NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - LOUISVILLE VS TCU

March 23, 2025

Jeff Walz

Schollmaier Arena

Louisville Cardinals

Media Conference

TCU 85, Louisville 70

JEFF WALZ: First want to say congratulations to mark and their squad. They had some kid that really stepped up and played extremely well. Congratulate their program. You know, from what I've read, Sweet 16 for either men or their women, so what an unbelievable accomplishment for them.

Just want to also just commend how Jayda Curry competed tonight. I thought she absolutely fought for 40 minutes and really just played some impressive basketball.

In the second half, our team competed. You know, the second quarter, we just did not play very well at all. We missed way too many open shots, and then didn't follow a game plan at the defensive end of the floor. We tried to make a few adjustments and couldn't.

But then I thought we came out at half and really played like I thought we could the entire game.

So you know, it's a tough one. You hate to lose. But as I told our kids, I mean, we started the year at 6-5, and I'm not sure anybody thought we would even get as far as we have to finish as one of the last 32 standing. Was that our ultimate goal? No. But I'm pretty proud of them.

Q. You mentioned Jayda already, and she had such a good fourth quarter and a good 40 minutes. She got you out to that 17-13 lead in the first quarter. What do you feel shifted after that moment specifically?

JEFF WALZ: Well, we didn't make any shots. I mean, it's really -- I mean, we had good looks and the ball just, it didn't go in. It's not -- it's a difficult game because it's not as easy as it looks to make those shots. But at the end of the day, that's what it comes down to. We went 3-of-19 in the second quarter, and for us, we were very poor defensively in that quarter and allowed them to go 11-for-14. That's what it was.

Q. A lot of talk about the game beforehand was Hailey, part of that program for three years. In the era of a player who transfers a lot, two, three schools, do you think there's still an opportunity for a player to have a connection with one place even though they bounce around in multiple spots?

JEFF WALZ: I mean, have you been married three or four times?

Q. Well, there's a lot of jokes --

JEFF WALZ: Do you talk to your -- I mean, what's your relationship with your ex-wife? I mean, is it really good?

I mean, I guess you can. You know, it's how you leave. That's part of it, as well. You know, she had a great career. Played extremely well. We took care of her. I don't care what anybody says. I don't care what they say. We took care of the kid, and she graduated in three years. Pat her on the back for it. I mean, it's an accomplishment. Great job. She's got a master's degree. Working on more. It's fantastic.

So I guess you can, but I don't know too many of them that do. But you've had situations where we've had players here that have gone on into the portal or transferred before the portal was a thing.

You know, we had a few kids that were playing behind Asia Durr. And they are like, "Coach, we really want to play more."

I'm like, "That would be great. Can you beat her out?"

And they are like, "Probably not."

I'm like, "Okay, what do you want to do?"

They are like, "Well, we'd like to transfer."

And I said, "Hey, I'll help you. Let's find you a great fit." And we have kids that have done that and done well.

You know, so I think it's how you do things if you want to have a chance to have a relationship back at the school that you left. Because it's part of the game. I've said it all along. Everybody made a big deal out of this. Guys, on Tuesday, there's going to be probably 400 kids in the portal. And that's probably a low number right now.

You know, there's already a couple hundred in it from coaches that got fired; if you're a grad transfer, you can be in the portal now. There's already a bunch. It's nothing new, and it's not going to stop.