March 27, 2005
Tournament Notes
Tip-off for Monday's Regional Final has been set at 5:04 pm MST.
- All-time match up: This is the first-ever match up between Baylor and North Carolina.
- Streak vs. streak: Both teams will put a two-plus month winning streak on the line on Monday night. Baylor is riding a school-record 17-game win streak while North Carolina has won its last 16 straight games.
- Cutting down the nets: Baylor will be playing in the first Regional final in its history. This will be the third for North Carolina, who has advanced to the Final Four once in two tries, winning the NCAA championship in 1994.
- Who to watch: The forward match up will feature two outstanding scorers facing off on different ends of the court. With a game-high 26 points on Saturday evening, Baylor junior Sophia Young has now scored in double figures in 43 consecutive games. Ivory Latta of the Tar Heels scored 20 points on Saturday night and became just the second player in school history to record 1000 points as a sophomore, eclipsing the mark with 1:55 to go in the second half.
- Ticklin' the twine: Look for Monday's game to be a high-scoring affair as both teams average above 70 points per contest. North Carolina is averaging 79.9 points per game this season while Baylor has recorded a scoring average of 74.2.
North Carolina Press Conference
North Carolina Coach Sylvia Hatchell
(Opening Statement) "We are excited about playing. Baylor is a very good team. They have the same record as us and looking at whom they lost to, it's mighty impressive. They have a real strong inside game. Their guards are very good and even though they don't take a lot of threes, they make what they take. I believe they have the second-leading three-point percentage in the nation. They are an offensive team, as far as scoring. They play good defense, but they score a lot as well. I think that is why they are here. We know that it is going to be another tough battle. We have had a lot of them this year so we are going to concentrate on what we do best and hopefully be successful in this next game."
Q: Talk about Baylor's guards, perimeter play, and their ability to shoot the three?
"They shoot a high percentage from three-point. They make a lot of them. We have to stay on the three point shooters. But one of the most impressive things is their post players; they have a lot of assists. I've looked at their team and a lot of our preparation will be similar to when we play Duke. Hopefully our conference play this year will have prepared us for a team like Baylor. They are strong and they don't have many weaknesses that I have seen. They are very confident and very good."
Q: Talk about the quickness and power of Baylor post players.
"I went and saw Sophia Young yesterday. She is better than I thought. She looked really good yesterday. Her vertical jump gives her such an advantage. We've played a lot of good teams and they're post players may be a little bit quicker than Duke. But if you've seen Duke, their post game is incredible. Our preparation will be a lot like preparing for Duke. Duke has got size, but Baylor is probably more athletic in the post. "
Q: What do you feel you are able to do in the half court offense?
"People talk about our transition game, but when we have had to play half court, we have been very productive. Our first choice is the fast break, but we've faced everything this year. I feel like we can adjust and do whatever we have to do out there to get it done. Our balance is the strength with our team. Looking up here at our five starters, you don't know which one of them, any of them, all of them, hopefully not none of them, will be big for us. We've had games where different players have been our leading scorers and have made threes. We feel like we have the balance to face just about any situation. Like I said, I feel like that is a strength of our team."
Q: Has your style of play evolved since the 1994 championship?
"The 94 team was very athletic, but we didn't fast break as much as this team. The game was different then, it was 11 years ago. We played very good defense that year, but it was half court defense. We weren't out in the passing lanes and trapping like we are now. Our defense was built from the inside out and we played great defense that year. But we also had a big point guard in Marion Jones. There are some similarities, but yet our style is different because at this point the game is different. With this team, I've always been a defensive coach and I've always loved the fast break, even before I got to North Carolina. The fast break game is basketball. It's fan friendly. I hate to watch those games where the score is in the low 40's. I think to myself, 'No wonder people don't want to watch women's basketball, it is boring.' I wouldn't want to either. When you get up and down the floor and see their athletic abilities, its fun to watch. When they dribble through their legs and pass it behind the back, people will say things like, 'Oh, they're hot dogging or this that and the other.' I'll tell you, that is skill. It is just skill. We've had players do those things and the referees will make a call. I'm thinking, 'women can do that too.' I love that style, but I'll tell you right now, our team and our men's teams are a lot alike.
Q: Can you make a pitch to the fans to come and watch Monday's game, despite the home team being eliminated?
"I would tell fans to put on light blue and come out and support both teams. I think its going to be a great game. There are a lot of women's basketball fans in this area and I would hope that they would just come out and support. One of these teams is going to wind up in the Final Four.
