Women's Basketball Meets Media Prior to Sweet 16 Debut

The Creighton women's basketball team prepped for its Sweet 16 debut with its first trip to the Greensboro Coliseum on Thursday, March 24. The Bluejays met the media before practicing for 90 minutes in advance of Friday's game vs. No. 10 Iowa State that will tip at 8:30 p.m. Central on ESPN2 and can be heard on Westwood One affiliates nationwide, including 1180 AM in Omaha.

Creighton Bluejays (Jim Flanery)
Sweet 16 Media Conference
March 24, 2022
Greensboro, Coliseum

JIM FLANERY: Well, we're thrilled to be here. I think last weekend was really special and I think incredible for our program, and it hasn't really kind of stopped, but you've got to turn the page and then get ready for a really good Iowa State team. So I think our team knows that. I think they've handled their business all year in terms of that.

In our league we play a lot of Fridays and Sundays, and you can have a great win on Friday, but then you've got to turn around and by Saturday morning you have to be ready to start getting prepped for that next one. So we've had some time to prep for Iowa State. We know what a challenge that will be and how prepared they'll be, but we're thrilled at the opportunity, and can't wait for that for tomorrow night. It's strange, though, that two teams that are two and a half hours away have to get on an airplane to North Carolina to play, but if that's the way it is, we'll be okay with that.

Q. Jim, what's this journey been like for you as an Iowa guy and just everything you've gone through throughout your coaching career to get to where you're at now?

JIM FLANERY: Yeah, I was accused of being too much of a storyteller in Iowa City, but I will tell you that the two schools that I chose from when I came out of high school were Iowa and Creighton. I was not recruited to play basketball at either institution, and had I been -- had I had a room at Iowa, I might have chosen Iowa, but my parents kind of pushed me to go to Creighton and said if you don't like it, you can leave, and I ended up going there, loved it, and here I am a million years later.

Yeah, you know, the Iowa connection, to play in Iowa City last weekend and to now play Iowa State is maybe a little bit extra for me, but at the same time when you've coached a long time, you have friends all over the profession or at least you hope you do, and connections all over the profession.

So it's not necessarily any different than if we played anybody else, but as far as what it means -- I do think our program is in a better place than it's ever been in terms of when we joined the Big East, our facilities had already started to get better. They've continued to improve, and we've been able to, I believe, recruit at a little bit higher level. Because we're getting a little bit better players, we're a little bit more competitive, and we're in a league that pushes us and challenges us to raise our game. So when we're in a position where we're stressed like we were in Iowa City both games really. The Colorado game was misleading. It was a ten-point win; it was not a ten-point game. We're in a position where we can execute at the end. I think that's certainly going to be important.

Yeah, I think our program is in great shape because of the commitment that the university has made and because of our time in the Big East.

Q. Were you kind of saying that the grand scheme of things you were hoping to stay in Iowa and possibly go to Iowa?

JIM FLANERY: Well, yeah, probably. Either Iowa or Iowa State. I mean, everybody who reads knew that we were probably in a position where we would maybe play either of those two, and I just said if it was -- if I knew it was going to be warm, then that would be the perfect case scenario because you either want to go somewhere warm or somewhere close, and it was actually pretty warm in Iowa City last weekend so, we kind of got the best of both worlds.

Q. It almost sounded like you had kind of wanted to go to Iowa when you were coming out of high school. Did I read that right?

JIM FLANERY: Well, yeah, but I was 17 or 18, and my parents were kind of telling me they wanted me to go to Creighton. So when you are 17 or 18 and your parents tell you they want you to go one place, you kind of lean the other way just because that's what they're telling you, so I can't really say that it was -- and the other part is when I visited Creighton, it was with my mom. There was a snowstorm, and I had to stay overnight in one of the residence halls in a box room with my mom. So it wasn't the best campus visit from that standpoint, which may have skewed my perception.

Anyway, it ended up being a good decision, I think. I can't believe I remember that.

Q. Coach, being from Iowa, the Iowa roots, when you go into Iowa City last week and you beat Iowa in front of a sold-out crowd, after the game is over, are there texts from friends and family, maybe some joking, some having fun, but obviously, congratulatory? And then if I can follow up on that, just what has it been like for you? Obviously, you're familiar with these programs, but to have it in the fashion where you're playing one team in the second round, the following team in the Sweet 16?

JIM FLANERY: Well, in a bus it's close to three hours and 40 minutes from Iowa City to Omaha. Rachael Saunders tells me she can make it in 3:20, but I texted people back the whole time. I took maybe two phone calls. It was three and a half hours of texting. That didn't include the emails that I responded to the following morning. It was great, but there's numbers in there that I had no idea who was congratulating me.

