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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 7, 2012Sandrine NzeukouKathy OlivierKelli ThompsonLAS VEGAS, NEVADA New Mexico – 61 THE MODERATOR: We're ready to begin with UNLV. Coach, if we could start with some remarks on tonight's game. COACH OLIVIER: Well, I mean, first of all I'd like to say I'm really, really proud of the Lady Rebels. I just think that we've done some amazing things this year with 22 wins. These two young ladies up here with me have literally changed the face of our program, along with the other seniors, and along with Mia Bell. So that's my first thing. Today's game, I just thought New Mexico, they did a good job. They hit their threes. They shot a very high percentage from three‑point land. We had a drought in that second half when we were up by nine. That's when they kind of got hot. When that happens, you just get in trouble. The thing we rely on the most is our defense. When they start hitting their threes, it got a little scary there. We didn't execute well down the stretch; they did. That was pretty much the ballgame. THE MODERATOR: We'll now take questions for the student‑athletes. Q. Kelli, just wonder, when you hit that long three to give you a nine‑point lead, you had your chances at that point. Talk about what happened from there. KELLI THOMPSON: It was a good momentum swing. We were up nine. We were feeling good. They came back and hit two back‑to‑back threes. I feel like at that time we kind of let down a little bit, which we don't usually do. But I picked it up and they picked it up. There's not much you can do. Q. Kelli, I know it might be hard to look at the big picture today with the loss. But 22 wins, the strides you have made. What worked for you this year? What was the key to the good improvement? KELLI THOMPSON: Sticking together, staying together. We worked hard all summer. We worked hard all pre‑season. We worked hard all season. It didn't fall the way we wanted it to. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I wouldn't want to play with any other girls. We stick together. We win together. We lose together. Like I said, it's not how we wanted it to end. This season from last season, a totally different ballgame, totally different team. We play together. Our chemistry is that much better. We didn't finish how we wanted to. I feel like we kind of sold ourselves short. But, like I said, I wouldn't play for any other team. Q. Can you talk about at the end when you had that look to tie it? KELLI THOMPSON: I was praying it would go down. It didn't go my way. Like I said, we lost, and that's that. It was my shot. It was missed free throws or whatever the case may be. We fell short. It wasn't just on my part. Like I said, we lose as a team, we win as a team. I had a good look, I put everything into it, it just didn't fall. Q. How surprised were you guys? KELLI THOMPSON: Not surprised. More upset. It's tournament time. It's anybody's game. So I wouldn't say we're surprised. We're upset. I feel like this isn't how we wanted to end our season, not for the seniors. Like I said, the seniors led us the whole way. I wouldn't say so much surprised but more upset. Q. Sandrine, talk about the progress of the team from when you first got here to where you are now. SANDRINE NZEUKOU: I mean, we've really come leaps and bounds. One thing about our team is that every single year we truly did progress. New girls came in and everyone had a good attitude. This year, we all knew we had it in us. We had this same sort of outlook last year when we knew we could make ‑‑ and really like do damage. But, I mean, this year, finally everything fell into place for us and everything came together. So it's unfortunate for us to have to end the season like this certainly. THE MODERATOR: We'll dismiss the student‑athletes at this time. We'll open it up for questions for coach. Q. When you had the nine‑point lead, you had your chances at that point. COACH OLIVIER: Yeah, I mean, Kelli made a good point. I thought Kelli hit that big three. We had momentum at that time. Again, it's tournament time. Anything can go. They just came back and they hit, I want to say, two back‑to‑back threes. It kind of took the wind out of our sail a little bit. That's never been something that's been a problem for us in the past. Like we're a team that we, like Kelli said, we stick together. Something happens like that, we usually, you know, say enough is enough, let's get a stop. We just didn't close out hard enough on their three‑point shooters. They got some looks. They're a team that if you give them some looks, they're going to make their shots. Q. How surprising and disappointing is this loss? COACH OLIVIER: It's very disappointing, to be quite honest with you. In the locker room, it was hard. I mean, this is a great group. Four seniors that have given their guts. I loved his question about changing the face of the program. The four seniors and Mia Bell and Kelli, because they played every game since they've been a Lady Rebel, they have changed the face of this program. You're in that locker room, and they're very, very upset. Last year was different. It was like, Okay, it's over, let's start building for next year. This team talked about post‑season play. They talked about it from day one. Hopefully the NIT won't overlook us. We have 22 wins. We had some great wins early, beat Iowa at Iowa, beat K State at home. Those are big‑time BCS conferences. Everyone is giving their guts. The team is giving their guts. My staff has worked endless hours. We literally, this group, has changed the face of the Lady Rebels and we're super proud of that. Q. When they went on the 16‑3 run to end the game, what would you have liked to have seen differently on defense from the girls? COACH OLIVIER: Again, defensively we're very good. We have a great philosophy. Coach Collier does a great job of teaching the defense. They all know it. They believe in it. They work together. That's a big part of defense, working together. The 16‑3 run was very uncharacteristic of what has gone on this year. Either we'll answer and we turn the ball over in that little time or we'll say enough is enough, like I say, and get stops. That's what we've done all year. We've gotten some huge stops. During that stretch we didn't. They hit some big shots. She got some good looks and hit some good shots. They were long bombs. They made 'em, so... I thought the crowd was great. I mean, this tournament I think is amazing. Mountain West, I think the people in the Mountain West do an unbelievable job, men and women. There was great electricity in Thomas& Mack. It's fun to be a part of. We're super proud to be a part of it. It's sad for us to call it a tournament after a first round. I mean, it just doesn't set well after such a good season. Q. Jamie Smith obviously would have liked to have had a better game. What has her attitude been like in the locker room afterwards? COACH OLIVIER: Jamie Smith, anyone in this room who knows her knows that she's unbelievable. A relentless worker, relentless rebounder. I mean, she does so many positive things for this team. Had a huge family members here. Wanted to play well. You know, probably was pressing almost too much. That's the type of person she is. She's special in so many ways. I guarantee you, if you ask any of her teammates, they know she gave her best. Her best wasn't good enough. But none of our best was good enough tonight. Jamie is going to beat herself up until we play again. So we better get chosen to play post‑season because she needs to play again because this is not the way she wants to end her career. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, coach. COACH OLIVIER: Thank you, guys. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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