Creighton University
23-10,15-5Big East
South Carolina
33-2,15-1SEC
Women's Basketball Ends Postseason Run in Regional Finals
3/27/2022 8:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Bluejays close the year with 23 victories
With the win, South Carolina (33-2) will play on Friday at the Final Four in Minneapolis against the winner of Monday's Louisville/Michigan game, while Creighton ends its season with a 23-10 mark.
Creighton's Lauren Jensen was named to the All-Tournament Team of the Greensboro Regional after sharing for the CU lead (along with Morgan Maly) with 57 points in the postseason and scoring in double-figures all four contests.
Creighton got a defensive stop to start the game and Emma Ronsiek converted a lay-up on the other to give the Bluejays an early 2-0 lead. A Payton Brotzki three-pointer put CU up 5-4 before the Gamecocks made five straight shots to move in front 13-5. The Gamecocks would not trail again. Creighton got within 15-12 before USC stretched its lead to 23-16 after one quarter. Molly Mogensen, who came up with big play after big play in CU's First Round win vs. Colorado, was carried off the floor with 4:28 left in the quarter unable to put any weight on her right ankle and didn't return to the floor until the start of the second quarter. She would be limited to nine minutes for the contest.
Creighton trailed just 25-18 early in the second quarter before a 19-2 run over the next seven minutes saw the top seed pull away from the Jays. CU scored five of the final seven points of the second quarter and trailed 46-25 at intermission, its largest halftime deficit of the season. Rachael Saunders led CU with six points and three rebounds in the first half while Tatum Rembao dished four of CU's 10 assists before the break. South Carolina's Aliyah Boston made 6-of-7 shots and had 14 points at the break to lead all players.
Down big on the scoreboard, the Bluejays stayed in the fight, opening the third quarter on a 12-9 run to get within 18 (55-37) before the Gamecocks scored the next nine points and owned a 64-40 lead after three quarters. The Gamecocks scored the first six points of the fourth quarter and led by as much as 35 (80-45) before a game-ending 5-0 surge by CU.
Jensen led Creighton with 12 points, her fifth straight game in double-figures. The Bluejays won the bench battle 27-26 in points but could not overcome 37.5 percent shooting from the field (21-56), 33.3 percent marksmanship from deep (7-21) and 20 percent accuracy at the charity stripe (1-5).
South Carolina's Aliyah Boston had her streak of 27 consecutive double-doubles snapped, as the National Player of the Year front-runner finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. Victaria Saxton notched her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds., while Destanni Henderson and Brea Beal both scored 12 points. Boston was named the MVP of the Greensboro Regional.
NOTES: Tonight was the first meeting ever between Creighton and South Carolina ... South Carolina has trailed for a total of 4:43 in four NCAA Tournament games, and never by more than two points ... Creighton has made a three-pointer in 454 straight games, the nation's seventh-longest active streak ...Creighton's 668 assists lead the nation. No other active team has more than WNIT semifinalist South Dakota State (634) ... Tatum Rembao had six assists and leads the nation's seniors with exactly 200, a figure that's second-most in Bluejay single-season history ... Creighton 334 three-pointers are a school-record for one season ... Creighton came up one win shy of becoming the first double-digit seed to make the Final Four ... Creighton fell to 2-3 this season against top-25 teams and 12-41 under Jim Flanery against the top-25 ... The Bluejays are now 0-3 all-time against No. 1 ranked teams ... South Carolina clinched its fourth trip to the Final Four, and second consecutive ... Lauren Jensen was 1-for-1 at the stripe and has buried 15 free throws consecutively, while Morgan Maly made her final 26 attempts of the season despite not getting to the line on Sunday ... Creighton has been led in scoring by a sophomore in each of its last 25 games, including Lauren Jensen tonight ... South Carolina leads the nation in scoring defense (50.5) for the season and has allowed just 41.3 points per contest in four NCAA Tournament games .. Creighton's seniors are Tatum Rembao, Payton Brotzki and Chloe Dworak.
Creighton Bluejays Elite 8 Postgame (Jim Flanery, Tatum Rembao, Lauren Jensen)
Media Conference
South Carolina 80 - Creighton 50
MODERATOR: It's a pleasure to introduce to the stage Creighton head coach Jim Flanery as well as Tatum Rembao and Lauren Jensen. Coach, an opening statement when you're ready.
COACH FLANERY: Sure. Obviously congratulations to South Carolina. They were a lot better than us tonight, and they have a phenomenal team, a phenomenal program. They physically was -- we just didn't match up physically tonight and didn't do some of the things probably that could have helped us there. But a lot of that had to do with us. I mean it certainly wasn't our finest two hours, but credit goes to them, and they'll represent, I think, really well in the Final Four.
To our team, just really been an unreal ten days. But also just a tremendous season. We're super proud of what we accomplished and how we accomplished it. And that's what I just told them in the locker room. I think it's not just how we play on the court. It's who we are off the court.
