NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR

March 26, 1999

Ukari Figgs

Carolyn Peck

Stephanie White

COACH CAROLYN PECK: Well, Louisiana Tech is a tremendous team. They have different weapons in the perimeter and post inside. We knew it was going to be a huge defensive challenge for us. I tell you, my team -- this time I was right because I told them we have to win the rebounding war to win the game. And I see that we did, by two. Because it had -- up to this point we had been rebounding, but we had managed to win. And I think that's because of these two young ladies up here. I cannot say enough about the phenomenal players they are, not just as individuals, they are great individuals, but they are great team players. Team players. And they kept the whole team involved. And I think that's a sign of tremendous -- that's captains. That's the epitome of being captains. And they have done a great job for us all year long.

COACH CAROLYN PECK: Our scoring report, we knew tendencies of different players. And each of our individual players knew their responsibilities; whether it be to help in, or if the player was a penetrator or a three-point shooter. I have to credit the team. They paid attention to detail. That's exactly what they did, is they paid attention to detail.

STEPHANIE WHITE-McCARTY: I think so. Total team players: Tiffany Young, Candace Crawford came off the bench, gave us great sparks. Everybody played their role today. Team defense and just playing well together. I think they never stopped. We never take anything for granted and we just play together.

COACH CAROLYN PECK: Tiffany is a tremendous defensive players, and as quick as they are on the perimeter. Then Amanda Wilson is quick on the inside, just to give a different look. And Tiffany came out and did a great job defensively for us. And then when the shot was there, she took it and knocked down some key jumpers for us. The key thing about Tiffany is there are times when Tiffany doesn't get into a ballgame, but she's willing to accept her role and do whatever the team needs her to do.

UKARI FIGGS: I think that's the great thing about this team, we always keep our composure. We never really get too high or too low, I think. They made a run at us, and we knew that we had to be more aggressive and do what we had been doing for the earlier part of the game. And we knew something was going to happen big, and we didn't really get -- we aren't really rattled or worried about it.

COACH CAROLYN PECK: I think she gave us a lot of energy. Both of them, when they need to be a spark for the team, they do so. And that's Ukari did today. She's a spark for us. I put her on Tamicha Jackson to start the game, and that takes a lot of energy itself. Ukari, the first year she came to Purdue, Nel called her the Ironman, because she could go the distance. She plays as hard on defense as she does, and she still has the energy to be the spark offensively that she was today.

UKARI FIGGS: Not really. I think that Tamicha Jackson has such quick hands and she's such a great defensive player, I knew when she got the ball I kind of took my eye off the ball and tried to tell Katie what play we were running. I knew she was so quick and had to be aggressive and not try to attack her and let up and give her a chance to do it again.

COACH CAROLYN PECK: Well, yeah. We were -- I don't say worried. We were aware of the abilities of all the individuals on the team; that Monica Maxwell could come out and be a spark and knock down 3s, as Betty Lennox can as Christie Sides can. Amanda Wilson stepped out and hit a three. All weapons and very dangerous weapons. We could never say you don't have to guard this player or that player. You have to be aware of the total Tech team.

UKARI FIGGS: I think it was a pretty physical game. But I think we play in a very physical conference. And that gets us ready for these kind of games. But it was definitely a physical game out there.

COACH CAROLYN PECK: I can't take credit for that. I think it's -- and that's something from watching Louisiana Tech and something they have done to different teams all year long. They have been ferocious on the boards. And we point that fact out to their team. And it's not a matter of boxing out. It's one, two. And they tried their best to keep the opposing team off the boards.

STEPHANIE WHITE-McCARTY: We are just going to approach it like any other game. We are not playing Duke. We are not playing just against those two players. We are playing the whole team. They have done a great job of playing together. And their team is a very good team. And we just have to be prepared to go against them.

UKARI FIGGS: I don't think we're really out to show anybody anything. We've believed all year that we were one of the best teams in the country. I think if you sit around and tell other people tell you what you are, we would not have gotten this far. And we just have strong minds. And we know that everybody has got an opinion, but we just go out there and play basketball.

UKARI FIGGS: It feels good. It felt really good. I don't know, yesterday in practice I was not shooting the ball very well. But today in shooting around, I tried to, you know, just slow down and get a release. And I think I came out and I just -- I was feeling good shooting the ball, and I just kept shooting it because -- I don't know, I just did. It worked.

STEPHANIE WHITE-McCARTY: I think it's frustrating missing those kind of shots. But on the other hand, we were playing great ball together. That's why we have teammates. Candace did a great job in the first half and Tif gave us a spark in the second half. We just played great together as a team, and hopefully I got them all out.