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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 9, 2007

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

THE MODERATOR: University of Utah head coach Elaine Elliott, student-athletes Kalee Whipple, and Morgan Warburton.
Coach Elliott, if you want to just provide some opening comments on the game.
COACH ELLIOTT: Well, I was really proud of our team. You know, we just don't ever want to be associated with an effort that would include quitting or somehow, you know, not giving your best shot. I am really proud to say I don't have to worry about that.
They come back strong. They listen. They try. They really have improved and have a long bright futures, I think, as well. Just real proud of the season. Real proud of the effort.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Morgan, you played behind Shauna and Kim Smith last year. At what point this year did you realize this was your team and you would have to shoulder the burden of scoring?
MORGAN WARBURTON: It was actually after our last game with Maryland. I was thinking about that year, but I was also thinking about what I needed to do for my career as well. I knew I was going to step into that position. So far I think I've done a pretty good job. I've got two more years to prove myself.

Q. You sort of have had a pattern this year of falling behind early. Why do you think that happened again today? Is it just bad shooting?
MORGAN WARBURTON: I think it's just, you know, we're young. Things happen that way. We've got a lot of growth.
At the same time this last part of our season, we've learned a lot about ourselves. We're still looking forward to hopefully playing a few more games this season.
It just comes with the youth of our team, including myself. We have things to work on.
KALEE WHIPPLE: Yeah, I think Morgan talked a lot about it, it's kind of mental for us just coming out. We're getting better at it. As she said, we're just a young team. We're trying to learn things each game, trying to learn new things.

Q. Morgan, can you talk about their defense. Seemed like they shut you down and kept you from getting the ball, getting some looks out there tonight.
MORGAN WARBURTON: Yeah, I mean, it's frustrating at times. At the same time I knew it was going to happen. I just tried my best to get my other teammates open. I knew they were going to probably double-team sometimes.
I had to work the ball around. I don't mind doing that either because I have confidence in my team.
THE MODERATOR: Guys, you can take off.
Questions for Coach Elliott.

Q. Seemed like a game where there was a lot of ebb and flow. What did you tell your team to try to help maintain the effort, especially in the second half when you caught up?
COACH ELLIOTT: Well, we talked about that that would be the reality of the game before the game started. The biggest key would be whether or not we handled that properly, both ways. When you're getting up, things are going, you don't think that it's done.
And when things are a struggle for you, you find yourself in that situation, you don't succumb to that mentally or emotionally.
We try to prepare them for the fact we believed the game would be that way because most competitions are that way, and it's your response to those situations that are key.

Q. You talked about Kalee Whipple at the beginning of the year, thought she would be able to contribute as a freshman. How impressed were you with how she played this season, leading the league in scoring and rebounding for a freshman?
COACH ELLIOTT: Yeah, she was no surprise to us. I think she's proven herself. I think she's made a name for herself. This league knows that, you know, she's a rising star. She's a fine, fine player. Got a lot of good experience this year. I think that will help.
We'll try to do the best we can to bring her along as coaches, be sure we're coaching her well and properly. She's a great one to have.

Q. You took that five-point lead and then went eight possessions without scoring. What happened during that stretch, from your standpoint?
COACH ELLIOTT: We didn't score.

Q. In the past you've turned down WNIT bids. Would that be the case if you get one this year?
COACH ELLIOTT: No, this is a good team; this is a good match. My decisions on those have always been unique to what I think a team, you know, where they are emotionally. Our decisions in the past have been they weren't a good match for where we were, the expectations that we have.
This year it's a great match. We simply are extremely young. It would be the next step for this team. There's no disappointment as far as somehow not reaching our goals, we're not reaching our expectations not to be in the NCAA tournament. It's a great match for this team, the youth of this team. We would love to have that opportunity.

Q. You talked about this season as being a learning process, almost sort of like a class. As far as progress, what grade would you give your team for this season?
COACH ELLIOTT: They won 18 games. In the semifinals of the championships, we're playing for a conference championship the last week of the season. You know, I give these kids an A.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, coach.
COACH ELLIOTT: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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