And I know that those two things kind of intertwine and affect each other, and I think that the love that our players have for each other helps us become a better basketball team. And then when you experience the joy of success on the basketball team, it bonds you off the court.
So a lot of good things ahead for Creighton. Sad to see our three seniors go, but this season creates quite a legacy and expectations going forward. So, yeah, again, we'll flush tonight and focus on all the great things that we did this year, and particularly in the last ten days.
MODERATOR: As a reminder we'll take questions for our student-athletes first.
Q. Tatum, tell us what the challenge was like out there. What was difficult about playing and being successful tonight?
TATUM REMBAO: Obviously they're a lot bigger than us. Their whole entire roster, they maybe have two girls that are smaller than our biggest girl. So we knew that going in. And we didn't start the game off great with scout defense, and they took advantage of it.
LAUREN JENSEN: Yeah. Obviously South Carolina is a great team. That's why they're the No. 1 overall seed. Like Tatum said, they are very big, very undersized in that category. I feel like there were times where we had all five blue jerseys in the paint going after boards and they still somehow came out with the rebound. So that was kind of a struggle for us tonight. And, yeah, they're just a solid, tough team.
Q. What were they doing just to take you guys out of your game from the three-point line, if anything, defensively? I know you guys were held a little bit below your average there.
LAUREN JENSEN: Yeah. I mean, their pressure was really good, especially coming out of the gates. I feel like that was an adjustment for us. We knew it was going to be hard. But they were denying and getting up on everyone. I feel like we settled in a little bit. Our second quarter was a little rough there. We went on a big scoring drought. But that was tough for us.
TATUM REMBAO: Yeah, I think just their pressure. And I feel like we missed a couple of bunnies early that you could kind of tell that the nerves were there. So I think once we kind of settled in, it was just knowing who to screen, and I don't think we did a very good job of that.
Q. Tatum, when you and Payton checked out I think like two minutes left, I don't know if you noticed, but the entire South Carolina bench was clapping. Their fans were clapping. Kind of felt like everyone was trying to give you an ovation on the way out. How does that feel, and how is it going to create a lasting memory for you?
TATUM REMBAO: Kind of a numbing feeling. Really frustrated and angry that we lost, but also just like really joyful that I got to experience all that I got to experience these last ten days and these last five years.
Q. Tatum, you obviously took a gamble coming back this year to kind of write a better ending for yourself, and I just wondered if you're able to encapsulate all this year has meant to you, especially with the unprecedented legacy you're going to leave behind because of this run?
TATUM REMBAO: Yeah. I think my teammates and I have really just loved every second of this year, celebrating each other, really just getting to live life with each other and coming to practice every single day. There were very few days where every single person didn't show up with a smile on their face.
And to be able to do what we did and make it to the Elite Eight, I am so proud of every single person in that locker room. We knew that we were good enough to be here and we believed that we could be here, and we showed a lot of people that we did deserve to be here.
Q. Molly went down with a leg injury like the middle of the first quarter, and then it kind of felt like the floodgates opened for South Carolina. How did that change the game for you guys?
LAUREN JENSEN: Yeah. You know, Molly is huge for us. She's super tough on defense, and she's great for us on offense as well. And so when she went down with that, that was obviously tough for us.
Honestly, even though it looked pretty bad, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that she would probably end up coming back in the game because that's the type of player she is. Super tough.
But, yeah, that definitely hurt us there in the second quarter, but thankfully she was able to come back and we were able to string together some possessions and stops.
TATUM REMBAO: It really hurt us when she went down. Defensively, she's gritty. She's tough. She gets defensive boards. But like Lauren said, she's the toughest kid I know, and you knew that she was going to come back in the game no matter how much pain she was in. And all the credit to her for that because she didn't give up on us at all.
Q. Lauren, it sets the table for some exciting expectations going forward. Obviously you guys have a tremendous class. How do you feel like this experience the last ten days can help for the future of the program?
LAUREN JENSEN: Yeah. It's been a great experience, you know, being able to play in the NCAA tournament and make a deep run. Like you said, we're a young team. Obviously we're going to miss Tatum's leadership and Payton and Chloe. It's going to be a tough loss there.
But even though it's tough with this loss and it's going to sting, it's also exciting looking toward the future to see what we can do with this program and how this team can respond for next year, because I know we're probably going to let this one hurt for a little bit, but we'll all be back in the gym soon and be ready for next year.
MODERATOR: Congratulations to you on a great season for you and your teammates. You may head back to the locker room. Let's go ahead and open it up for questions for coach.
Q. Aliyah Boston is such a physical presence even when she doesn't have the ball. She sort of has her own gravity, I guess, in terms of how you have to defend and have so many bodies around her. How much of an impact do you think she had -- she didn't have a huge line like she did against North Carolina, but she's such a physical presence, especially on the glass?
COACH FLANERY: Right. And when you're playing that much attention to her, you're giving up six offensive rebounds to Saxton maybe because you have to come off her body, or you're just in that position.
