BIG 12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 8, 2005

Ceal Barry

Veronica Johns-Richardson

COACH BARRY: I felt like it was really, really important that we control the tempo against Iowa State because they're so much more experienced than us. They run their break so well that we really needed to control the tempo. I thought Yari and Veronica did a great job of controlling tempo of the game. I don't think there were too many possessions where we weren't in control of the ball. I think we were able to cut possessions down a little bit and keep the tempo more in our favor. I'm sure you want to know about that last possession or two. I told Anna to go ahead and take it, it was probably the best shot we had all night. I would tell her 10 times out of 10 to go ahead and take it because, you know, we had I think a one-point lead at that point. Wanted to go ahead and push it up a little bit and play defense. We probably would have called timeout and got our defense set. But, you know, things didn't go our way. Got to give a lot of credit to Iowa State for not giving up. They hung in there, hung in there, hung in there. I think they played from behind the entire game. So it's tough for our kids. I know you're going to see a lot of Yari Escalera, Kara Richards, Jackie McFarland, Nedovic. Our sophomores are good. I doubt this is the last time we'll come in as the No. 12 seed.

VERONICA JOHNS-RICHARDSON: Yes, we did. I felt like we got back on defense. One of the game plans was to get Yari and I back. She's back, she's taking charges on back, trying to look for the steal, getting in the passing lane. And we did that. We forced them to run their offense. I mean, that was a whole 'nother subject. We did a really good job of taking away those threes in transition. Anna, Sarah, Jasmina really got out on the wings, denying hard. That was a big part of it, too.

VERONICA JOHNS-RICHARDSON: There's no doubt about that. I mean, like Coach Barry said, we have to credit Iowa State for not giving up. But they got 8-8 with one tonight. We were making our shots, except for me of course. But as a team, we were making our shots. We were hitting the open player. We are ran the triangle -- last couple games, we've been running the triangle so well. Today we did. We exploited their zone. They had to come out of it and play man because they couldn't keep up with us. So, yeah, definitely they were on their heels.

VERONICA JOHNS-RICHARDSON: Well, this is it for me, you know. I don't know. I mean, this is the same way -- this was similar to our game last week against Nebraska. Came down to it, free-throws and a layup, a defensive stop. We got it. Like Coach Barry said, this team's not going to be 12th any more. But I won't be a part of that. I think the one thing I need to do is look at the positives, especially from what I've done individually. I've hit some big shots like when we played Notre Dame last year. Came out strong my sophomore year against OU at home. I mean, it's going to be hard to think about this individual game. But I just have to look at the big picture. The big picture looks great.

VERONICA JOHNS-RICHARDSON: This many steals?

VERONICA JOHNS-RICHARDSON: I don't know. I've been pretty consistent all year with my steals. I couldn't tell you if I've had more than five in a game. But, I mean, overall, this whole season I averaged either two or three each game where I get one of those break-away layups or something.

VERONICA JOHNS-RICHARDSON: The one thing, Iowa State, they run their plays. Like they have play calls like a baseball team. Thumb up stack, pat face test, whatever. We have the scout. We knew the scout. I knew where the ball was going. I mean, I gambled. Anne O'Neil is a great player. If I come over and try to help Yari on penetration, Medders kicks the ball to Anne O'Neil for a three. You know, I have to be smart and play our defensive concepts. But give credit to Coach Haave. She gave us a great scout. We knew this team inside and out.

VERONICA JOHNS-RICHARDSON: Well, the thing is that it never comes down to one possession. It doesn't come down to a layup. I mean, I missed a free-throw in the last minute. It's about every single minute, you know. Coach Barry gave us a game plan. We did the game plan. Coach Barry told us the defense. We did the defense. This whole season, I mean, we've been not fighting but just trying to figure out our own way. And today we did it with the Colorado way. It came down to it. Like I said, they got away with one. Lyndsey Medders hit two big shots in the way and it just didn't fall for us. Anna, she knows. She's just a sophomore. She's got a lot of pressure on her. She got 12 point and 10 rebounds. She finishes this year with a double-double. That's amazing.

COACH BARRY: No. I mean, I think I learned a long time ago, you don't want to even try to predict or guess. I think that's what makes coaching so exciting, is you can't even script any second of a basketball game. I think to do so, you would probably get ahead of yourself. They really determined the outcome of the game. That was kind of nice to have your heart racing, asking your assistants about 20 times per minute how many timeouts do I have left, and they just told me five seconds ago. But as far as how I feel about them, this is the team that beat us by probably 30 or so in Iowa, had their way with us in Boulder. You know, coaching a team is a progression, you know, it's a process. Despite the fact we missed the shot, I have to be proud of a team that understands its limitations. So despite the fact it ended that way the last six, seven seconds, you know, I think it's the coach's responsibility to look at the bigger picture and see, where were we in the beginning and where are we now, and have we done or job. I'm proud of those kids. They came a long way.

COACH BARRY: You know, just a small bit walking off the court. But probably not until it's October 15th. You know, everybody's getting their new gear, got creases in it. Everybody's pulling out their new stuff, starting to talk about basketball I think on the first practice. Definitely first game. I'm a coach that's staying at the school, where she left. I don't know why, I'm a glutton for punishment as far as that's concerned because I love those kids.

COACH BARRY: Oh, I'm sure I'm going to have a lot of second thoughts. You know, when Yari goes off and has a double-double next year with points and assists, or Kara has a great game, I'm going to go, "Man, I should have stuck around." I think every former coach in America has sent me an email or phone call. "You're going to miss it. You're going to miss it." I knew that before I decided. There are certainly things I'm going to miss. I don't think they'll ever be replaced. But, you know, you make decisions for a variety of reasons. Miss it that much. There's a lot of other jobs you can go back, send all the presents back (laughter).

COACH BARRY: No. I don't want to cry. I was kind of concerned about how the team was really. That's good for a coach, I think, to stay busy. "How is Anna feeling? How is the team?" Your job's not done when the buzzer goes off. You've got to mop up afterwards and make sure everybody's okay. So I think as long as I stay busy, what time the plane is leaving, what time to be on the bus, clean up your bills, do all those things. It just gives you something to do. I'll probably be sitting home alone someday and have a breakdown.

COACH BARRY: The one I'm most proud of is that they understood how to win. I mean, they understood what it was going to take against a top-ranked team to win. You have to play to your strengths, cover up your weaknesses. This team, as most 19-year-olds have been hardheaded at times, they want to play their way, the way that worked for them five years ago. Understand, trust me, I've been in this league for a while, this is the way you need to play. I think they bought in. I thought they really bought in to play the way we needed to play against a very good Iowa State team, an Iowa State team that I think, given their draw, where they go, is going to do very well in the NCAA tournament.

COACH BARRY: Well, no. I'd take any of those wins over the loss. But I think, you know, if I was coaching this team next season, I'd feel pretty good about that game because you want them to adhere to a system of play, and they adhered to a system of play. They'll be able to adhere to someone else's system of play. It's about discipline, accountability, all those things you try to teach. Despite the score board, I can honestly say - I'm going to say this - I walked off the court for the last time and felt good about their understanding of what they need to do, about their discipline, about their teamwork, about all the things that I'm hired to do, that I can see they demonstrated that today.

COACH BARRY: Thank you.