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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 10, 2009

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by BYU student-athletes Mindy Nielson and Shawnee Slade. Coach Jeff Judkins, if you could start with some general remarks about the game from you.
COACH JUDKINS: I want to give Vegas a lot of credit. I thought they played a really nice game. Especially they came out early and were very aggressive attacking the basket. They made quite a few first shots early in the game.
We kind of got ourselves in the hole a little bit. But I'm proud of my team coming back. Not just once, but several times throughout this game we got down pretty far the first half. Cut Utah down to five going into the halftime. Made another run the second half. We came back and had a chance to really win this game, being down as far as we were.
But it's kind of been this way the whole season for us, at least the last month. We've done a great job of fighting back and showing a lot of character. Just can't seem to get over the hump a little bit.
But I'm proud of these guys. I'm proud of their effort. It's hard when things don't always go right for you to keep pushing. I thought they showed a lot of toughness and dedication to this team. Just too bad it just didn't work for us.
THE MODERATOR: At this time we'll open it up for questions for the student-athletes.

Q. You cut it to three and Jamie Smith hit a three the other end. Did you feel that was pretty much the game right there?
SHAWNEE SLADE: I think that definitely was a big factor in that last minute there. Kind of knocked the wind out of us. It was a great shot by her. But, yeah, definitely.

Q. You were having strong defensive play on India Chaney. About two seconds left on the shot clock, she threw a prayer from the top of the key. Was that kind of one of those plays you were like, Well, this is how the game is going to be?
MINDY NIELSON: I don't think that was the case at all. It was a shot she took and it went in. I don't think -- we didn't think that was it for us at all.
But it was something we needed to come back from, whether winning or not. It was just unfortunate that the ball bounced their way tonight. So we just got to come back from that.

Q. Shawnee, you guys were able to come back from 16 points down. What did you do to get back in the game and have a chance to win?
SHAWNEE SLADE: I think it was just being aggressive on both ends. I think we definitely needed to have a couple more hustle plays than they did. We fell short.
But I think it was just that we had to play with a little more heart. Fought hard, but just fell short.
THE MODERATOR: At this time we'll dismiss the student-athletes. Thank you, ladies. We'll open it up for questions for Coach Judkins.

Q. Coach, obviously you swept UNLV earlier in the season. How tough is it to beat a team three times and get your team prepared to play a school they've played three times?
COACH JUDKINS: I think it's very difficult. I think you saw it in the game before ours. Colorado State beat Wyoming, and they beat them twice.
You know, playing Vegas here, it's not as big a home-court advantage, because they don't play in this arena. But it's still travel. Like we had to play Air Force, travel here, where they didn't have to. Made it a little bit easier. Seemed to have a lot more energy than us.
I don't know if that was -- they came out with that. But it's hard to do it. But, you know, this team, I think, could take that challenge. In the past I've had many teams that we've beat teams three times. They also lost a key player today on their team. That was to our advantage.
But I thought Vegas played -- the three games we played, this was the best game they played against us, I thought.

Q. How was it difficult to block Jamie Smith out? She seemed to find the area. Was it because you were in zone or what was the issue?
COACH JUDKINS: That was part of it. We had to go zone with us being in foul trouble with Foreman. I really don't have a player that can handle the ball and run the ball as well as Jaz. When she got in fouls, I cut my defensive philosophy of playing man-to-man. I had to go zone, hoping we could keep her in the game as long as possible. They also were hurting us on penetration. We felt maybe we could do a better job of hitting the outside shot. By doing that, you give Jamie Smith an opportunity to rebound. She has a great knack. There's no question in my mind she's the best offensive rebounder in our league, period. She just has a good feel. There's players like that. Some players just know where the ball's coming off. She seems to do that very well.
I wish she was a senior. It's going to be tough (smiling). She did a great job. She hit some big baskets for them tonight. That three-pointer, as you mentioned earlier, was a big basket. Three seconds on the shot clock, and she hits it. She got numbers of rebounds with them missing and then her getting second and third opportunities.
You don't realize how much that helps a team when you're struggling to score.
I would like to man them. That puts a little more responsibility on the person that's guarding her. But tonight we just couldn't do it. Hopefully next year we'll have our opportunity. I'm sure I'll remind my players of boxing her out, not letting her get offensive rebounds. I told them that was the key to the game, before the game, was to not let her get eight or nine rebounds. She did it. We have to do a lot better job next time.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, coach.
COACH JUDKINS: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 10, 2009

Jeff Judkins

Mindy Nielson

Shawnsee Slade