Yeah, they do a really good job of getting the ball in the middle of the floor. And now you've kind of got an either/or situation on a duck in, and they split our traps. I mean, we -- you know, we didn't do a good job of forming a trap that they couldn't split.
My regret is that we didn't work on it enough in practice. But obviously when you got one day and you get off the court at whatever time we did, you know, you can't do a lot of live stuff on that middle day.
But I thought it was really telling that we weren't where we needed to be. But even if we'd have been better, I don't know. You don't know if it would have been that much of a difference maker.
I think technically we could have done some things better. But you also don't how much of a difference that makes because you just don't see that size. I mean, we have a couple of practice boys that are probably close, but not quite where she is.
But I think it's accumulation of all their bigs. It's not just her. I mean, like I said, Saxton really hurt us, Amihere hurt us. And, you know, the other part was we gave up some threes to the shooters in that first half that I thought really hurt us.
But, yeah, she's tough to deal with.
Q. It's obviously hard to simulate that type of size even with some of those practice players you might have. Once the game begins and you start to see what those matchups are looking like, how do you even begin to try and adjust or account for that?
COACH FLANERY: Well, I yelled at them. (Laughs). Maybe done that before. Yeah. We just seemed a little hesitant. We talked about the angles that we needed to come down to get into a trap, and I just felt like we weren't -- you know, we talked about being in a position where we could do it quickly. We had to be off enough to get there.
But, yeah, I thought we were hesitant. I mean, and I should have used more timeouts. But, again, we didn't have a lot of prep time. And they can say the same thing. I think we're a reasonably hard team to prepare for on one-day prep. We didn't get there, and some of it is it wouldn't have mattered.
But I thought we had a better game plan setup than what I witnessed the first half. And that happens sometimes. Right? You think you -- you think you've gone over it and told them exactly what they need to do, but, again, with one-day prep, I just felt like we were a little erratic in terms of our understanding of where we needed to be and how quickly we needed to get into a trap.
And they run enough different things, too. It's not always easy to identify that. I thought that was the case as well.
But, yeah, I thought our defensively we weren't as sharp as we needed to be to give us a chance to kind of stay in the game and kind of maybe get to the point where our offense caught up a little bit.
Q. Coach, just general question, but how are you going to remember this run? What do you think it means to you?
COACH FLANERY: Yeah. It means a lot. I think we had a lot of alums make the trip down here, a lot of them made the trip to Iowa City. I know they had a watch party back in Omaha of alums. So for me it's about just seeing how invested everybody who's played for Creighton women's basketball was over the course of this.
And I think that -- as someone who's been at Creighton as long as I have been at Creighton, that's probably the biggest thing that I am proud of and amazed by and what makes me -- because I've coached so many people who were either here in person or texting or gathering at Omaha, and I think it kind of displays what it meant to them to put a Creighton uniform on.
And this team I think represented the best of the best. But I think you also want to think about all those who came before them because I think they're a part of that legacy, too.
Q. Flan, you talked about not wanting to let Aliyah get to the free throw line. She did quite a bit, and so did Saxton and Henderson. Why do you think that they were able to get there so much?
COACH FLANERY: Sure. Well, I mean, a lot of them were second chances where they're just a little bit longer. You know, when you get a deep post up and you miss or the post on the opposite block misses, I mean, sometimes you're just -- you're buried underneath the basket, and length and size is difficult.
We didn't do a great job of peeling back. I mean, we talked about -- I said we have to have five on the glass every single time they shoot the ball. And, you know, we weren't as good as we needed to be there, too.
So it wasn't just our bigs not being maybe quite physical enough at times. But some of it was just natural height and strength. Some of it was our bigs not being quite physical enough, and some of it was our guards not being quite committed to dropping down and helping as the shot went up. So, yeah.
Q. You mentioned that the expectations changed. I want to know a little bit more about that. How do you think the expectations changed, and how are you going to replace the seniors that are leaving next year as much as you can?
COACH FLANERY: Sure. Well, I think that, you know, it's going to be tough to replace our seniors because they did such a great job of guiding our younger players. And we have some really -- obviously our sophomore class is really talented from a production-performance standpoint, they kind of stand out.
But I think older players can lift those players up in tough times and times of doubt, and even really good players doubt themselves at times, and I think our seniors were really good at kind of getting those guys to believe that they're as good as they are and keeping them in a space where they're positive most of the time.
And so -- but I think the success that we had will for sure carry over, and I think leadership lessons carry over, too. I mean, I think that's -- we talk about culture, and, you know, I've told people from 2008 to 2021 we did not lose a kid to a transfer. Okay. So we've had two transfers in 14 years.
So I tell people all the time when you have junior and senior voices in the locker room, that's really important because those freshmen and sophomores are going to go through tough times, times of doubt, times of am I good enough, school is hard, I'm homesick, all that stuff. But we've always had kids in the locker room who can relate and say, yeah, I know, freshman year is tough.
