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BIG EAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 11, 2013Skylar DigginsKayla McBrideMuffet McGrawHARTFORD, CONNECTICUT Notre Dame: 83 THE MODERATOR: With the victory tonight, joining us is head Coach, Muffet McGraw, senior guard Skylar Diggins, junior guard, Kayla McBride. Coach? COACH McGRAW: Overall the defense was much better, we had some really good stretches of defense, and I thought that offensively we got a lot of people involved, good to see the bench come in and get a lot of playing time and most of them did pretty well. I was pleased with Kaila Turner, I thought she steadied us and Markisha Wright I thought had a great job, and I thought Kayla McBride had a better second half than first. Q. Skyler, can you talk about your 3‑point shooting? It's increased the last few games but talk about coming off the bench after the 16‑16 tie and hitting the two threes. SKYLAR DIGGINS: My teammates did a good job finding me, I got a couple of good spots, they did a good job of hitting me in transition and just when I was open. We needed it, and we came back. Q. Muffet, what's it going to take for you guys to get that first title tomorrow night for Notre Dame? Been in this six times and came up short each one. COACH McGRAW: Well, we wanted to play in South Bend, that might have helped us. For us we're going in with the same mind‑set we did with both the games this year. Tough to beat a good team three times, it really it. I think it's going to be another war, and it will get us ready for the NCAA Tournament, whether we win or lose. Q. Kayla, can you talk about the difference between yesterday's game and today's game? You seemed cooler today from the start of the game, almost a little too excited yesterday. KAYLA McBRIDE: I was pressing a little bit and the early foul trouble took me out of my game a little bit. I think I was rattled, I just wasn't feeling myself. Today I think I still like the first half. I was kind of pressing a little bit, trying to force too many things. I think I needed to let the game come to me and to play within myself. Q. Skyler, Shoni Shimmel hit three out of 4 in the last games, and what do you do? SKYLAR DIGGINS: She created her shots and we were giving her the three, we didn't communicate, we were supposed to be doubling up, but nobody guarded her, she is crafty and we put a hand in her face and made her take tougher shots. Q. What would it mean for you to win this tournament? SKYLAR DIGGINS: It would mean a lot for our program, definitely the best ever, and for our team to get a championship for Coach McGraw, a Big East Championship, I think that's what we're missing besides a national championship, an opportunity for us to make history and keep our year going. Q. Coach, can you talk about what it does for you guys offensively when Skyler is hitting three's and other people, too, Kayla? COACH McGRAW: 7 for 15, that's a great day for us from the 3‑point line. We were more selective in the second half. I thought when Skyler is on she's pretty much got the green light to shoot when she wants but we were trying to move it more and Kaila Turner came in and that is her job and she did it well, really pleased with her game all around. It opens things up inside for us and I think sometimes we get a little infatuated with the three and we missed Natalie Achonwa a couple times inside and I think we need to get the ball into her a little bit more. Q. Muffet, I did some quick math, around these parts we sometimes get fatigued by the Yankees playing the Red Sox so many times and I did the math and you guys in the last three years have played 10% of your games against UConn. Are you fatigued by it, excited by it? How do you look at it at this point? COACH McGRAW: Well, you know, in the NCAA Tournament you would much rather play someone else, I think that's when you get to go against other conferences and it's more fun, I think, to get those kinda games in the NCAA Tournament. In the league you expect you're going to come up against them if you want to get the championship. So I think it will be interesting, you know, when the league changes next year that we won't have to play them three times in the year and that could be refreshing. Q. Coach, how important was putting those guys away early in the second half as opposed to dragging it out for forty minutes? COACH McGRAW: Yesterday we had to play the starters so long and South Florida is such a great team. They matched up well with us so it was good to get the starters a rest, and give them a break because they played so much yesterday. Q. Yesterday Coach said after the game that you guys would vote on the jerseys, you guys weren't big fans? KAYLA McBRIDE: Uh‑uh, I wasn't. SKYLAR DIGGINS: No comment. Q. Sky, I know it's not under your control, but would it be disappointing if it's not UConn in the championship tomorrow night? SKYLAR DIGGINS: Doesn't matter. No, it wouldn't be disappointing. Q. Skyler, can you look back and say what the four years playing in this tournament has been like? You're either going to win tomorrow or you're not going to want to discuss this so I figured I should ask tonight. SKYLAR DIGGINS: It's the best conference in the country, it's amazing playing night in, night out, you're going to be challenged against any team you go up against. A lot of great players, Final Four appearances with us playing UConn is crazy, the way that these teams represent the Big East getting eight and nine teams in the tournament. It's great competition and the Big East is what prepares you for the NCAA Tournament, because you're going out playing Sweet 16, national championship caliber games every night. It's been great for me, a blessing to come into this league at Notre Dame and I'm proud to be at Notre Dame and we'll go out tomorrow, I'm glad I finished it in this league. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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