But, yeah, I think it's special. I think there was more interest because of the Iowa part of it, and because a lot of my friends growing up are either Iowa or Iowa State fans, so that certainly plays into it too.

Yeah, it was a lot to respond to, but I think it also lets you know that people are paying attention, and the other part of that it was on ABC in front of almost 15,000 people, which is great for our sport, and I think that -- I mean, what a platform for our program in particular too. I think that too has a chance to I think elevate our program. But what Iowa girls and women's basketball has done to the sport overall is remarkable too. I think that wasn't lost on me after Sunday too when I said that. I said that environment is in large part because of what the Iowa program and what is and also what Iowa State's program is and how much of a pedestal that girls basketball is on in the State of Iowa.

Q. This is your 20th season with Creighton, which is incredible. Just the commitment to one program and to finally reach this point, what does that mean for you personally and just how does it feel to see that all come together after 20 years as head coach?

JIM FLANERY: I mean, I was a philosophy major, and I think I can come down from a high and come up from the low maybe a little bit quicker than a lot of coaches, I think. I think I majored in philosophy because of who and how I am, but I also think that helped me.

I know Kirsten, our volleyball coach says, Well, you handle losing so much better than I do, and I say, I don't know about that, but I do think that's what has kept me at Creighton because it's not perfect. No place is perfect. There's days where you are frustrated, and there are days where you wish the weather was warmer and you coached somewhere further south, but I do think it's been helpful that I'm kind of wired that way, but also because I went to school at Creighton and because I have so many relationships even from my time as a student and through all that time, in some ways you can't imagine being anywhere else.

For ten minutes you can or for an hour you can or when you read what somebody else is making, you can, but then you reflect and you think that that's not what's important and what is important are the relationships that I've made and people sticking with me.

Bruce, he has helped me through the not-so-good times. When you have that, then you don't want to leave just because the times are good, but because you know what you have is authentic, and I think that's so much a part of why I've stayed. Also, the growth.

I just talked about things get -- have gotten better at Creighton. We've upped the ante in terms of our commitment. When you see that too, you get excited, and that renews your energy. The other part is getting in the Big East. It was like taking a new job without taking a new job because I got new challenges, a newness, but I also didn't have to move and go through all the tough things about a job change. Those are all factors.

Q. Jim, this is a tournament that hasn't always had the most unpredictability of one, twos, and threes, and fours always making it, but this is a bracket where you are in here. North Carolina had to win on the road also. How difficult is it that to pull as a lower seed to kind of have these break-through moments in March in the women's game?

JIM FLANERY: I think it's important -- or I think it's difficult or you would see more of it, but I think we're on the cusp of seeing more of that. I believe that the balance and the parity is on its way. I don't know at the very, very top. I think it's tougher, but I do believe that outside of maybe those teams that have really stockpiled and have a really -- have an older team -- have a lot of All Americans and they're older. I think those are the teams that it's really tough to beat them, but I think beyond that, there is a parity.

I think for us, I think style of play is a factor. We play differently than a lot of teams, and I think that really helped us. I know I've said this, but when J.R. from Colorado was asked before our first round game, well, who is the comparable team in the PAC-12 to Creighton? She's, like, nobody. They play differently. I think that helps. When you've gone from a 16 or 18 or 20-game conference schedule and you are playing teams that you are familiar with, they play the same way they played last year, first time, second time, conference tournament. Now all of a sudden two and a half months later you're playing a team that's different, and it's different than you've seen in your league, and now you have to figure out a way to practice. It's like if I was a football coach and all I saw was I'm in the Big 12, and all I see is pass-happy teams and now I'm going to play a team that's going to run the ball 60 times, that's an adjustment.

I think that helps us in a tournament. I think that's because we are -- we're unconventional offensively. We kind of invert, and our bigs can play like smalls, and we're not -- our offense isn't -- it's a little less. It's a little more random than a lot of offenses. I think that helped us in our short prep against Iowa too. Even though we scrimmage Iowa every year, I know that, again, we're just different, and that can help us.

I think there's two points. One, there is parity coming. It's better than it's ever been, but I think from Creighton's standpoint, it helps us that we're just a little bit different from a style standpoint.

Q. I have two questions. The first is, what about Iowa State is stressing you out? What's been the thing that you focus on? Secondly, I know you mentioned that you accidentally brought your wife's pants to the last -- to Iowa City. Did you bring the pants back because they kind of feel like a lucky charm?

JIM FLANERY: I'll answer the first one. Or the second one first, I mean. No, I did not bring them. I'm disappointed. I thought about it. I don't know if she packed them. If she did, maybe I can wear them. I thought about wearing them in the locker room before the game, and then not wearing them out in the audience.

