NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR

March 25, 1999

Leon Barmore

Monica Maxwell

Amanda Wilson

COACH LEON BARMORE: Listen, for me, personally, I've been asked this a couple times, you know. We have been to several Final Fours through the years, and does it get old and so forth? Absolutely not. We're just excited. I'm excited for our players. We've got six new ones. Louisiana Tech ended at end of last season really not playing the game we thought we could have played. But, of course, Tennessee was so good. So to come back and have the year we've had and have another shot at something, that's what life is. You get knocked down, you get up and you try again. This team has had a tremendous year. It was the 25th year of our program. We just call it a season to remember in our notebooks that we gave our players at the start of the year. And it certainly has been that. These two players I have with me are two of the main reasons, Monica and Amanda. And I'm sure you can ask them questions later. We have been treated, from the moment we got here, extremely well. San Jose is to be commended. The people that met us, the way things are going, you want this tournament and you got it. And you're really doing a nice job with it. Trust me, Louisiana Tech is very, very pleased to be a part of this Final Four.

AMANDA WILSON: Well, basically, when we played Purdue back in December, it was earlier in the year. And there was a couple of things we did wrong. And we're just trying not to dwell on them and go on and just follow down and look at ourselves and say we did this wrong. We're coming into the basketball game focused and we're ready to play. And we're at a different point than we were in December. It's crunch time now. And in December it was the beginning, and, like I say, we're just trying to develop ourselves as a team. And I think we're at that point now where I think now we're ready to win the national championship. And, as I say, we're focused and ready to play Purdue.

MONICA MAXWELL: I think back in December our team was still trying to find the chemistry. And now we're a better team. Everybody knows our roles. Our roles are clearly defined now. I know what to expect out of Amanda, per se. And the bench knows. And we know our rolls as starters and I think our rolls are clearly defined and I think our team chemistry is a lot better.

AMANDA WILSON: Well, basically, I think that in the finals of last year we were just basically just so excited to be in the Final Four. I know I were, because it was my first time and I think it wasn't a situation to where we wouldn't focus in the game. It was just a situation where they were having a good game and we weren't, and we was trying to find some points and trying to find ourselves a team. And we were basically trying not to just give up, which we never do. We were just playing the game as hard as we can and the final buzzer went off we looked up and saw that the game is over. So I basically think that like I say I was excited to be here and I think I kind of let the excitement get too much into me, so I really wasn't as focused as I should have been; so, I kind of blame myself in -- I think I let my team down a little bit but I'm back now and I'm a better player; so, I'm ready to play.

COACH LEON BARMORE: Stephanie White is a player that from high school and through her four years I have certainly admired. Playing pointguard myself in high school, I can kind of relate. I can't relate to Wilt Chamberlin or Kareem Abdul-Jabar. I respect what she brings to the table. I respect what she does for her team. I represent that she took a team of less talent than, say, a Tennessee; and not trying to demean any of their players because they are all good. But she has them knocking on the door of a national championship, and I think it's due to her ability to run a ball club and her ability to think on the court. Her ability to make the right decisions. Her ability to keep her composure when things are hectic because they have won so many games this year that could have gone, you know, either way. Minnesota by two -- you can look it up. But I guess I saw a lot of her in me and me in her from that -- from that type position and favoritism doesn't get her my vote. What got her my vote was the reality that she got the job done, period.

COACH LEON BARMORE: Well, it may be a couple things that you would know from being here before. But when it gets down to it, I don't know if I've been to a Final Four that has four teams -- who knows who is going to win. Purdue is ranked No. 1. They are the favorite going in. They should be. They beat Tennessee. But when you have four basketball teams, and I don't think there's that much difference (indicating an inch)-- and I told our team this -- I don't think there's that much difference, if there's that much difference between the four. Duke is so high right now they could probably take on the NBA and beat them. And they should be. They should be. Georgia is a great basketball team. And Andy Landers has been here several times; so have we, and Purdue. So I think that whether you've been here before or haven't been here before really will not be the deciding factor in this tournament.

MONICA MAXWELL: To say the least, the loss in December was very bitter for this team. Even though our team wasn't gelling like it is now, we wanted to beat Purdue in December. The revenge factor -- maybe it will be an advantage. But you know that's not how we're going to approach the game. We're not playing Purdue for revenge. We're here at the final hour and Purdue just happens to be our opponent and that's how we're going to approach the game.