"Again, we were so impressed with ASU last night. Their heart and hustle and the environment in the arena makes be believe that they have a tremendous future here with their program. I think that they are just going to get better and better. Last night was their first time in the Sweet 16 in a long while and I think that they are going to do it again and a lot better. Sometimes when you get there you think, 'Okay, we've done this.' Sometimes, you've accomplished the goal and the next time through, they will be even more hungry than they were last night. I don't know how much harder they could have played, but they have got a tremendous program and they will do a lot of great things here.
"As far as the fans, we hope to give them a great game. I just hope people will come out and support women's basketball because two great teams will be playing out here tomorrow."
Q: Will this game be won in the post?
"Somebody has got to give the post players the ball. The guards will be important in this one because the entrance passes to the post will be a major factor. The inside play will be important, no doubt about it, but both teams have excellent guards. I don't want to say that it is going to be an inside team, but the play of the guards will be real important. Rebounding will be big as well. I don't think that you can single out one aspect of the game because both teams are very balanced."
Q: What makes Baylor's Sophia Young the type of player that she is?
"She is a great player and a great athlete. When I saw her jump last night, I was wondering if she was ever going to come back down. She can just jump over the rest of the defense and shoot her shot. There is no way to stop that. You just put somebody big on her and hope that she is not going to be hot in the game. She was extremely impressive. When she is that athletic, she just adds a whole other dimension to guarding her. She jumps higher than anyone I've seen this year.
Q: Do you see the way Kim Mulkey-Robinson played as a player in the way she coaches her team?
"Her team very much reflects her personality. I've known Kim for a long time and had some experiences with her through USA basketball. She is feisty and her team reflects her personality without a doubt. She is a winner and a go-getter. When she took the job at Baylor, I knew that they were in good shape. Winning is a mentality and its an attitude, and she has definitely brought that to her program.
"Her enthusiasm that she exuberates has spread throughout the program. As well, she was very tough on those kids with the discipline she put in because she knew what it took to win. She played in national championships. The mentality that she has brought put Baylor on a different level right away and as she has gotten more athletic players, they have gotten that much better. There is just no doubt about the effect she has had there."
Q: Does this game represent a point in the game where it has become more than just UConn and Tennessee?
"This is my thirtieth year coaching and it is very gratifying to see where t he game has evolved to today. There are so many great players out there and right now, the Sweet 16 match ups would have been national title games 10 years ago. Connecticut-Stanford today could have been a national title game any other year. It shows you how many great programs are out there and how far the women's game has come. I've put so much into the game so it's very gratifying for me. I love the game. I love my job and my team. Many times, I have to pinch myself. I am at the University of North Carolina coaching basketball and they're paying me to do that? This is my heart and my soul and I just love it."
North Carolina freshman forward Erlana Larkins:
Q: Because of Baylor's post game play, is it important to stay out of foul trouble? "I think it is very important to stay out of foul trouble because everyone is needed on the court, so we just have to stay out of foul trouble and play smart. We need to play defense before the ball gets there and play early defense and then when they get the ball play good defense and try to stay on our feet and not go for fakes."
Q: How do you play as well as you do at this age?
"This is my first time here. I am shocked, we're winning, but I am excited although I might not show it, but I'm excited. My teammates have just been helping me along the way since the day I stepped on UNC's campus. Camille [Little], all the post players, and even the guards are trying to help me with post defense, post moves and teaching me new things. I think that has helped me along the way also as far as my success this year."
Q: You were shaking your head at the [UNC F/C] Sean May comparison, do you see any similarities in the style of your game?
"I think there are some similarities, I just think there is a lot of things I can learn from Sean. Like his jumphook, Sean has a great touch around the basket, as well as his defense and his ability to pass. I just think we are similar players but I just think there is a little bit more I can learn from Sean."
North Carolina sophomore forward Camille Little:
Q: How do you get ready for a game like this?
"Right now we are going to go back and look at the scouting reports. I do not know who I'm going to guard yet. I think our whole team is trying to get mentally prepared right now for the next game. We don't want to look forward to any other game. We're trying to make sure that we're ready for this game tomorrow night and that's all we're trying to do right now."
North Carolina sophomore guard Ivory Latta:
Q: What do you get more of a 'kick' out of, a three pointer or a steal?