But what stresses me out about Iowa State is Ashley Joens, Emily Ryan, Lexi Donarski. Bill and his staff do a great job of playing to their strengths and making you play away from your strengths. That's what they'll do tomorrow night. They are who they are. They can really stretch you out because of the way they shoot the ball, and then they've got good one-on-one players. Obviously, Ashley, but I think Emily Ryan is a really good one-on-one player and Donarski is good.

Then, you know, they're going to know what they want to do defensively. They're going to have a plan on who they're going to leave and who they're going to focus on more, who they're going to try to take out of the game. I think they really scheme defensively well. I think Bill has always done that.

I think when he got in the Big 12 and he saw all those athletes at Texas and Baylor and that he knew he had to be really good in that area, and he has traditionally done a great job of that. I think that's going to present -- we're going to be challenged on both ends.

Again, I think we're not the easiest team to prepare for, and we are maybe a little bit different than a lot of teams because we don't run a cookie cutter offense where you can just say, here's what we're going to do. We're a little bit, like I said, more random, and a little bit more able to kind of morph during the course of a game into something a little different than what we maybe were the previous game.

Q. There are a lot of changes off court mainly this year of name, image, and likeness. I was wondering how you have addressed that with your players and kind of how you talked with your players and also kind of as the spotlight is getting bigger here, are things changing?

JIM FLANERY: Yeah. I guess I haven't had that many conversations with them about that. We did last summer, but my understanding is limited enough that I left it to people who knew more to talk about it, and I also know that our young women are smart enough to kind of figure some of that stuff out better than I am because it is mostly social media-based. It's what are you going to do -- what is your social media platform, and that's how most of the deals are being made. Our players are not looking to me for that kind of guidance.

But my biggest thing is I just want to treat them in a way that they wouldn't want to leave Creighton even if they didn't get to capitalize on that. That's the biggest thing is we want to be as authentic when they come to Creighton as we supposedly were when we recruited them. We feel like if we treat them the right way, they maybe aren't quite as willing to think that that's going to affect their experience all that much, and I think it's great that we have it, but I think it's also important that we don't think that that they have to have that because not every kid is going to have that, and you need those kids to be bought in and invested.

I certainly didn't fight it, but I'm also -- I'm not that smart, but I'm smart enough to know that that's not an area where I can really help them, but we do give them the resources of people who can. Like I said, they're smart enough to kind of figure that out on their own.

Thank you, guys.

Creighton Bluejays (Molly Mogensen, Emma Ronsiek)
Sweet 16 Media Conference

Q. I was just kind of wondering what is it that makes Coach Flanery's personality and style fit so well with you guys?

MOLLY MOGENSEN: We all really respect Flan and what he has done with this program, and I think that his ability to care about us as people and players, that it's so great with us on the court.

EMMA RONSIEK: Just echoing what Molly said. Just the way that he treats us on and off the court, just says so much about his character. Off the court he can just talk to us like we're real human beings. Not like just carry out on a conversation with friends. On the court he is really serious and does his job really well. We have a lot of respect for him.

Q. Guys, I just want to know kind of how have the last few days been like for you guys? Obviously, a huge win Sunday, but then just getting on a plane, getting to travel somewhere new. Just what has that experience been like for you as a team and personally?

EMMA RONSIEK: It's really been just surreal for us. For a while we've been on Cloud 9 just making it to Sweet 16 and beating Iowa on their home floor. It's been such a fun moment, and it couldn't happen for a better team, I don't think. We're all so close, and we're just best friends on and off the court, so it's just really exciting.

MOLLY MOGENSEN: You dream of this as a young girl, kid watching the NCAA Tournament, and it's just been so much fun doing it with these girls like Emma said.

Q. This is for both of you guys: Has the week of preparation felt any different? You are coming off such a big high. Are you even potentially looking ahead to what you can do? How has it been preparing and trying to come down and stay up for the next game?

MOLLY MOGENSEN: It's been really fun coming off that win. I think we've done a really good job of looking forward to our next opponent. We're just really ready to get into it and get ready for Iowa State.

EMMA RONSIEK: It's obviously going to be hard to come down from such an exciting game, and it is going to be a little different practicing in preparation for the Sweet 16 game, but I think we're all really bought in, and we know how to channel our energy in the right way. So I'm just really excited to get going.

Q. This is for both of you guys: The women's tournament hasn't always had unpredictability with parity. It's often one, two, three, and four in regionals and here we are with you guys and North Carolina is a five. Both of you had to win on the road. I'm curious kind of is that a point of pride in that regard as being one of those teams that surprised people maybe in March a little bit? Here you are as a ten seed and playing when people are really paying attention.

EMMA RONSIEK: I think a lot of programs like Creighton don't get as much screen time or notice that they normally do as other programs, and just like coming into the Tournament and I wouldn't necessarily say that this was an upset for us, but everyone else would say that it's an upset, and it's just super cool even thinking about that.