And so I think by the time they get to be juniors and seniors, then they understand that that's what they have to do, and I think our younger players will do that. They'll step into that role because they know how much they got helped. And last year, especially obviously with COVID, was a ridiculously difficult freshman year for those kids.
Q. Flan, just along that note, I wondered if you would humor me in a long-winded answer just of what Tatum, Payton and Chloe have brought to your program and to this team in particular and helping it get to a place that I don't imagine that a lot of people thought it could get to.
COACH FLANERY: Did you say you wanted a long-winded answer?
Q. Yes, I do.
COACH FLANERY: I'm really good at those. You know that.
Q. Yes.
COACH FLANERY: Yeah. Think about it. Chloe played less this year than any year she's ever played at Creighton, and yet she never was a distraction. She never pouted. She never became any sort of an issue. She accepted it. She came to practice every day. She worked. She made her teammates better, and she was ready when she was called on.
So that's a great lesson in unselfishness. And I tell people -- I tell our team all the time, people outside the locker room don't know how important that is, because it is important.
And then Payton had easily the best season, year of her career. I'm really happy for her. She played with so much joy and confidence this year, and I think that allowed her even to become a better leader, because I think when you feel good about where your game is and how much you're having fun, it's really ease to spread that, and I think she did a great job of that.
And then Tatum, I just thought her -- and I knew this would happen because I felt like she came back for the right reasons. She came back because she wanted to have a great fifth year on the basketball court and be and lead a younger team, and she was amazing that way.
Those of you who don't know her or just got to know her these last few days, she's high energy. She's positive. She's a great listener. I know that they like to go to her.
And so they're all three special, and we're going to miss them all. That wasn't too bad, was it?
Q. No. That was good. Thank you.
MODERATOR: And on that note, thank you very much.
COACH FLANERY: Thank you, guys. Thanks for being here.
South Carolina Gamecocks (Dawn Staley, Destanni Henderson, Aliyah Boston, Victaria Saxton, Brea Beal)
Elite 8 Postgame Media Conference
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MODERATOR: Congratulations. Joined on the dais by Destanni Henderson, Aliyah Boston, Victaria Saxton and Brea Beal.
Q. If you could each take this. It seemed like there was more of a concerted effort to really drive the ball and play early on and knock them back on their heels. Was that the game plan coming in?
DESTANNI HENDERSON: I don't think it was really our main focus, but just to do what's working. So I felt like it was really important for the people who wasn't getting pressured to definitely drive, because you have so much space. So just to execute and just see what's in front of you.
ALIYAH BOSTON: Yeah, I think people attacking the rim was just solely reading defense, and they did what they needed to do to score.
VICTARIA SAXTON: I just think everybody was looking at the defense and seeing what was going on. Like Henny said, those that are getting pressured, they're just going out there and attacking, and that helped, and that's what they did.
BREA BEAL: Yeah, I definitely think this game we definitely made adjustments as far as me and Lele, they're sagging on us. What else could we do, which was drive to the basket, drive and kick. So I think as a team we did make some great adjustments.
Q. This is obviously a goal that you guys set from the end of last season to get back to this point. How do you feel now that you've accomplished it knowing there's still a little bit left?
ALIYAH BOSTON: It's exciting, but we just said in the locker room we still have unfinished business and we still have two more games to play.
VICTARIA SAXTON: I agree. I just think that we gotta know we have unfinished business and go out there and do what we have to do to handle it.
BREA BEAL: I think again, what they said, just continue to stay level headed. And again we have two more games. So keep doing us.
DESTANNI HENDERSON: And agree with all three of them. (Laughs). Yeah, just know that we still have unfinished business, to take in the moment right now and be happy for how far we've came. But we're not done at the end of the day just not get too high with the high and too low with the lows.
Q. Aliyah, who was it -- I guess it was Coach Chmiel maybe who jumped in your arms and hugged you on the court, and you were actually holding him up.
ALIYAH BOSTON: Yeah. (Laughs).
Q. Was it also last year him that held you when you were as emotional as you were with the last shot? Do you remember, against Stanford? I think he hugged you on the court?
ALIYAH BOSTON: Yeah. He did.
Q. I was just curious. Some players take motivation differently than others. How much did you sort of think about replaying all those final seconds in your head all year as a motivation to get back to this point or did you at all?
ALIYAH BOSTON: Yeah. No, I didn't replay any of that. I think part of growing up and maturing is being able to move on. So that happened last season, but that's not something that I can continue to think about or else there wouldn't be any progress. So I've let go of that since last season and we've moved on.
Q. Guys, going back to obviously even last season, the workouts and the winter and being able to get to this point, I'm sure it's extremely draining and you probably get sick and tired of talking with us after these games. Getting back to this point, though, how sweet is it to be able to get that victory and see the confetti come down and know this is one piece of the puzzle to be able to get back to that ultimate goal to hopefully get to a National Championship?
BREA BEAL: I think it's just amazing to see like all the work we've put together. We had a few young pieces come in and just seeing them be able to come in and gel with us, be great at what they're best at. It's a cool thing to sit back and watch.