"You didn't give me one option, a nice pass to my teammates. But, I would probably choose a steal, to get my teammates into the game."
Q: What do you think of Baylor's perimeter play and their guards?
"From what I've seen yesterday, they are good on the outside. I think we need to concentrate the most on the inside play. [Sophia] Young is great, from what I've seen yesterday. Think we need to play good defense on the outside and hopefully our post players will do a great job on their post players."
Q: How well does this North Carolina offense fit your particular style of play?
"[The offense] fits my game well. It is kind of like the style I played in high school. It is faster paced. It's not only great for me, it is great for my own team. We are just a 'run-and-gun' team. Everyone can get out there and run. I don't think there is one person on this team that can out run each other. I just think [this offense] fits me well, not just me, but my teammates as well."
North Carolina senior guard Nikita Bell:
Q: Are you expecting a rough knockdown contest like last night?
"I think so. I am expecting worse really. It's going to be worse."
Q: How much attention did you pay to Baylor throughout the NCAA tournament?
"It was hard to follow a lot of games because we probably had practice at that time. I saw them last night, and it still wasn't much because we were signing autographs and had fans talking to [us]. From what I hear, their post game is really good. We haven't really looked at the scouting report yet to know."
Baylor Press Conference
Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson:
Q: What was your foundation for building your program at Baylor?
"It really goes back to what I've been around, and I was around Louisiana Tech for 19 years, I played international ball with many legends of the game. I was very blessed to learn from some of the best coaches in the game now who coached internationally."
Q: Can you expand more on Abiola's role and what she brings to the team?
"I thought it was a good move on our part to move her to the starting line-up midway through the season. She brings a defensive presence both inside and out. She's very strong, and pound for pound is the strongest player on the team. She also plays several positions for us, and that's hard to do at this level, to have her learn one position, let alone two. I think, she's in a lot of respects, the silent one of the bunch and she's gets overlooked for all the things she does. Her defense, the trash baskets she gets, her physical play and she doesn't get written about enough."
Q: Can you talk about Sophia in the post and her development as a player?
"She has god-given athletic ability, and to watch where she is now it's amazing. Her post moves are impressive, but if you watch what she did last night with defenders in her face and her ability to elevate and shoot that shot, not many girls can do that, not many girls can elevate when closely guarded and get a shot off. She's just gotten better and better over time, and one of the biggest examples of that is her free throw shooting. When we first got her we wanted to get her out of the game before they fouled her. Now, I'm not so sure that she's not the one who I want the ball in her hands when the game is on the line. The more she plays the better she gets."
Q: Do you think the game will be won or lost depending on the post play tomorrow night?
"When you reach this stage it's players making plays at all positions and on the defensive end, whether its hitting a big three or getting an offensive rebound. Both of these teams have athletes, but everyone is going to have to play."
Q: What are the challenges Erlana Larkins poses in tomorrow's game?
"When I watched her play last night, her play reminded me of Dennis Rodman's game. Dennis didn't shoot much outside the paint and Larkins doesn't either, but she also doesn't have to. She positions herself very well and knows where shots are going to come off. It's not that she bullies herself through to position, she knows where she's supposed to be and where that shot is likely to fall. To think she's only a freshman is a scary thought, she's a special player."
Q: What about running the court? Will you slow down play?
"We're not going to change our style of play, because I feel like our defensive play is good. The key is that we can't have turnovers; that's what gives them their transition buckets. If we have an opportunity to run, then we'll run. We're not all of a sudden going to become this slowed down team, but if we need to slow it down, then hopefully we can. But I think North Carolina's defense will also dictate how much we can slow it down."
Q: How do you plan to approach Ivory Latta defensively?
"When she wants to take over, she can, that's the type of player that she is. She got the big buckets and the transition buckets they needed to make sure they won the game. You don't keep her in check, she's too good of a player, we just need to know where she is at all times."
Q: How do you match up with North Carolina? Any changes you plan to make?
"I think both teams are very talented, we've seen it all, they've seen it all. They've seen zone defenses, we've seen zone defenses, we're very similar. I think at this stage you do what you do best and you try to capitalize throughout the course of the game on something which might catch them off guard. If that's zone one time, trapping them one time, slowing it down, taking a shot in under 10 seconds. Neither team is going to go into the game and change their game plan and become a team that their not."
Q: How important is this game for women's basketball and how it wants to present itself?
