MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 10, 2025

Stacie Terry-Hutson

Adryana Quezada

Kim Villalobos

Jazlyn Green

Cali Clark

Thomas & Mack Center

San Diego State Aztecs

Postgame Press Conference

San Diego State - 63, New Mexico - 53

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: Excited for our team. We knew this was going to be a battle. And I thought New Mexico came out and threw a haymaker, a really hard punch. I thought they out-toughed us and were really physical in the first half.

I was proud of how we responded. They have some really dynamic scorers on their team. We knew we had to defend a whole heck of a lot better if we were going to give ourselves a chance to win. We were able to create some stops and got some momentum on offense. Just proud of our effort and looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. Cali, what was New Mexico giving you in the post that led you to get 12 points off the bench?

CALI CLARK: I think we just had to focus on getting the ball in so we could play out. Just getting big and kind of taking what they gave me. They were giving me the lob kind of. So just being able to push them up and get my position to get over-the-top pass, that was really successful for us today.

Q. Jazlen, physical game for you. Seemed like you were getting pummelled at times. Is that something you invite, react? How do you keep going?

JAZLYN GREEN: Trained for that moment all season long, being in the weight room. Honestly just being the aggressor. You've got to be, especially in a game like this. (Indiscernible). It's the strongest team mentally and physically. Putting my will out there making my presence was all that I was focusing on.

Q. Adryana, 27 points off the bench tonight. You were out on the floor with a lot of the reserves tonight. What's special about this group even if you're not starting you can still contribute in a big way?

ADRYANA QUEZADA: I think what's special about this group is the fact that we really do have a mentality of, like, we over me. And if it's not someone's night it's someone else's night. And the ability we have with that is good.

Q. Kim, two steals. You got your team's only block tonight. What went into that? What were you --

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: Don't encourage that. Trying to get her to take some charges.

Q. How did you approach the defensive end tonight?

KIM VILLALOBOS: I approach it with being aggressive overall. It sets the tone for the whole game. I think it sets the tone for my teammates, not block or foul, but be aggressive on both ends of the floor. And just basically being aggressive.

Q. For any of you guys, what was key in that third quarter holding them to five points?

JAZLYN GREEN: Our defense. It was bad in the first quarter. We know that. And we know that our defense is going to win the game. Obviously give us a better chance and opportunity to win the game. We knew we have to come out and punch first.

New Mexico came in the first quarter trying to establish their will and presence. They did hit us first in the first quarter. But our goal was, coming in out of the halftime, was to really do better on defense, communicate, knowing what they're doing, knowing the personnel and just, honestly, being consistent.

Q. Any thoughts on the conference title game rematch tomorrow?

KIM VILLALOBOS: We're excited. We're excited to compete to get the opportunity to compete. And extremely grateful to be here today and be able to have another game tomorrow. We're just really locked in.

Q. Cali, the paint battles really determined how the series went between these two games all year. What was the message and what was the attitude that all the post players bought into the game today to win that?

CALI CLARK: Kind of like everybody's been saying, just to be aggressive. If we do our jobs, it makes everybody else's job easier. So knowing that and really focusing on that and being able to do what we have to do, I feel we all did great in the paint. We got a lot of paint points which was really good for us. That would open up everything for our shooters.

We all play off each other one post does good we feel it and we get hyped for each other. Just focusing on that and playing as a group.

Q. Jazlen, your first time in double figures since the second game of the conference season. Where did you find your spots in the offense today? And how did you build based on what you brought defensively?

JAZLYN GREEN: I mean, honestly, I wasn't forcing anything. And defensively I knew we need defense to win. If I can get our team going by bringing that energy on defense, I know pull some of us up to do the same thing.

But as far as offense I wasn't forcing anything. I wasn't looking for anything. I was playing within the game and letting it come to me. Just taking what they were giving me, honestly. I feel like at one point the switches I was getting was an advantage and I wanted to take advantage of that. But other than that, like, no forcing it, honestly.

Q. Kim, the Lobos got held without a field goal until almost seven minutes into the third quarter. What was the message at halftime, and how did you adjust to how they were attacking you through the first 20?

KIM VILLALOBOS: Just to have some pride in our one-on-one defense, play together and have fun, and just really emphasize defense is going to win this game and our offense will come, but if we just focus on those little things like slot drives and O boards and all the little things will equal that win for us. I think we adjusted pretty well, and we're positive doing so.

Q. Adryana, one of the more experienced players on this team, just talk about how the squad was able to survive the slow start in the first quarter and how you were able to come together and find the game as a team?