VICTARIA SAXTON: It's exciting just to be able to get back here. And it's exciting to see everybody come in and just take their role upon them and just play as best they can, and I think everybody is coming in and doing that.
DESTANNI HENDERSON: It's been a long season of workouts and stuff. We've worked hard. We're very excited about it and can't wait to see what's next.
STUDENT-ATHLETE: I feel like it's well deserved. Everybody has stepped up to the plate. We're all happy for each other and just living in this moment and just being present and just being happy for one another.
It's just a blessing. And we've came so far. So we're not done yet. And that's just what it is.
Q. Ladies, congratulations. Just wondering if you guys have any winter coats, if you're going to have to go to the store this week. They are calling for a little bit of snow. Just wondering?
ALIYAH BOSTON: I think it's all shorts and tank top weather. That's what we're packing. Right?
BREA BEAL: I'll have my coat on me. Yeah.
MODERATOR: Sounds like you got a very straight answer. So let's go ahead and take our next question.
Q. Congratulations to all of you for what you've achieved. This is for anyone who has an opinion. And it may be that none of you do. But your coach, of course, signed a very impressive contract this fall, the seven-year deal, for 22 million. I believe she said she hoped it would be a benchmark for investment in the game. You guys are not ADs, I understand, but you're young women, and I'm wondering if that said anything to you about what women should expect in the workplace and maybe should demand if it's not offered.
ALIYAH BOSTON: Well, Coach Staley, what a queen, first of all, and she's done so much for the game of basketball. So everything that she's getting she deserves, and she deserves more. Sorry. She really deserves everything that she has coming for her, and I'm just really proud of her, and go get that check, honey!
DESTANNI HENDERSON: Just to piggyback off of her, I feel like she's done put in the work over the years. So many times, and I feel like when you do that, you can demand things and make it happen. I feel like she's in that position to do those things because she's helped so many people and just brought in and created a family for the University of South Carolina as a whole.
And other people around the world who watch her or just watch the game of basketball, I feel like she's done an amazing job from the coaching standpoint and just outside of basketball.
Q. Aliyah, I know winning is the only thing that matters, your personal accolades come second. But I gotta ask, is it bittersweet to see the double-double streak come to an end? Or were you just too focused on winning and celebrating?
ALIYAH BOSTON. We're on to the Final Four. So as the streak ends, it's all right. But we're still playing. So that's all that matters.
Q. With all four of you in double figures, that doesn't happen all the time. What do you think that says about kind of the cohesion of this team and how balanced you are across the board?
BREA BEAL: I mean, it just shows like how well we gel together because we've been playing with each other for a while now. But it just shows like us going out there not thinking, just playing freely, just playing off each other, playing with each other. It's just amazing.
VICTARIA SAXTON: I just go back to our roles. I just feel like everybody, we're out there playing our role and we're doing what we have to do. And like she said, we gel. So I feel like that plays a big part.
ALIYAH BOSTON: And I think it also shows that everybody is ready to step up at any time. Everybody did a great job scoring, Brea especially when she was attacking the basket. It's like you can't really stop that.
DESTANNI HENDERSON: Yeah, I feel like all of us just being on the same page and just having one goal and keeping the main thing the main thing has just made everything a lot more simple for us when everybody is on the same page.
So I feel like that's what's been happening with us, and we just gotta stay focused.
Q. I know in last year's run, y'all were thinking about how Ty and Kiki were robbed of the opportunity a couple of years ago. Is that still in your minds during this run?
DESTANNI HENDERSON: That's not really something I'm thinking about, because I mean, we all got robbed. (Laughs). But we are fortunate to be in this position and make it happen for ourselves, and also for them, because they deserve the opportunity as well. So it's just something that's in the back of our heads, but it's not something that we're trying to get down over ourselves.
ALIYAH BOSTON: I agree with that. I think it's definitely in the back of our minds, and we know that Ty and Kiki are definitely supporting us through our run right now.
STUDENT-ATHLETE: I also agree that it is something in the back of our minds, but we have something else in front of us right now that we have to worry about.
BREA BEAL: Yeah, definitely to keep the ball rolling, we gotta stay in the present and worry about what's going on right now and what's going on the next day. Yeah, sometimes it crossed my mind, I'm not going to lie.
Q. I wanted to ask at the end there everybody celebrating with the band, everybody coming over and dancing with the band. What was that moment like and being able to celebrate this with so many fans, it seems like everybody took the time to really save or that moment.
VICTARIA SAXTON: It's amazing to just be able to see all of our fans here. Our band, I love our band. They come and bring so much joy to us. They love us. It's just exciting to be able to enjoy this moment with everyone.
ALIYAH BOSTON: I agree with that. I think it was just a fun moment, and it's also just adding onto just celebrating each other because we're on to the Final Four. So just being able to listen to music and show off our dance moves was pretty fun.
DESTANNI HENDERSON: I agree. I feel like the energy is really amazing. I feel like that moment is something we can always look back on and just adding on to the memories.