Obviously, South Dakota beat Baylor, and being from South Dakota, that was just really cool seeing old AAU teammates make it to the Sweet 16 with me. It's a surreal feeling.

MOLLY MOGENSEN: Just to add off of that, I think there's a lot of good women's basketball teams out there that, like Emma said, don't get as much media or exposure just because of the conference that they're in, but there are so many good basketball teams out there, and this tournament has showed that.

Q. I want to ask you just about the seniors and specifically, obviously, Tatum, you know, coming back for a fifth year. Just how much urgency, I guess, does that put on just trying to keep this postseason alive for them, just kind of knowing that this is really the end of the road for them?

MOLLY MOGENSEN: Tatum has been like a big sister to me. She's been such a great leader for all of us, and we have so much respect for her and what she tells us to do on the court because she's, obviously, a vocal leader. Just keeping this alive and playing for her and those seniors has been so much fun and just keeping that alive for them has taken a lot in for us.

EMMA RONSIEK: I've gotten a few questions, like, it's easy enough to say you've been playing basketball for so long this year and we're all a young team. The majority of us are sophomores. We've got next year, but it's like hard to say that you want to be done when you are playing with seniors like this. It's hard for Chloe, Payton and Tatum. We don't want them to be done, so we're going to do everything in our power for them to stick around.

Q. Coach said the thing that's stressing him out about Iowa State is Ashley Joens, Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan what have you honed in on that you will have to manage defensively going into this game?

EMMA RONSIEK: We just have to pay close attention to our scout. We have to trust in our coaches, trust in each other with the defensive efforts that we need to make on those girls because they are good players, but at the end of the day it's just a game of basketball, and we just have to trust in ourselves and our abilities to do that.

MOLLY MOGENSEN: Like Emma said, just eliminating their touches and trusting what Flan has given to us in our scout and just staying together.

Q. For either player: Iowa State is really good at kind of taking away the strengths of their opponent, and I was just curious what you guys thought in terms of the importance of scoring in the paint and scoring off cuts and making sure you guys are not turning the ball over like last weekend when you were trying to feed the post and things like that.

MOLLY MOGENSEN: I think that we can score in a lot of different ways, and I think that if we just stick to who we are and what we do as a team, I think that we are going to be just fine.

EMMA RONSIEK: Just like what Molly said, we are a team that is super fun to watch because we can score in a bunch of different ways. We have posts that can score inside and shoot threes. We've got guards who can take it to the hole just as strong as anyone. I think just staying together and doing what we can do and I think we'll be just fine.

Q. I'm curious, has Flan said anything to you guys yet to yet to try to lighten the mood. He mentioned not bringing his wife's pants this time. Has he maybe given you any sort of message yet? I know it's not game day quite yet, but just something to try to calm those nerves.

EMMA RONSIEK: Have you heard anything? I haven't heard anything from him yet, but I would not be shocked at the start of our practice today if he says something.

MOLLY MOGENSEN: In the Iowa game he -- right before tipoff he brought us all together, and he said, okay, everyone needs to take a deep breath right now. We all took a deep breath, and we all looked at him. He was, like, okay, now take another one. We all took a deep breath. Just things like that is going to really help us along the way.

Q. Obviously, Morgan really grabbed a lot of attention on Sunday. If people didn't know who she was before, they know who she is now. I'm curious from your guys' perspective, what can you tell us more about her than obviously her ability on the court and just what she was able to do Sunday? Just what have you seen from her coming in new this year? What can you tell us about her?

MOLLY MOGENSEN: So she just brings so much energy to the game of basketball, and off the court she's just the sweetest person you will ever meet. We actually played against each other in high school and in AAU when we were both rivals so we both knew each other through that. We just knew each other on the court, but once we got to know her here, she just fits right in with our sophomore class and especially our team.

EMMA RONSIEK: She's so fun to play with because she's so good at basketball, and she's so fun to be around off the floor. I didn't personally know her that well. I knew who she was through basketball and AAU, but I met her the summer before that she was coming to Omaha, and it just clicked. She hung out with our sophomore class, and it was like we weren't adding anyone new. She just clicked and fit in right away, and I think that's just the coolest thing.

Q. I'm wondering how you both have kind of navigate the or if you have really the name, image, and likeness deals this year, and if any new opportunities are coming your way now that you're in the Sweet 16 and kind of on a bigger spotlight?

EMMA RONSIEK: Personally I haven't done any NIL deals, and I don't really know why I haven't, but, yeah, I would say I got a few more messages on Instagram after the Iowa game because we did get a lot of exposure during that game. So I wouldn't be shocked if I ended up doing something.

MOLLY MOGENSEN: Yeah, same with me. I haven't done any NIL deals yet, but with the exposure that we've been getting, I think that it's really good for our team and for those deals.