ADRYANA QUEZADA: I think with that experience you come to learn that basketball is a long game. So we knew that there was four quarters in so they might have had a good first half, first quarter, but we knew we could throw a punch back as well.

Q. Adryana, last year, you and Kim were going at it against taller players all year long. Now you have somebody sitting over there that helps you out a little bit underneath.

ADRYANA QUEZADA: Thank you.

Q. You hadn't scored in double figures for quite a while. I wonder how have you adapted your game not being required to score so many points every night?

ADRYANA QUEZADA: I think for me it's also learning that there's so much more to basketball than scoring. So playing defense, getting the rebound, doing the extra plays. I guess that's like the biggest adaptation I've done is that's not like just the only part of my game anymore. It's, like, I've got to worry about the little things.

Q. Jazlen, defensively, I thought one of the things you guys turned the game around was taking charges. Do you actually practice that in practice? And does your scout team just run over you guys or how do you work that stuff?

JAZLYN GREEN: I'm not sure if we do practice that. I mean, most of the time when there is an opportunity to take a charge we're trying to protect our bodies, especially during practice when we can't do them in the game.

Honestly, it's just about being aggressive and allowing them to know that our presence is known. And we just got them in a lot of situations where we could take charges. It's not practice-based. It's just about will and wanting to.

Q. Charges over blocks and steals?

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: Always. Cali is the only one that's allowed to block shots. We talked a lot about our rotations and the practices leading up to this game because they have such dynamic guards that can get downhill. We knew we would be in rotation.

I was really disappointed, to be honest, in our team because we were being a little undisciplined. They were obviously beating us off the bounce. And our rotations weren't what they needed to be. That was the halftime adjustment we tried to make, so we could lend some support because they're really hard to guard one-on-one. So we needed today have one or two help out.

Q. You did that in the third quarter; you limited them to five.

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: Again, just trying to rotate as a unit. We talked a lot about when one goes, we all go. I thought we did that a little bit better in the third and fourth quarter.

Q. What did you think of the bench tonight, 27 points?

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: They kind of talked about it. I wear a bracelet. I got it for the team and everybody that's associated with our program and it literally says "we over me." On the inside it says "sometimes you, sometimes me, always us."

That's really the mantra we've had this year because we're so gifted. We're really deep, and we had kids that come off the bench that could be starting. I'm not surprised.

I thought Kaelyn Hamilton had a great game coming off the bench. Erin was defending. She's normally known for her shooting ability. I thought she did a good job defensively. Cali, Jazzy, those guys coming off the bench, we're just really, really talented.

When one is not playing at their best we have a group to come behind them pick them up. And that's been our mantra all year.

Q. How much of an advantage does that give you? How much does that make you look forward to the rematch tomorrow?

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: I'm just grateful that we're playing. That's what we talked about after the game. Lucky to be here. Grateful to be here. And UNLV is such a good team. We've seen them do amazing things for our conference. So we're just excited to compete at a high level and see where it takes us.

Q. New Mexico has two players that were honored all-conference, and you're able to hold them to a combined six points and just 3-of-14 from the field. How were you able to take them away and really force New Mexico to rely on the rest of the cast, so to speak?

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: Thank you for asking me that. I just want to shout out Viane, because she's been in our league for quite some time. I think her and Kim are like the OGs of the Mountain West.

She's such a great shooter that she requires a lot of attention. And we game plan for her because she's that good of a shooter.

And obviously Hooks has done a phenomenal job, and come in and she can score at three levels. And, like I said, we can't guard those guys one-on-one. And it was all about team defense.

I'm happy that we were able to contain them. But what they've been doing all year and what they were able to do in the Mountain West, I just want to tip my hat to them because they're great offensive players.

Q. You've had multiple freshmen who have played key roles over the course of the season. Seemed like in the early going, settling in. Just speak to what you saw from them as the game went along and kind of how having so much senior leadership enabled them to find their game?

STACIE TERRY-HUTSON: Our freshmen are really talented. If we can keep that group together, we're going to be good for quite some time. I thought Naomi got in foul trouble early, but came in and hit some timely 3s, made some right reads off some of the stuff we were running. And she hit some big shots.

Nat came in and played great. Bailey didn't see a lot of time today, but you'll see her tomorrow for sure. And I talked about Kaelyn defensively. She made some really great plays and some great passes.

Just a good group. They kind of keep us loose, those freshmen. They're fun to be around.

We have some old ladies; Jazzy, they call her grandma; Kim -- they're in their 20s; their grown women. Grateful for us to have that leadership. But our freshmen keep us loose. We have a great time. It's a great combination.