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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 11, 2014Bree FarleyRaegan PebleyTaylor ThompsonLAS VEGAS, NEVADA Fresno State – 80 THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Fresno State. Coach, just some general remarks on tonight's game. COACH PEBLEY: We feel really fortunate and excited to survive and advance. This was a very tough first‑round matchup. I really think every single game so far in the tournament has just been a fight. That's a credit to our conference and the players that are in our conference, the coaching that's in our conference. Just so much parity. Our team knew, and we talked about it all season, that anyone can beat anyone in our conference. You've got to come focused and prepared and confident. I love how we started the game. I think that helped a lot because we created a cushion. UNLV is a very good team. We knew they were going to go on a run, if not more than one run. That cushion helped secure a little bit of our lead when they did. Just, again, really, really proud that we get to continue to extend these seniors' season. They're two special women. We're really fortunate that they're at Fresno State. THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions for the student‑athletes. Q. Can you talk about those first five minutes when you jumped on them, controlled the tempo. BREE FARLEY: I think as coach said, you know, anyone can beat anyone in this league, and we knew that. We didn't want to let UNLV in from the word 'go'. We came out pretty fired up and ready to go. We were really focused. I think we just took shots that were good for our team. It was nice that we hit them. Q. Taylor, it seemed like when you wanted to play at a fast tempo, that was working for you. When you slowed it down, that was working. Talk about the shifting of gears. TAYLOR THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, UNLV's a great team. They put everything at us. They were in a zone, they were in a man. So I think our team responded well to that. We knew that pushing on them was playing our game, but we also knew we could slow down at times. Going off of what Bree said, our focus was there and I think that was key for this win today. Q. Winning the way you have in conference tournaments the last three years, what is your mindset going into this tournament? How much does that help you with all that experience? TAYLOR THOMPSON: I mean, experience I think always helps players and a team and coaches. But this is a new year. Right now I feel like the tournament is just a season in itself. The games before do matter, but I feel like, like we said, anybody can win at any moment. So we have to show up for every game. So we're definitely focused on one game at a time. I think that's key for our team, to stay humble but also confident. BREE FARLEY: I just agree with Taylor. You can't overlook anyone in this league. There's almost been a few upsets. Games coming down to the very last possession. To get into a position where we don't have to be at a game coming down to the last possession was very positive for us, knowing that we can push the lead out a little bit and have a good win. Q. It's an odd scenario to have two days off, not know your opponent. How do you prepare with two days off? TAYLOR THOMPSON: I definitely think these two days off are key. We have to, you know, rest our bodies. We have to make sure we're staying hydrated. We have to stay focused. We're going to watch the game tonight. But any team that we're up against we have to be ready for. So I think having these two days off is good for us, but we also have to make sure that we're using them to our advantage. BREE FARLEY: I think it's just, yeah, making sure we prep ourselves for whoever we play, just making sure we rest our bodies and look after ourselves and keep mentally sharp. You can't take any time off. We'll have a bit of a rest but making sure that we focus whoever we play next. THE MODERATOR: We'll continue with questions for coach. Q. When you see Bree looking for a shot early and making them, how much does that set the tone for the rest of the team at that point? COACH PEBLEY: Well, I think it's good when she can do that. But what we talk to Bree a lot about in her growth as a player is she stays consistent in looking for her shot. Bree doesn't force anything, which I think makes her a great teammate, a great person to play with. It allows her to stay consistent and it won't make her confidence hit peaks and valleys. She moves really well off the ball. She's got teammates that know how to get her the ball. So it helps. But tonight we have five players in double figures, which is the first time that's happened. I know we've had a few times with four. That is Fresno State basketball, where we want everybody on the floor to be confident that their shot when created throughout the offense and by their teammates is the best shot, especially when they're open. It is really nice when you see your team hit some shots early in the game. I think that opens up other people, as well. Q. There was a stretch closing out the first half when Taylor is on the bench. The possibility of playing three games in five days, how much of managing those minutes do you have to take into account? COACH PEBLEY: Taylor has had a lot of experience playing a lot of minutes. I think her body is conditioned and her mind is conditioned as well. She's a very mentally tough woman. I don't feel like we have to manage it too much. She was on the bench because of foul trouble. We won't kid anybody on that. So she sat, great job by the end handling a press situation with Taylor off the floor, executing really well. Then huge stops defensively when Taylor was out, and getting rebounds. Brittany Aikens came off the bench, she's a walk‑on for us who really has been a great asset for us. Her and Raven have been two players we've been able to go to with different needs and situations, and they've really stepped through throughout the last month and a half. Q. Between the winning streak you're on, having Sheedy back now, tonight having five players in double figures, are you playing your best basketball right now? COACH PEBLEY: I think we are playing with a lot of momentum, more momentum than we've had all season. I always think ‑ probably most coaches do ‑ that you're never at your best, that you can always be better. There's areas you're trying to minimize your weaknesses and play to your strengths. I have fun watching this team play. I've had a lot of fun coaching this team. They're coachable. They play hard for each other. You just see them coming up, and sometimes it's just finding a way. Sometimes as a coach, I have the opportunity where I get to step back and not over‑coach them, really let them lead. That's a great advantage as a coach. Q. You touched on Alex Sheedy coming back. This was her third game. For her to get 15 points, her contribution means a lot to you, but specifically what does she bring to the table at tournament time? COACH PEBLEY: Experience. Alex Sheedy definitely brings experience. She won a championship as a freshman and started and played a lot of minutes for them. There were times in timeouts in the second half today where she ran the timeout. She said, Listen, ladies, get me the ball when they're playing behind me. To see that kind of confidence come from one of your players, and her teammates respect her so much, they then executed off of what she said, was really, really cool. Again, that's what I mean by sometimes as a coach you guide 'em, but they're the ones out there playing the game. At this point in the season sometimes we can over‑coach. Q. It seemed like Moriah had kind of a dip in conference play. Is she starting to come on? How important could she be to you if she's really playing well? COACH PEBLEY: Moriah is a player that sometimes I forget this, she went a year and a half without playing basketball because of her injury and her transfer situation. Even last year as a redshirt, she couldn't practice because she was rehabbing. She had an additional procedure done on her knee that slowed her being able to come back. A player that's in that situation, it takes time. I think Moriah is showing the potential that she has to be a great player. It's fun to think we still have a lot of years left with Moriah. I love that girl. I really, really love that girl because she just never gave up on herself. She had teammates that never gave up on her, as well. She really showed some conviction as a student‑athlete, as a woman, to stay committed to the process when she could have really gotten frustrated when you're talking about that dip in the season. THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much. COACH PEBLEY: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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