Q. Do you have agents, or you just are dealing with it yourself?

EMMA RONSIEK: Yeah, just with ourselves.

Q. Have you let yourselves visualize going to the Final Four yet at all, or are you trying to keep it locked in? Have you talked about it as a team, you know, getting there?

MOLLY MOGENSEN: I'm from Minnesota, so we've always said -- me, Lauren, and Mal are from Minnesota, so we've always talked about it would be cool to go back home and play in front of a home crowd, but I think our focus really now is this next game, but we've definitely -- it's always at the back of your mind.

EMMA RONSIEK: It's always hard to focus especially in this sort of environment, but just taking it one game at a time is the best thing that we can do, but, yeah, the games that we could play or that potentially could happen for us are definitely in the back of our heads.

Iowa State Cyclones (Bill Fennelly)
Sweet 16 Media Conference

BILL FENNELLY: Thank you. It is a tremendous honor for Iowa State to be here. We want to thank everyone in Greensboro. It's been phenomenal, and our kids have looked forward to this for a long time after last year's disappointment coming up two points short to get to this level.

So for us and our men to both be playing in the Sweet 16 is a tremendous thing, and we just can't be more excited about the opportunity, and I just really thank our team for getting me here. That's the best part of it.

Q. How did you guys get to be as successful as a tree-point shooting team as you are? Some of it is obviously natural skill, the players, and they work hard, but obviously, you have to also do a good job getting the right shots to have the percentages you do.

BILL FENNELLY: No, it is a big part of the way we've always played. We work very hard on game shots, game speed kind of thing. We work on it every single day, every single player.

A lot of it is the spacing that we work on, our ability to rotate when the ball rotates. Obviously, when you have a player of Ashley Joens' caliber you see a lot of double teams, which opens up the court. It's something we recruit to and we build daily.

My staff spends a lot of time in our individual work with our kids, and they like doing it.

Q. Obviously, throughout the season the key has kind of been having Ashley, Lex, and Emily, but it seems like at times kind of the difference-maker has been maybe a fourth person emerging. How important is that going to be Friday night?

BILL FENNELLY: I think any time you get to this level or any kind of one-game scenario, where it's win or go home kind of thing, there's always going to be someone that does something that maybe they don't do or are not capable of doing every single game, but they do it -- hit one shot, hit a free-throw, make a big play.

Those are the stories that make this tournament so special. Obviously, you have certain people that are the core of what you do and how you do it, and they're the ones that are going to sit up here in a minute and get the attention.

But there's always got to be someone that makes a play or two, and it's happened for us -- it's certainly happened for us in the Arlington game, it happened in the Georgia game, and hopefully it will happen against Creighton.

Q. I have two questions if that's okay. She wanted to know how you addressed the NIL situation coming into this year and how you've helped your players navigate it, if that's been at all a focus for you?

BILL FENNELLY: The NIL thing, we had a lot of meetings early. Jamie Pollard, our athletic director, made a great presentation to each individual team. We've talked to our kids about it. It's not something that we're overwhelmed with. We're in a smaller market probably.

But we have a couple kids that have gotten some benefits from it, some T-shirts, things like that. We probably have not spent as much time as maybe others, but we've talked to our team about it. We've given them an outline. We've tried to be smart about don't just get all excited and think you're going to get rich and say yes to everything.

Evaluate what are the strengths of each individual opportunity, and then I think because it's still new, we're still working through it, but our kids -- some of our kids have benefited from it, yes.

Q. Then my second question is about the court. Creighton plays this kind of not necessarily five-out, but they do play like five guards. You've seen that a little bit with Oklahoma. Just wondering what was the scouting process for this game? Did you go back to any Oklahoma tape at all?

BILL FENNELLY: It's similar to Oklahoma. You're right. I think we went more back to when we played UNI, Drake, South Dakota State. It's not a style we see a lot in the Big 12 because our league has some really good post players, so you really have to try and find the right match-up.

The other thing you have to do is you can't really overthink it. Everyone is going to talk about Creighton is going to make all these threes. I'm more worried about how many layups they're going to make, how many foul shots they're going to make. They're going to make some threes. Hopefully we make some too, but it is a difficult thing.

And the one thing I would say, too, is it's a very hard thing to simulate with a scout team. They don't run set plays that you can practice, so we have a phenomenal group of scout team guys, and they did a great job for two days. I don't think they did as great a job as Creighton, but at least they gave us a pretty good look.

Q. You talked about the game after -- on Sunday that this is something you wanted more maybe in your entire professional career. Now that it's here, it's kind of set in, what's the mood been like? How is the team, and kind of coming into this, is there nerves or is it more excitement?

