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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 13, 2009

Jene Morris

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

San Diego State Â– 71
UNLV - 63

THE MODERATOR: We're ready to begin with San Diego State. Student-athletes today, JenÃ© Morris, Paris Johnson. Coach Beth Burns. Coach, if we can start with some general comments from you about the game.
COACH BURNS: First, congratulations and tip of the cap to UNLV and Coach Olivier and all that -- the excitement that she's been able to generate in her short tenure.
As I just said in another media setting, you know, it wasn't very long ago that we still have a little Cinderella box back in our closets as well. We certainly understand where they are.
I think she's done a fabulous job with her team. They gave us everything and then some here last weekend - and the same today.
With that said, I couldn't be prouder of our team. I think sometimes people think when you have a season where you've had a lot success - we're co-champions - we've reached heights we've never reached before, that it's all easy. It's not easy.
Every game is similar to this. We've got to work like crazy to be successful. But at the end of the day, 23 times now we find a way to win. I'm really proud of our effort.
They made run after run. I thought we kept our composure and couldn't be more excited than an opportunity to play the Utes tomorrow afternoon.
THE MODERATOR: At this time, we'll open up for questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Paris, did you start to see a little bit of yourself in them, in the way you were last year, coming into this tournament? Teams get on a roll, and all of a sudden they get pretty dangerous.
PARIS JOHNSON: UNLV has beaten some key teams, and that gives them momentum. Just like last year we came in and beat Wyoming and beat TCU and ended up in the championship with New Mexico. It builds your confidence and gives you momentum. They came in as strong as we did, so they're a great team. And we tip our hats to them too.

Q. JenÃ©, talk a little bit of the final minutes in that game. You were up 16, I think, with about 7:30 to go. All of a sudden the lead is to four. What's the feeling on your guys' part at that time? Was there any urgency? Any panic at all?
JENÃ‰ MORRIS: I think we expected it from UNLV. We've seen time and time again, where especially the last couple of games UNLV has come back. Players have hit big shots on their team.
I think as a team we stuck together. That's how we've been so successful this season, working together and sustaining for 40 minutes. I think that's something we've learned to grow over the last couple of years, is keeping our composure, and when things get tough, we have to stick with it.
As a team we work together. I don't think it was a surprise for us at all.
COACH BURNS: And may I humbly add, she also was in foul trouble and on the bench. So if we want to get to that point too... 'Humbly' for her.
THE MODERATOR: At this time we'll dismiss the student-athletes. Thank you, ladies. We'll now open it up for questions for coach.

Q. Did you ever think the game was going to end?
COACH BURNS: I looked up one time, and it was 16 minutes. And then I looked up about ten minutes later, and it was 16 minutes. And then I think about a half hour later it was about 15:30.
You know, I know our team. I've coached them for a while. And I know coach's team. I mean, they got after it. I think we got a little fatigue and we lost -- sometimes leads, we just lose our aggressiveness. And, as you can see by watching us, we only are good when we are aggressive.
We go at people. We're not a spread-them-out, in-and-out, throw-it-out, shoot-threes type of group. That's not our strengths. We've got to hit you hard.
And I think that we tend to relax a little bit, not lose focus or not not appreciate the seriousness of the moment. I think they get a little fatigued. It's hard to play as hard as we do on both ends of the floor.
I think we get a little bit of a cushion, and we relax a little bit. Good teams come back and hammer you. Shamela Hampton is a heck of a player; has been an all-conference player her entire tenure here. And I think she -- I was going to say quietly. That would be a lie to say she quietly kept them in it. She kept the heat on by getting high-percentage shots.
I really felt we wanted to shut down everybody else. We didn't want them to get momentum threes and 'O' boards. And just make them work each possession.

Q. Did you do anything special against Jamie Smith because she didn't have the type of game she's been having?
COACH BURNS: Well, I think we did a very good job against Jamie in San Diego and did not do a very good job on Saturday, which shows her development and growth as a freshman.
I wouldn't say 'special'. When you have a great big like you do in Hampton, kind of a young forward is going to reap the benefits of that early because everyone is so consumed with Shamela. But she's got such a thumper - and I say that with such great respect. You can't teach how she goes to the glass.
Shamela had more success because we changed some things and just said, If you have to face-guard, cross-body block, do what you got to do, let them get their first shot. We can't let them get a second. I think our pressure kind of negates her three-point game. That's what we attempt to do.
But we did change a little bit how to keep her off the glass because she goes at it so hard.

Q. For someone who's taken an 0-16 team to one of, if not the best teams in the league, can you talk about what is in store for Kathy at this school, trying to build a program, how you did it, and what she might be able to do here in terms of contending in this league?
COACH BURNS: I think first applaud UNLV for -- coaching is about fits. And applaud UNLV for getting someone with energy and enthusiasm that loves it here, that is from here, but most importantly is a veteran. That's because I'm old now (smiling). If I was 30, I'd say they should have hired a younger person. But they went out and got a veteran person.
Coach Olivier and I have recruited against each other since we were both 25 years old. She's going to get after it in recruiting. And her energy and enthusiasm and her bench -- she's got good coaches on her bench. Caitlin did a great job for many years. So she surrounded herself with great people.
That's what it starts with, good people, get after it hard. She's got talented young -- I mean, I thought their point guard, Helms, had a great sophomore campaign. Chaney came on really strong. Future is very, very bright.
She's going to do it because she'll stay positive and get after it. But don't have her do it too quick. Come on. Little steps.

Q. They did a pretty good job on your running game, didn't they?
COACH BURNS: They did a pretty good job? Well, they've got good athletes. You know, I knew coming into the game that we were going to have to pick our spots. Q really hurt them on Saturday. Q really kept the ball in her hands. They worried about some other people, and I thought really the difference tonight was they tried to take Q out of the game. And by taking Q out of the game, that kind of opened her up to get other people involved. She really did a nice job.
JenÃ© Morris just for a period of time just took it upon herself. I hope everyone here, if anybody was dissenting that she's the defensive player of the year in our league, I think she kind of solidified that a little bit today.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, coach.

End of FastScripts

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