COACH LEON BARMORE: I'm sure if you look back in some of the history of our game, there was teams before that won it that may not have been the best team. I remember in 1990 -- I believe it was 90-91 when we had the Final Four in Knoxville and Virginia beat them and if they had got to Knoxville they probably would have won. But to answer your question about the game I think it's progressed to the point where you are going to continually see this being a very high -- let me start over and put it like this. As I watch the playoffs on TV even starting with the subregion, I observed a couple things very closely. No. 1, I observed some of the best coaching that I've seen in this game. All of them are beginning to really understand, and I'm not trying to knock anybody in the past. My point is though, you'd better stay up with this game if you're a coach or you're going to get left behind. I saw some great coaching in the playoffs this year. Xavier against Connecticut, a team that -- really had them beaten; turnover here, turnover there. Second thing is this: Girls on all these teams, they are tying their shoes on real tight and saying: I can whip you, and they believe that. That's good for the game. That's good for the fans. That's not as much intimidation going on any more. Our uniform is not going to walk out there and beat anybody. Tennessee's uniform is not going to continue to go out there and beat everybody. I see better coaching. I see better players. I see better competition and the spirit of the game raising are going to the level like we've never had, and I tell you we have not peeked -- my we've told me to watch that word ain't. And ya'll know where I'm from. I can try to work on that word ain't. This game is getting really, really good. I wish I was younger.

COACH LEON BARMORE: You just said it. I don't think I've ever seen a basketball men or women play that has -- that shoots more free throws than Purdue. They dribble around until you foul them. If you don't foul them they will dribble it around some more. They get to the foul line as well as any team that I've seen play. When we beat them -- it will be two years ago to get the Final Four ourselves -- I'm sorry last year to get the Final Four that was one of the objective was to not put them on the line because the game prior to that against Notre Dame they had like made 36 or 37 -- made. So we're going to have to really play good defense and just try to keep them from just having a parade to the foul line.

COACH LEON BARMORE: Well or bench this year as you compared in the last year, we had no bench. We had five people that just simply wore out and I felt for them a good bit last year this that game because we only had two show up and we don't give up last year. We don't give up. But this year we have a bench. They are led by Betty Lennox, who is just an awesome offensive player. She had 17 points the other night in 11 minutes in the first half against LSU. She is also a very good offensive rebounder and on and on. So if Amanda gets in foul trouble, I've got confidence -- I really do have confidence in our entire team, and it's not been that way in years past. So to answer your question about our bench, it's been huge for us this year and I'm sure if we continue to be successful that we'll remain huge.

COACH LEON BARMORE: I think as you look at their team, very few teams and you see this in the men's game right now I noticed the other day someone mentioned Ohio State might be a little sleeper in this men's thing because he have this ability -- all the member have guard play, especially Ohio State. They have three players Katie Douglas, who really hurt us before. We new Figgs, and but I'm telling you Katie Douglas has been the players that's surfaced for them, has made them big-time basketball. All three have the ability to put it on the floor. They have the ability to use screens. They have the ability to put a body on you on the drive and draw the foul. So it's just their ability that makes you, and, they are such one-on-one players. They are great one-on-one players is another way to say it. So it's just what they possess with their talents and they run stuff to utilize that. I think Carolyn Peck -- I wish I wasn't playing Purdue in a lot of ways simply because you have such respect for Carolyn and Pam Stackhouse who coached with me as Louisiana Tech great coach. Nel, who came from our program when Purdue was going down and lifted it back up. So I've got such an attachment for them I wish I wasn't playing them, but I am. Believe me, I'm not going to give them any 2-0 lead or nothing. They are going to have to earn it. I'm sure they will, and so will we.

MONICA MAXWELL: I did grow up close to Purdue and I have a lot of friends on that team. But I told somebody this earlier: I'm not hear here to rekindle any friendships. We're here for basketball and I'm sure they feel the same way. They want to win just as bad as I do. The game in December, it was -- it was good to get back close to home and to play them, but we don't win so that ruined the whole trip and I wouldn't -- I enjoy it going home but like I said I was there to win and we didn't a win so that ruined the whole ordeal.

COACH LEON BARMORE: You're in New York? Teresa Whitherspoon and Vicki Johnson are two players that played at Liberty and that are my all-time favorites and I just love them. The first game they played was against the L.A. Sparks in the Forum and I'm sitting home in Ruston, Louisiana watching that and it just -- you couldn't imagine how it felt to though two of my players were playing in the Forum where Magic Johnson plays. They go back to the Madison Square Garden to play with the history of that franchise. So it's very exciting to know and to see and Carolyn Peck will do really well in Orlando. And to answer your question, that's why I was referring to the fact that anyone that's in here that's gotten older we don't run as fast jump as high. You know, I wish I could role back the clock can be 30 again so I could coach 25 more years because the next 10, 15, 20 years it will be unbelievable what you're going to see with women's basketball. Unbelievable. That's where I was coming from.

COACH LEON BARMORE: Was the world lull? The early 90s when we got beat in the first two rounds?