BILL FENNELLY: It's so exciting. I think I've thanked them 50 times for getting me here. This is like the coolest thing ever. I mean, I just -- I'm going to point my career where -- you're not going to do this many more times, if ever, and I just told them they have to enjoy this. This is -- everything about it.

You get a police escort. How cool is that? Everything. The hotel, and you walk into this facility, it's just everything about it is great. And what I have told our kids is when we met, we had a little walk-through, we had study table this morning and had a little walk-through. We're going to practice, and then we're going to relax and enjoy it and watch the men's games and have a nice dinner and celebrate the work that goes into it.

Because if you don't do that, then why are we doing this? Sometimes you get so crazy about every little detail. You've got to enjoy it, and Friday night we'll let it rip and see what happens.

Q. When you have Ny banged up and Beatriz as well, how much does it help you in some spot talking about the next 40 minutes to not face off with a big physical post player?

BILL FENNELLY: I don't know if it makes that much difference. I think Friday night we'll be okay. I mean, Ny will be fine. She's playing with a mask. She does have a broken nose, but she's playing with a mask, and she's handled it pretty well.

Bea has not done anything yet. We're going to see how she does today. I'm assuming she'll be available. As soon as I know for sure, I'll tell you right after practice, but we're good to go. Everyone is in the same boat. They have eight months to rest, so we're all going to show up and play on Friday night.

Q. When it kind of comes to that X factor, that fourth person kind of emerging, who have you kind of seen maybe in the days leading up to this that are possible candidates for that?

BILL FENNELLY: I think right off the bat, Ny would be your first thought, but I think this is a game where Aubrey and Maggie could impact it a little bit to space the floor.

We'll probably have to play small from time to time, but the way Ny has been playing -- and to her credit, she broke her nose late in the third quarter. We didn't put her back in obviously, but she's handled it really well in practice.

So I think she's excited to play, and she played against Creighton when she was at Butler, so I think she's a little -- she probably has a little more personal knowledge of them. If I had to pick someone, I would say Ny would be someone to look for.

Q. You guys as a three seed were seeded as far as expected to be here in the Sweet 16, but this is not a bracket that went one, two, three, four. There were a few things that didn't go according to plan. How much has that helped you, do you think, from a perception of the tournament that it's not the same predictable teams? And for you guys as a three seed, is there any pressure in that regard of you're playing one of the upstarts in this tournament?

BILL FENNELLY: I would say it's great for the tournament. Obviously, it's easy to say when you are one of the seeded teams that advance, but I do think it's great for the tournament. I think that's what makes March Madness what it is.

All of us who love this tournament who -- this is the greatest sporting event in the world to me is the NCAA Basketball Tournament. What you see -- like our men are playing in the 10-11 game. Those are the stories that make it great for the casual person, and I think for women's basketball it's a good thing to see what South Dakota did.

We scrimmaged South Dakota in a close scrimmage, and I'm not surprised that they're where they are. And certainly North Carolina doing what they did. So I think it's a great -- Ohio State.

So those are things that help at least draw some interest from maybe a little more casual fan base and gets other people excited, so I think it's a great thing.

Q. Is there pressure, though, when you are playing one of the upstarts in the tournament like that?

BILL FENNELLY: No, I don't think so. I think when you get to this level it's not a surprise. Everyone who advances in this tournament is playing at a certain level and playing well. We know how good Creighton is and the games that they've won. I've always been one of those people that the number next to your name is all about the color jersey that you wear. It has nothing to do with who is good and who is not good.

It's about match-ups to me, and the three means we wear white and the ten means they wear blue. After that it doesn't really matter to me.

Q. You mentioned not overthinking it on defense. I just wonder how hard it is to not do that on offense. I feel like coaches are tinkerers and like to make adjustments. How do you stay with what you've been doing all season, but then also adjust as the tournament goes on?

BILL FENNELLY: To be quite blunt about it, I am one of those people that likes to tinker a lot, and luckily, I have a staff that is like, that's enough. (Laughing). We're at -- we met this morning and I'm, like, what about -- and they just -- all of them -- we've been together -- my staff has been together a long time.

Well, obviously, one of them has been with me his whole life. (Laughing). One of them played for me, and I walked her down the aisle when she got married, and the other one I hired right out of college. We've been together a lot, and I had like eight sets of eyeballs just looking at me like, please, stop. Kind of like what I get at home from my wife sometimes. That's enough. We're good.

Hopefully not too much. Just throw the ball to Ashley Joens. That will be our secret. Sorry.

Q. 28-win season for you guys. How do you translate that in-season success to the postseason especially when fatigue can sometimes come in March?

BILL FENNELLY: For us it's always been -- and I know this is going to be the ultimate cliche and bore people, and these guys who follow us a lot know -- we have been a next-40-minute mentality all year long, and what we've told our kids is we're writing a book, and every game is a chapter in the book.

