MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 9, 2005

Lauren Henderson

Ardie McInelly

Jacki Novak

COACH MCINELLY: Well, we asked one thing of our players tonight, and that was to come out and play their hardest, give it 110 percent effort, and I think our players did that. We struggled in the first half offensively. We didn't shoot very well, but our players hung in there, and they just continued to work on defense. The second half, I think that we came out, and if we look at the amount of points scored in the second half, they still outscored us 24-30, but we did much better offensively, and defensively we held them to shooting 39 percent and I take a lot of pride in that because I think University of Utah is an extremely good player. When you have co-players on your team as Shona Thorburn and Kim Smith, they've got a lot of things to work with, and Elaine Elliott has certainly done a nice job. I will say this, that I admire Elaine Elliott. She and I graduated from the same institution, that was Boise State. She was leaving Boise State as I was entering so I never did get to play with her, but she was always someone that I looked up to, and I think she's certainly done a wonderful job. She's helped me become a better coach. I just know that our players played against a pretty good team today, and when we competed. I'm extremely proud of them. I wish it wouldn't end right now, but we've got a lot of youth on our team. We only lose one junior, and most of the people that played on our team were all freshmen and sophomores, as I have sitting here. Lauren Henderson is a freshman and Jacki Novak is a sophomore. There's some good things to come from the Air Force Academy and I'm looking forward to next year already.

LAUREN HENDERSON: Well, when we were transitioning back on defense, sometimes we got confused where all the players were, and they ended up having a lot of uncontested threes. That's something we've been trying to work on this season, and we're definitely going to get better for next season.

JACKI NOVAK: Same, I agree. I guess we were getting back on defense and we were picking out people. It seemed like a lot of times we were missing a couple -- offensive rebound on us and we'd kick it out with an uncontested shot. It seemed like all their shots they made were actually uncontested.

JACKI NOVAK: I think the difference between tonight's game and the difference, we worked so hard . I haven't seen our team come out that hard all season long. We played hard, but everyone was giving it their all, and that made a huge difference, and watch out next time. It's going to be even a better game.

LAUREN HENDERSON: Oh, definitely. You know, we're really young, and we have a lot of dedicated people who are going to get out in the post-season and off-season and just lift weights, get stronger to where we can push at those big teams like that. We're all going to work really hard so where we can compete with those girls.

COACH MCINELLY: Well, I think that a couple of the players from the University of Utah, both Deanne Hanchett and Jessica Perry, every time Alecia Steele got the ball, they troubled on her. She just didn't get the shots and the open looks that she normally gets. I credit that to Elaine Elliott and her scouting and stopping one of our high point scorers. I think that's something that we have to continue to work on. We need to expand Alecia's repertoire as far as her post moves and being able to extend her shot selection, as well. It was due to their defense as well as us not being able to -- with Alecia. I think with Letricia Castillo, I think she pressed a little bit. She took some shots where she really wasn't open, tried to force the issue. Those two went out and played their hearts out, and I can't fault them. We just need to work on a lot of things during the off-season, especially our shooting. We'd like to be able to shoot as well as Utah and New Mexico.

COACH MCINELLY: Well, I do. I think my staff has done an exceptional job in recruiting, and you can tell by the youth on our team that we're getting more athletic, and now we just have to improve on our skills. I think it's all due to our recruiting and the people who have been here and the support of our administration to allow us to go out and go all over at least the Midwest and the West to try to find players. I think that we've seen a lot of improvement this year. I wish we could have won a little bit more games. We lost two overtime games earlier. We had some close games here during our season, the conference season, but we're heading in the right direction. As a coaching staff and as players and as administration, we know that we're just going to -- we have to stay positive. We have to look forward to the future and we have to continue to try to just continue bringing in young athletes and young ladies that can help with our program, and that's what we're doing.

COACH MCINELLY: Oh, I do. I mean, they've already made a name for themselves. They're only juniors, and they're Co-Players of the Year. They've had a lot of experience, not only at University of Utah but playing for the Canadian National Team, and that bodes well for the University of Utah, bodes well for them as when they graduate they will go on and play in the WNBA. It's nice to have players like that in our conference, and I know that other teams, we look at who made the All-Conference Team. I'm sure it was close in many areas. I mean, Ashley Elliott, she's a great player for University of Wyoming. I think that Lindsey Arndt, Mandi Moore, Dionne Marsh, there are good players on all of the teams, and Elaine happens to have two of the best, and I do think that should they go to the NCAA, think that -- you say, well, should, I hope that two of our teams get to go to the NCAA and I hope it would be University of Utah and New Mexico. I hope they both get bids to go because they're certainly both deserving.