BREA BEAL: Yeah. I just think it shows the connection within our community. Like we really love one another, and they love us. We love them. We love the energy they bring. They get us going. They keep us going. So, yeah, it's amazing.
Q. Destanni and Victaria, obviously with this being your guys' last time around, I'm just curious if you guys have already maybe felt a little different sense of the mindset heading into this year's Final Four as opposed to last year, and if so, would you mind kind of expounding a little on what you're feeling mentally at this point?
DESTANNI HENDERSON: I feel like last year it was our first time, and this year I feel like we know what it feels like now. So I just feel like just adding on to the leadership and just being leaders on the court and just making sure everybody else is on the same page.
So I just feel like that's just really what it is is just a growth, and I feel like we both display that on the court.
VICTARIA SAXTON: I will also say taking in the leadership and being able to lead going into the Final Four considering we've been there before. Even some of the other girls that's been there before, they can lead from their standpoint. I just really think that we just need to make sure everybody knows what to expect and things like that.
COACH STALEY: I just want to say that being here in Greensboro and all the people, you walk in the arena, at the hotel, really made us feel special. And I know I'm one that really looks at, you know, and I feel when people are genuinely just happy and inviting and host our tournament.
And we felt that every time we walked in the door, it was always a greeting. It was always, you know, how you doing. And that makes me feel really good, because it gives our players like an incredible like student-athlete experience. It's not all about basketball. It's a big part of it. But when you walk into an arena and you feel the love for everyone that's working here, the yellow coats and everyone, the people at the hotel, the proximity, were just incredible, just over the top.
And then I'd like to just kind of think Creighton. I mean, congratulate them on a tremendous year. Nobody probably had them in their bracket being in the Elite Eight first time in their program history. And it is really something to be proud of.
I mean, we had a lot of firsts a few years ago, and I hope they hold on to it and come back stronger and move further in the tournament because it only strengthens our game and it helps our game. So congratulations to them.
And I just want to say to our local media who have been just examples of treating our program like a real sport, for years, like years. This isn't like, you know, it just happened. You cover us. You wear your heart in your writings. You wear it when you're in front of the public on our local news. And you wear it. You know, we win, you feel it. We lose, you feel it. And we can feel that in how you cover our team. We really appreciate it for treating us that way because every program doesn't get what we get, and I value what you do for us. So thank you.
Q. Dawn, thank you for that. This has been a goal all year, and now that you're here, how do you strike the balance between celebrating a hard-won regional title but also realizing you got business to take care of in Minneapolis?
COACH STALEY: Yeah, we got a couple of days to do it. Our players celebrated. They'll probably celebrate again. I hope they go to class tomorrow. And then, you know, we got a quick turnaround, because I think we leave on Tuesday.
So I think we're going to enjoy it. We don't play until Friday. We'll watch who our opponent would be tomorrow. It feels good to be the first one to go in and kind of watch everybody else sweat it out. But we're going to enjoy it. You got some young players who have no clue what it means to go to a Final Four.
So we'll probably have to -- you know, we'll probably have to hold them back a little bit because they just don't know the whole excitement of it. And then you have some older players who have been here before, and they have one thing on their mind and that is to win a national championship. And we do it game by game. It was pressure-packed the entire season, and it's a relief to know that we're back and now we can settle in and try to get this thing done.
Q. Dawn, thank you again. I wanted to ask, the junior group that you say call themselves the freshmen still, I wanted to ask about seeing them advance to their second straight Final Four, what is it in their mindset that you see that maybe has changed between last year and this year just in terms of maturity and leadership knowing what to expect at this level?
COACH STALEY: I feel that that particular group has learned how to just embrace the margin of error each and every day, and they practice like it. They play like it, you know, even through our losses. They really understood it.
And I think just having the experience of what we had to go through in the Final Four last year, it's helped guide them. But it didn't control them. Like they were unafraid to make plays or do things out there on the floor. So they're just a year older, with a year more understanding of how to navigate through it and not get too high with the highs or low with the lows.
Q. Dawn, I was going to ask about Aliyah, just when you talked about pressure-packed, all year, from the minute she started playing the first game this year, everybody looked at her as All-American. She seems pretty much like she's had the right mindset all year. How important has that been both for her and this team?
COACH STALEY: I think it's truly important. I think when you've had to play under the gun like Aliyah has all season long, she's mature enough to handle it. She's grounded. She knows who she is, and she never gets out in front of anything. She just takes the day as it comes. She takes her play as it comes.
And that's just a real good sign of just maturing and knowing who you are, knowing your worth and knowing that she's probably the Player of the Year. It's hard to play under that gun. And I think it also helps that other people have brought up some other candidates for National Player of the Year. Makes her work a little harder and focus in a little bit more because that's one of the things that she wanted to accomplish.
Q. Dawn, from the Kentucky loss three weeks ago to this moment tonight, what have you learned about your team?
COACH STALEY: Well, I've never lost track of who we were. I mean, we've always been a really good basketball team. Through the two losses that we've had, and you have a tendency to lose focus on who you are when you lose a basketball game. And did we enjoy it? No. We didn't enjoy losing three weeks ago.