Some chapters aren't as good, and some are really good, but it's all about the next 40 minutes. You work your ever-loving you-know-what off to get to this point, and we are not -- it's embrace who you are and don't apologize for what you're not.

At 9:39 or whatever time we play Friday night, Iowa State is going to show up and play hard, and hopefully good enough to win a game, but we are going to play hard, and we're going to play the right way.

Q. Coach Fennelly, I was just wondering, you know, this Creighton-Iowa State series used to be pretty regular in the '90s and the early 2000s. I just wonder when you look at the teams now, how different do they look in terms of style of play and just where their programs are at compared to when they used to go at it every year?

BILL FENNELLY: Yeah, that's a good question. I don't think they're that different. We used to play Creighton every year and then conference affiliations changed. We were playing -- we play UNI, Drake, and Iowa every year. The Big 12 went to 18 conference games, so we ended up not playing Creighton.

But I think their style of play is eerily the same. We had some really good games with them I think it's probably been 10, 12 years since we've played, but I don't see their style being that different.

Q. You talked a lot about the importance of defense, especially in this game. Lexi has been a valuable part of that. How will you try to utilize her? What's kind of your defensive game plan with her?

BILL FENNELLY: No, we're going to use Lex on a lot of different people. I think Lex can defend three or four different people on their team. They don't have an overwhelming size that she can't match up with, so we're going to move her around.

I think, obviously, she is someone that we build our defensive game plan around. If someone gets hot, we can move her to another person. I think Emily can do that as well, so Lex will be on a lot of different people throughout the game. I would say at least three.

Again, who knows how the game goes? There's always foul situations and who handles things differently, but she'll be out there guarding a lot of different people.

Thank you. Appreciate you all being here.

Iowa State Cyclones (Ashley Joens, Emily Ryan, Lexi Donarski)
Sweet 16 Media Conference

Q. I was wondering what's the challenge been like prepping for Creighton, and what do they do that you guys have had to work on?

ASHLEY JOENS: Creighton is a pretty similar team to us. They like to shoot threes, so just kind of understanding their personnel. And they run a lot of motion offense, so just kind of understanding what they like to do and their tendencies.

LEXI DONARSKI: I like what Ash said. They shoot the three well and they're super, super active without the ball, setting lots of screens and cuts, so that will be something we have to focus on defensively.

EMILY RYAN: No, they pretty much covered it. They're a really good team, really active, and can obviously shoot the three ball well.

Q. Lexi, Coach Fennelly was talking about how important you're going to play defensively in this game. What kind of unique challenge does Creighton offer from that side of it, and I guess where does it kind of match up with some of the other things you've had to face defensively this year?

LEXI DONARSKI: I would say the biggest thing is the way they shoot the three that's different from what we've seen for quite a few games now.

Most of the teams we've been playing are really more focused on attacking than shooting the three, so that will be the biggest adjustment. You just have to stay at least one step closer and have your hand up.

Q. Ashley, we didn't get to talk to you after the game on Sunday, but I feel like this is a moment for you that's a long time coming, getting to the Sweet 16 after being so close last year, and then obviously COVID the year before that. Just what have the last 72 hours been like for you and getting here? Coach Fennelly was talking about the police escort and all that type of stuff and all the cool things. Just what has it been like for you?

ASHLEY JOENS: It's been really exciting, especially with the team. I think we have a really close group, and just kind of getting to experience it with them has been a lot of fun. We just want to keep getting better and trying to get further into the tournament to our next game coming up, and we have to focus on that.

When it's time to focus, it's business time, and afterwards we can kind of relax, have some fun, and get ready to go.

Q. Iowa State, one of three to have the men and the women in the Sweet 16. I was wondering if maybe you have shared that excitement with the guys, and also what it says about Iowa State to have both sides represent.

ASHLEY JOENS: I think it's really exciting for all of Iowa State just to kind of see where the men's program is at last year and kind of the improvement they've had this year, and to be able to see them get to experience the Sweet 16 as well is exciting for them and exciting for us. We're both excited to see how each team does.

EMILY RYAN: It brings a lot of energy to Ames. There was a little buzz on campus this week when we were in class, so just having two teams in the Sweet 16 is something that doesn't happen very often.

And I'm glad our fans get to experience it, and we're going to come out ready to play tomorrow.

LEXI DONARSKI: Yeah, it's just been a fun place to be at. There is a lot of excitement. Everyone is working hard to get ready for these next games.

Q. Maybe for Lexi and Emily. Nya is wearing a mask, I understand. How does this -- is it a unique mask or just a generic one? What does she look like? How does that play out?

EMILY RYAN: Yeah, she did break her nose so she's wearing a mask. She's handled it really, really well. I don't know if I would be able to handle it as well as she has. She's been practicing with it, and I honestly can't even tell a difference in the way she's been playing.