COACH LEON BARMORE: Okay. I've been asked many times, you know, I've been here 22 of the 25 years and, I'm not trying to toot my horn, and it is a remarkable story that our program had. I've been asked before: Coach, did you ever think you were going to lose and win? Well, probably the closest came in the early 90s we were just not very good. Didn't make the play; we had to win the conference tournament one year on our last -- second shot. And the whole deal is you've got to recruit. You've got to have players. These guys can play and then you've got to have a fan base support, you know, that we have, so forth. But then in fact Nel came as a coach with me in those early 90s and we hit rock bottom a little bit, for our standards. Got beat in the first two rounds was we just mentioned and then this senior class Amanda, Monica and LaQuan Stallworth and Priya Gilmore, we recruit that had class and then started climbing back, actually a little bit before then. The '94 year we had a good run. But it's about players. It's about history. We had a banquet this year where we brought back probably 80 percent of our players and I think it really turned these kids around a little bit because they said and heard Angela Turner and some of our previous all Americans get up and talk about the program. And they said the night before we played Connecticut and I saw a real change the next day because it takes -- it's like anything else, you have to nourish and teach and explain it to them. Tamicha Jackson was commenting in the -- coach told me I was terrible when I came to Tech. I don't know if I was or not. Yes, she's still not great, but she's much better; and the thing about it, she could be outstanding and will be. She has another year. So anyway to answer your question, these players that I had from that moment that we stumbled a little bit but according to a lot of people they would be glad to be in the playoffs. But anyway, it's about players.

COACH LEON BARMORE: That's one of those questions I could talk for hours. I'll try to be real quick. I have had two presidents in the 25 years. The first present, started the program. The second president, Dan Reneau who has with us and has been with us in LA. He's been with us on this whole trip, he and his wife, you've got to have a president that's for you. You'd better have an AD that's for you. And then you've got to have a staff that helps you recruit. I've had Kim Robertson with me for like 17 years. I mentioned Nel Fortner. I could go on. Gary Blair was at Louisiana Tech who is now the head coach at Arkansas. The people around you, they had better be good. And if they are not good, I don't keep them around. But it's about people. It's players. And it's about support and we have that. I will say this: As we talk about small towns and so forth, there's a lot of values in those places. I talk to a Wisconsin radio station today for about ten minutes -- it was Christian. They just called me out of the blue. It was a Christian network and I was telling them that I feel safe and good. It's made up of churches and parking meters and we have those two things more than anyone else. But what would you rather have? Too many churches or too many bars? Now you decide and I tell you what, I'll take what we have.

MONICA MAXWELL: Makes you become more focused you don't want to go to the hand fake. You don't want to go for early foul trouble and let your team down because you're on the bench. Their ability to drive and draw the foul, they are very patient and they are very smart and they force to you play smart basketball or they are going to put you on the bench.

AMANDA WILSON: Just like Monica, said I think Purdue is a very smart team and you just have to -- it will make us be more focused and to back off a little bit on defense and I think that just like Max said, I've never played against those gays that can get to the floor more than anybody I've played against; and it's just a point where you have to focus yourself to be a basketball player, just like they are playing their basketball game.

COACH LEON BARMORE: I think you've got to have Purdue the favorite. Their accomplishments in what they have done and being ranked No. 1, and having the kind of year they have had, I don't think any question that they should be. But like I mentioned before, I really believe that's four teams who can win this. I think we can win it as well as anyone. I think Duke can. I think Georgia can. I think it's certainly one of the most interesting match-ups we've had and we'll keep you wondering until it's over.

COACH LEON BARMORE: Well, I will never take another college job. I would -- I am intrigued with the WNBA. I had one opportunity. I may never -- you know, I'm not going into that. But the window was there for a moment two years ago. It may never come that way again. But that is the only other place I would look other than where I am.

COACH LEON BARMORE: I don't spend one second thinking about those things. This game men, women or who coaches or what is so good right now. And we have come so far with this game that to let a little thing screw it up like that. And worrying about petty things would be a big mistake and I don't think most of us at the top, with the big picture is concerned about that. Yes, I look at brackets on TV and everything like that: Where am I going? Am I playing in Cincinnati or in the West region? We all get concerned, but for me to worry about a man doing this or a woman doing that -- I'm happily married -- the most important thing is after that tournament, April 10 my daughter gets married. I've talked to her every day. That's the most important thing to me is going to my daughter's wedding and I'm not worried about -- if I understood your question correctly about man, woman -- did I understand her question?

DEBBIE BYRNE: I think you did.

COACH LEON BARMORE: I think in the early years when I started there was two teams that played defense: It was the University of Tennessee and it was Louisiana Tech. I didn't see anybody else in the game guarding anything. So when I went to Tech and analyzed what was out there with Ms. Hogg. I said Ms. Hogg, if we guard people, we'll win. If we're strong on the boards, we'll win. So now everybody -- like I mentioned a minute ago, everybody is competing. Everybody is getting good now. I'm not out coaching anybody. I don't think anybody is going to out coach me. I think when you get into a situation where you have a program and you're going to last as long as we have, you'd better have discipline to add to that. You'd better have some guidelines you'd better have some principles that you'd better believe in. I mentioned a minute ago -- the first thing in our notebook is: Christ doesn't have an uniform on your team. You have to have the values. You have to have the discipline and then you recruit players that will work for you. And you have to work. You have to work. And now I just have been blessed with that. It's a lot of things around you and a quick answer, that's where I've come from through my life.