But it helped us focus, and we just went back to that margin of error. We didn't -- we let it get out of hand in the SEC tournament championship, and Kentucky made us pay for it. But then we had time to regroup, and then find our way to winning four games to get back to the Final Four. And, you know, I think now we're in a good place to understand. There's no other position in the season that we have to be super focused on those things.
Q. Dawn, as a followup to what you were talking about with the pressure of getting here, now there's going to be even more pressure to perform in the Final Four, just knowing how badly your players want to win a championship. How do you kind of balance knowing that with trying to keep them loose and not letting that pressure overwhelm them?
COACH STALEY: I mean, we've created habits all season long. And the habits that we've had I don't think we'll stray too far from it. We got a core group of players who just want to win, so I think they have a really good pulse on our team.
And they're able to calm things down when needed, and they're also enjoy the moment just like young people. It's what we came to do. This year has been one in which we had a target out there, not a target on our back, we had a target out there to win a national championship. And we put ourselves in this position, and I think win, lose or draw, it won't be from not trying as hard as they can.
Q. Coach, knowing the type of player you were coming out of college and seeing that you almost kind of transferred that same energy to your players, do you hope that your players will transfer that same energy to girls who look up to them and also women who look like you who hope to coach like you? What message do you have to players and women who want to do what you and your girls do?
COACH STALEY: I mean, I want our players to be who they are. And I hope that I set an example of sharing, you know, sharing my experiences, my love for the game, my love for the people in the game.
And I just -- and I think they do that. But when we hosted the first and second round of the NCAA tournament the First Four, you don't really realize your impact until you hear other people say things. Like, you know, I think it was the incarnate word, some of their players, really thought it was a big deal to be playing on the court that South Carolina plays on. They thought it was a big deal to just kind of be around the place that I coach.
And when young people do it, like you hear some older people here and there, but when young people who are our competitors say those things, and they're unafraid to say it, like that's what those young ladies felt. And they laid it on the line, even though we're in a competitive battle. That says a whole lot. That makes me feel truly special, and it helps me understand our worth.
You know, our game is being watched by young people, young women, and is being admired by the people that's in it. And I just hope that our players really understand their impact on our game, and hope they give it back. And they do. They do. Without a doubt, they give it back to our fans. They give it back to anybody. They were just so gracious to take pictures with everybody in the arena, no matter if we're going to get back at 3 or 4:00 in the morning. I mean, that's what it's about is paying it forward.
Q. I know we saw some of your coaches maybe struggle being able to cut the net down. They've been able to do this a couple of times, but the point being you guys is you have been able to get here so many times, but yet this is the first time in program history that you guys have been able to reach the Final Four in back-to-back seasons. I know it might not seem like the biggest thing right now, knowing how far this program has come to be able to continue to achieve firsts, even though you've been able to achieve so much over the last couple years. How special is it knowing how far this program has come?
COACH STALEY: It's huge. It's huge. And A'ja Wilson has never been able to do back-to-back Final Fours. So she's gotta give credit to this team.
But, I mean, it's great. I'm just super happy for -- you know, I'm super happy for all of our team, but truly super happy for our juniors who experienced three years ago where we had a pretty darn good team that could have gone far in the tournament and it was just abruptly stopped. And then you're just left holding the bag, like that's it, you know.
And then they come back and get us to the Final Four and lose in a heartbreaking way. And then it's hard to give back. Like our game is so good that, I mean, I was nervous all day today, just, I mean, it was a long day, on a Sunday, nervous, because of who our competition was and just anxious to play, anxious to give back, just so our players can really experience being in the Final Four, our young players. Just understanding how hard it is and also to have them celebrate something as monumental as this is getting back there back to back.
Q. Dawn, your ladies' ability to accept that target on their back and go out and perform the way they've performed through 34 games so far this year, how much would you say is that a reflection on your personality and your, I guess, embracing of the target on your back that maybe you potentially had while you were a player and now a coach?
COACH STALEY: I mean, here it is. I mean, we're going to face whatever music that's playing. We -- I guess I have trust in our players. Like I know them. I know them well. Actually, I know the core of them pretty well.
So I think with that group you just have to look at them, look them in the eye and see where they are, if they're focused, and probably 95 percent of the time -- probably 100 percent of the time they've been focused all season long.
It's probably the younger ones that have, you know, they don't know. They don't play a whole lot, so they got a whole lot going on in their lives, and they really don't understand how to do it every single day, like to be on. I mean, it's really hard to be on every single day.
But we work towards that. It's the very thing that the core group of our team, they came here because of that. They watched us go to Final Fours and win national championships, and they wanted to be in the hot seat like that.
So I think it's a product of our culture. It's a product of our coaching staff and our, you know, our program, all the people in our program. They make this thing work, like every single person, from our DOBO to our director of play, they -- we're working. Like we only show them great examples of working. So wherever that target is, we just perform under the work that we put in.