She's still aggressive in there, so credit to her and how tough she's been this week, and I'm ready to play with her tomorrow.

LEXI DONARSKI: Like what Em said. Her nose is broken in three spots, and we haven't even been able to tell a difference. She hasn't missed a day of practice or anything like that. She's been ready to go and looking really solid.

ASHLEY JOENS: Just kind of what they said. She hasn't looked any different. She is still out there trying to help the team and impact success in any way.

It's been really great to see her kind of continue to attack this even though she has a broken nose and has to wear a mask.

Q. You guys were kind of talking about Creighton and playing that similar style. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but teams like Oklahoma, Drake, teams that can shoot like that, you guys have upended them both defensively and offensively all year. Does that give you a little bit more confidence or moxie coming into this game?

LEXI DONARSKI: It helps that we have played teams that have a similar offensive style to them. I mean, we just have to be prepared for their personnel specifically coming into this game, but it does help to have some experience with teams that are as active and shoot it as well as they do.

ASHLEY JOENS: Like she said, it helps to play teams that have similar offenses as Creighton, but Creighton is their own team, and we have to focus on their personnel and take it one game at a time.

EMILY RYAN: That pretty much covered it.

Q. Obviously, in Iowa, the state of Iowa you know a lot about the other team from the Big Ten that didn't make it here. I'm curious, when Creighton wins a game like that, how much is -- they're a lower seed, but does that -- do you take notice of that and say, wow, that's -- you can't take a team lightly in this tournament? Does that leave that impression on you when you see something like that?

LEXI DONARSKI: We've always been focused on the next game, and we don't really worry about who that opponent is going to be because we're focused on the game that's next for us.

They've beaten a lot of good teams throughout the season, so we know that we really need to focus in, buy into our scouting report, and play a good game tomorrow.

Q. There are four players who scored in double figures against Georgia. I know this team has a lot of depth. How important is it to know whoever you're passing it to, they can score, everyone can defend?

EMILY RYAN: It was good to have balanced scoring against Georgia for sure. When we're playing like that, I think that's when we're at our best.

So just knowing we have several options on the offensive end makes it harder for teams to guard us, and just knowing that there can be a different person that's hot every night is really a benefit to us for sure.

Q. For all of you, but what has Morgan brought to the table this year?

ASHLEY JOENS: Yeah, it's been great to kind of see Mo kind of grow throughout her four years here, and just from last year to this year towards the end of the season she had to play a big role, and just to see that she's understood her role a little better this year and she knows where to get into the right spots at the right times.

And so it's been really fun just to watch her continue to grow, and I think each game she gets a little better.

LEXI DONARSKI: It's been really fun to watch her grow. She's gotten a lot better at finishing and scoring on her defender, and she also knows the right time to kick the ball out for an open three.

EMILY RYAN: Yeah, just seeing the way she's worked so hard in the offseason and throughout this season, and to see her growth is something that I'm really glad is happening for her because she works so hard with it.

Just seeing the hard work pay off for her is something that I'm really glad we're able to witness.

Q. This is for Ashley. You've put so much time and effort and dedication to this program, finally here at the Sweet 16. Have you had a chance to kind of take it in even though I know you're focusing on the game and all that? Have you had a chance to take in all the work you've done to get yourself and this program here?

ASHLEY JOENS: Yeah, a little bit. Just kind of understanding where it all started as a little kid and kind of seeing the dream kind of continue to grow. Just where we're at now. It's been exciting to be here with this team. We're really close, so just kind of getting to experience it with them, like I said.

And, of course, the game is a huge part, so just focusing in and knowing we have to take the next step and continue to get better and be ready for this game.

Q. Creighton coming in as a 10 seed, they're kind of making a Cinderella run, but March is a really dangerous time to be hot. How do you keep yourself from underestimating what they can do?

EMILY RYAN: They're an incredibly talented team. Anyone that makes the tournament in the first place is going to be really good, but to be in the Sweet 16, it shows a lot of their program and how they do things.

So they're a great opponent, and we're going to have to play really well to beat them. Today we're going to have a really good practice so we can get ready to do that.

LEXI DONARSKI: We don't overlook anyone and we take it one game at a time. We're not focused on the future or anything. Just the game at hand. We've been focusing on Creighton who is a really solid team and has made a great run in this tournament, and we're excited to get to play.

ASHLEY JOENS: I think they covered it.

Q. Ashley, was that the team's best defensive game the other day against Georgia? It looks like it may have been on the surface, and is that something that maybe is even -- makes you guys even tougher?

ASHLEY JOENS: Yeah, I think our defense plays a big role into how well we play, so when we can get some stops, and it kind of translates into our offense, so I think we have to take a lot of pride in our defense and really buying into our scouting report and come ready to go.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports