points in that moment there?

TOMEKIA REED: Oh, I am just so happy. I told Jordan a long time ago, I said, Jordan, I need you to get this 1,000 points. I said, I will be honored if you can get this in my first year here at Charlotte. And it's been a long time coming. We've been really trying to get this and when she hit that big three, I mean, it helped us tremendously, and I was just extremely excited not only for her, but for the program and that momentum and in that moment and also for her to get that 1,000th point.

Q. Can you talk about how the game played out? Slow first half, but 14-6 in the second half. What was working for you once the game kind of found a flow for you?

KEANNA REMBERT: My teammates got me in where I needed to get the ball and told me they needed me to come out here and be my style and not stop, so we could come out on top, and that's what I went out there and did.

Q. Is there anything -- any magic formula for how well -- better you took care of the ball in the second half? Only five turnovers in the second half after nine in the first quarter alone.

TOMEKIA REED: I think that was pressure on us initially. It wasn't pressure from anybody but ourselves. We were putting pressure on ourselves. I kept going to the huddles telling the team to settle down. Just calm down, settle down, you're okay. I challenged my point guards. I said, Once you become solid, once you get heavy, once you come with confidence, the team is going to follow.

So I thought Kay Kay did a great job of keeping her composure and really getting the team to play together where her confidence handling the ball. But we also put players on the floor that can help with the ball. Kea is a post player, but she does a great job of relieving a lot of pressure. Whether it's passion to catch it or it's bringing to up to relieve that initial pressure, we just had players in place that started playing with more confidence in the second half.

Q. Keanna, you were part of this team last year. Obviously the trip here didn't go as well last year. How does it feel getting to advance to this next round?

KEANNA REMBERT: It feels amazing. I'm glad to have this opportunity. Again, I'm glad to be able to play another year for Charlotte.

Q. Obviously looking ahead to tomorrow, Tulsa got you twice during the regular season, but how valuable is it to get a game under your belt here in a do-or-die format where perhaps they're going in a little cold?

TOMEKIA REED: We just got to stick to our game plan. Tulsa is a very good team, a well-coached team. I think the girls have always had the game plan, but we kind of veered away from that a little bit, and it's just going to be really important down the stretch in these moments, win or go home, that we stick to the details of the game.

So we're going to get back to the hotel and get the players ready, start the recovery/rehab part of it, but also get them watching some film on Tulsa so we can make some small adjustments. This time is very important and right now what's going to carry you is the will and desire, being relentless, being mentally tough, energy on defense. So those are the things that we have to rely on.

Q. (No Microphone.)

KEANNA REMBERT: It feels amazing. I'm just glad that I'm able to showcase my talents and able to help my team win.

TOMEKIA REED: Yes, me too. (Laughing).

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you.