Q. With the offensive performance you all had tonight, was there any particular adjustment you attribute that to? And what does it mean moving ahead to have had a night where you shot 50 percent from the field?
COACH STALEY: I mean, probably the biggest adjustment we made was on the defensive side of the ball. We just really concentrated on whoever had the ball, that we were going to all-out pressure them and make them put the ball on the floor.
Like I don't think you can allow Creighton -- they did a really good job with us doing that 17 assists on 21 baskets. They averaged 20. They average 30 threes. They averaged 10 makes. So we had to figure out how to take away something, one of the big things that they do to teams.
And then for us from an offensive standpoint, we knew they were going to crowd Aliyah, which would have made it single coverage with our other big. And once they had single coverage, we wanted them to go. And then as the game was going on, they were doubling Aliyah before she had the ball, when she got the ball.
And then it created scoring opportunities for Brea Beal and Lele and some of our other guards, and Henny. Once we have single coverage and we know that they're not going to rotate over because they're going to lean heavy on keeping two people on Aliyah, it made it a lot easier for us to make decisions and make baskets.
Q. Dawn, there's been so many great post players over the years, and I know Aliyah said that she doesn't care that the streak is over, but for you, what's it been like to watch her on this double-double streak as she has shattered the program record, she shattered Sylvia Fowles' record? What's it been like to watch as her coach?
COACH STALEY: I mean, this is what she's supposed to do. Seriously, like that's what she's supposed to do. I mean, I think she's a great talent.
I think it goes to show how relentless she is. She's really a relentless player, relentless rebounder. But when it's all said and done, Aliyah just wants to win, so she's going to do the things to win basketball games, and it's fortunate for us she did it in a double-double fashion.
Q. Going off the question that someone asked before about the celebration with the band, I noticed before the game you were giving fist pumps to everyone in the game day offs row, and then yesterday during the Iowa State-Creighton game you were saying hi to fans who wanted your attention when you could have been scouting. I was wondering where that attentiveness and commitment to finding time for people comes from.
COACH STALEY: I mean, it comes from coaching in Columbia, South Carolina, for 14 years. We give our fans access to us, and in return we lead the nation in attendance for, I don't know, eight years now, seven, eight years.
I mean, it's people -- I'm really conscious of people spending their money, budgeting to come to Greensboro. Some people already had their plane tickets to Minnesota, and they would tell us throughout the year, and it's like, I mean, let's take it one game at a time.
But I'm just happy that they choose our program to spend their money, to bring their families. And it takes a second to take a picture. A second to take a picture. And a second to give them just a memory, an experience. And one of our fans told me his grandmother told him, when you treat people good, they treat you better. And that's what the fans have done in Columbia, South Carolina, in supporting us.
MODERATOR: Two last questions.
Q. Given that there were fewer concerns this year about the tournament with gender equity issues, what do you think is the next move for the NCAA to make?
COACH STALEY: Someone asked that question. It's units. It's being able to get, you know, similar. I mean, I guess equity. Like CBS, TBS, TNT, TRU TV. Right? That's the men's tournament. So when we're able to market ourselves in that way, that's a lot of dollar signs, when you're able to be in all of those networks.
And I'm not saying anything against ESPN, which they do a great job at putting our game forward, but let's make it competitive. Let somebody bid out our tournament and maybe we'll have a few more networks to show our games, and then maybe, just maybe -- and I'm just going to throw this out there -- we're playing at 7 and 9 on a Sunday night. I wonder why. Well, maybe because the men played at 2 and 5.
And I know we're good. I think the men, whether they played at 7 and 9 tonight, would have had a packed house. Doesn't matter. If we played a little bit earlier, maybe we had some more people in the stands. And they did a great job at filling this arena up.
But it's just little things like that that make a huge difference. And I'm not trying to start any controversy, but units, you know. Our game can be a game in which is valuable, like in term of dollars and cents. And once we're able to get there, we'll find our true value.
Q. Coach, you've been here, been to the Final Four before. You're very open about this isn't the final decision. But as you're putting that confetti into your hoodie, as you're savoring those moments, what's going through your mind, and why is it important to really feel that confetti?
COACH STALEY: I mean, it's important because, you know, we are dream merchants for young people. The young people on our team, they want to win. They want to win. They want to go to Final Fours. They want to win national championships. They want to win SEC tournament championships, SEC regular champions. They want to win the Bad Boy Mowers championship in the Bahamas. They want to do all of that.
And we are creating lifelong memories. And I think confetti is just a tangible thing as reminders of what you've accomplished. And I've been a confetti collector for every like championship that we've had. And it is just a constant reminder of going to get it, you know, going to get it, creating these great experiences for our players and our coaches and everybody in our program, because we work really hard.
And it's really hard to get to a Final Four, really hard. So I'm just happy that we're able to do it, and I'm going to keep collecting it.
MODERATOR: Congratulations again and best of luck.
COACH STALEY: Thank you.
