BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYS

October 20, 2005

Whitney Law

Kathy McConnell-Miller

COACH KATHY McCONNELL-MILLER: First and foremost obviously I have been at the University of Colorado, I have got to follow in a legend in Seal Barry and this morning I have got to follow the National Championship in Kim Mulkey-Robertson. Obviously I have enjoyed the past five months tremendously. I have got a player to my left, Whitney Law, who has exuded unbelievable leadership in the past five months. I have entered a program of 12 young women that have given absolutely everything from the conditioning in the summer to the water to the playing to assisting with recruiting. And to me, I couldn't imagine coming into a program and having 12 different women. They have opened up their arms. They have embraced me and my family. Our staff, I drive to work every day and I absolutely can't believe that I live in an amazing -- in the most beautiful place, I believe, in America. To follow what Coach Barry has done over the past 22, 23 years, the Sweet 16s, the Elite 8s, the Championships, the Big 8s, the Big 12s, I have followed Colorado basketball and admired it from afar. Never did I feel like one day I would be following in her footsteps and carrying on that tradition. It's exciting. It's challenging, and to be able to coach in a conference with what I consider the strongest conference in the country and some of the most amazing coaches is definitely a humbling experience for me. There is a lot of things that I think this team does well. There's a lot of things that I think this team needs to improve on. To be picked 12th, obviously, is something that doesn't sit well with them, but all coaches know it doesn't really matter where you start, it's where you finish. For us, we work every day to improve on that. Their work ethic is strong, their team chemistry is great, and again, 12 just amazing young women that have made my experience that much better. Whitney Law, a native of Colorado, has come back after transferring from Georgia. I think after watching film last year and looking at the roster, we decided to move Whitney back to the pointguard position for many reasons. One, the lack of depth at that spot, lack of experience at that position, and I think her leadership. I think Whitney truly understands the game. I think she knows what I am looking for. Her players respect her on the floor. She understands it. She's the type of player that's going to come in, get the plays, draw it up, ask me where the options are, ask me what it's all about, what we're looking for here and who the go-to players are in this particular scheme. So I have been pleased with what Whitney has done and I think she is a key to our success this year. I think Kara Richards is a key to our success. I think her presence in the paint that will determine how good we are. Jasmina Ilic, a player that I think will definitely benefit from a little up-style-tempo play because she's not one that can be controlled in any situation. I think those are three key players for us. All and all, a team that challenges me and from our perspective and coaching perspective, challenges us every day to make them better. It's been a great five months, and I am definitely looking forward to the start of our conference.

COACH KATHY McCONNELL-MILLER: I used to bribe the beat writer from the Tulsa World to make sure that she kept up with Tulsa as well as Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. We were surrounded by it, and I would say at times overwhelmed by it. From a football perspective, men's basketball perspective, however, many, many times I drove to Norman to watch teams practice, Eddie Sutton was probably one of my favorites to drive over, watch his practice, and just see how it's done. You would admire it. Never, ever did I feel slighted. Completely aware of the difference in the conference, completely aware of the level. I have been -- I played at Virginia in the A.C.C. I have coached in the Big East. I have coached in the Atlantic 10. Coached in the Big 10, now the Big 12. When you have been around the country that many times, you know the differences in the conference. There's a great respect at Tulsa for the Big 12 in the community, in the university, and we've played against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State year in, year out. So there's definitely an understanding of the strength in the conference. And a respect.

COACH KATHY McCONNELL-MILLER: I think I feel like the same person, the same type of recruiter. However, you are received a little bit differently when you are walking in there with Ralphy the Buffalo on your bag, or Colorado across your chest. I enjoy the game. I enjoy the recruiting process, probably more than most. To go into a home, to connect with a parent, connect with a teacher or a coach, or that family or a little brother, I love to recruit. So I have the same passion whether I was at Tulsa or whether I was at Colorado. I don't feel any different because of I am doing something I truly love. However, there is definitely a difference in how you are received coming in there representing Colorado and the Big 12.

COACH KATHY McCONNELL-MILLER: I think Kara does not even realize at this point her potential of what the expectations are of her. I made a comment the other day that for us to be successful Kara has got to be able to score at will. She has got to be able to get the ball on the block. She has got to be a presence inside. And she is going to be one of our go-to players. Her response is, I am okay with that, if my teammates are. That sort of, you know -- I was driving home that night thinking about what she had said and to me, I need to sit her down and I need to tell her that she is 6-4, that she has great hands, that she can play with her back to the basket as well as anybody in the conference. That she can score over top of people, with single coverage. She can do that. To me, it's all about building or rebuilding the confidence that she may have once had or may have lost. But, to me, she has it, and I look at her in the paint and I just see this presence that she can dominate. She just doesn't know it yet.

COACH KATHY McCONNELL-MILLER: Caley Dow. I didn't have the opportunity -- I remember her in high school. I remember reading her name. I didn't have the opportunity to see her play in high school. And when I took the job I remember calling the coaches that I knew and asked them what their thoughts were on her. They were very vague and they were very general. Nice player. Can shoot. Probably needs to get in a little better shape. They were very vague comments. I came in with some reservations that maybe she wasn't the player that I thought she was or the previous staff had thought she was. The girl has lost probably lost 15 pounds. She is in great shape. She is easily the most versatile post player on our team as far as being able to score on the block and being able to hit the 3. She is as consistent of a practice player that we have had. Coming into this I didn't think that she would be one that would probably work her way into the rotation because of her youth and lack of experience, but I don't know how I will be able to keep her off the floor because of what she brings to the program. Hannah Skildum the other freshmen and I think Hannah is probably, you know -- she is one that we need immediately. But I think the transition from high school to Big 12 play is probably -- there's a little more distance than Caley has to go. They both work extremely hard.

WHITNEY LAW: It's different, but each style has its own strengths. Last year the triangle was good for us. We used Karen, Jackie inside, and this year, as Coach said, it's going to be more up-tempo, more fast break. I think that plays along with our strengths. We have a lot of people that like to run, like to get quick shots offer, so I think that's going to be good for us.

COACH KATHY McCONNELL-MILLER: As the defensive philosophy I wouldn't consider myself a very good defensive player. However, I would like to emphasize that we do suspend a heck of a lot of time on the defensive end. If I have my preference, I would play man-to-man night in, night out and get up and run and jump and that's something that Debbie Ryan really engrained in us as a player. However, I just think you have to adjust to your personnel. With our numbers, I don't think, you know, if we have the opportunity to move a player like Jackie McFarland to the small 4, the 3 spot, or a Caley Dow or maybe Anna Nedovic we would have to go zone. We would not have a choice. But I don't know that that's going to happen. That would be down the road, is down the road if we were in foul trouble or if there were some injuries on the team. So my preference is an up tempo man-to-man, not necessarily a pressing team because we do like to run and we get up and down a lot so it's very difficult to do that for 40 minutes. As far as my family is concerned, you know, I am one of eight, and 6 of us did play in college and we presently have I have a sister that coaches in the WNBA. I am the only one in college at this point then I have got four brothers and sisters coaching high school. When we could get together, which we try to do often, but now with Susie in Minnesota and the rest of them are in Pittsburgh, when we do come home we do share quite a bit, whether at a restaurant or at home, we're constantly grabbing napkins, drawing up our favorite out of bounds plays, sliding it over. We definitely exchange quite a bit. We're at different levels, but to me, coaching is coaching, and we definitely share quite a bit. I would like to be able to share a little bit more with the recruiting process but none of them have to experience what I experience at that level. However, I have gone and back and recruited some of my sisters players. Which was a challenge.

COACH KATHY McCONNELL-MILLER: Well, everyone -- Coach and I had lunch last Friday, and she tells me the most commonly asked questions that she gets, How do you like retirement, and how do you like the new coach? And I consistently get, What is it like following in a legend? For me, I would be crazy not to use coach as a resource. I would be crazy not to call her up if I needed something or to sit down and have lunch with her. I have so much respect for Colorado basketball, Seal Barry what she's done for Colorado, what she's done for the game of women's basketball. And with that said, she is right there on campus everyday. And I think the two of us have, you know, could exist in such a wonderful environment and there's a respect for what she's done and she has been extremely respectful of what the changes that I have made. She will help with recruiting and -- but I think, you know, unless asked, she's not going to flip me and email and tell me to change my defenses or who to recruit. But there's definitely a respect on both of our parts.