"There are many different styles of play in the women's game, and when recruits are looking at where they want to play, they look at various teams and styles of play to see which team will showcase their abilities best. In tomorrow's game you will see some tremendous athletes, with incredible speed and quickness and leaping ability. They are girls who grew up playing with guys, which elevated their game and taught them how to compete."
Q: Are you concerned about past shooting problems?
"It concerns me that it happened, and that it can't get any worse. But it doesn't concern me because we're still winning. Thing about shooters is that they need to shoot. I'm going to take them out if they don't, because that's the mentality shooters have to have.
Q: Do you have any concerns about Emily? She's known for her quick-release shot, but a couple times yesterday she didn't look like she wanted to shoot.
"I will take her out for not shooting. She has to realize she's out there for a reason. If you go 0 for 5 shooting, then shoot it again. She was trying to be unselfish, but in reality shooters need to be selfish."
Q: What is Abiola and your bench's impact on the team?
"A lot of things have to take place to get to an Elite Eight or to a Final Four. There are two things which get a team to this point. One is experience, we've had Sweet Sixteen experience, we know what it takes. The other is team chemistry. They are all competitors and they all want to play, but they genuinely love and support each other and do what it takes to win. I'm lucky as a coach to have 14 or 15 girls on a team that never give you any problems, and I've never been around a bunch like this."
Baylor senior forward Steffanie Blackmon:
Q: What are your impressions of North Carolina?
"We know that they are very athletic. We will try and keep them off the boards. We will try and play smart against them"
Q: How physical of a game will the North Caroline be?
"I think it is going to a difficult game. Both teams are very athletic. North Carolina has a good inside game and we are going to see different looks. We will try and have more style and be physical with them."
Q: Technically, Baylor is an underdog being a two seed; will that affect the team at all?
"We have played the role as underdog before. We know what we have to do tomorrow night. We are just going to go out there and play hard. We will see what happens tomorrow night against North Carolina."
Q: Has it sunken in at all that you guys are in the elite eight and that you are only one game away from the final four?
"I think that we are just so hungry for the final four we just trying to get one more win and keep going. We are so happy to be here in the elite eight for the first [time] ever and we just want to keep going cause we are not satisfied yet."
Baylor senior guard Chelsea Whitaker
Q: How important is the perimeter game going to be against North Carolina?
"It is very important because if we don't knock those shots down, it will put pressure on Steffanie [Blackmon] and Sophia [Young]. If we make perimeter shots, it will take some of the pressure off of them. It makes our offense run that much smoother."
Q: How important is it to value the ball, in terms of turnovers, playing against North Carolina?
"That is pretty much the majority of the game right there. We need the transition game to open up the floor for our guards and our post players. We need to take it upon ourselves to take care of the ball, especially against a team like North Carolina."
Q: Talk about the transition game and how it may affect the outcome of the game?
"Our transition game is our style of play. We like to get out and run with people, but at the same time, we can slow it down and play our half-court offense. We have to make sure that we control the pace of the game and make sure the game doesn't get out of control."
Q: How important is defense going to be in this game?
"It all starts with defense. Defense creates your offense, but offense cannot create your defense. We have to buckle down and be in the right position on the defensive end of the floor. On defense, we have to put pressure on North Carolina, especially in transition."
Q: Have you faced a team that is similar to North Carolina?
"Yes, Texas A&M. They did a pretty good job defensively and they are a young team. They are quick and they have a deep bench. We are now a little more prepared because we faced a team just like North Carolina earlier in the year."
Q: What are your impressions of Ivory Latta?
"She's very talented. I've seen her play a lot this year and she has a lot of energy on the court that can jump start her team. Playing in the ACC before, I have seen guards just like her. She is a solid player and she is trying to lead her team into the Final Four."
Baylor junior guard Chameka Scott:
Q: How much more fun is this going to be tomorrow night where you can run up and down the floor?
"I think it's good. Transition is one of our strengths. It is going to be fun to watch."
Q: Talk about what this would mean for Baylor University to get to a Final Four.
"I think for Baylor it is going to be a good thing. As a university and a community in Waco, we've got so many people behind us. They just love to see us bring some goodness to Baylor. I think it is a lot of fun to be a part of and having this opportunity itself is good for us and Baylor. To become a powerhouse, and just what we've come from and what we've become, is a lot of fun to watch and it's something that a lot of people want to be behind us on."
Q: How important is the defensive end for you guys?
"I think our defense is one of our strengths. I feel like our offense is more or less going to be there. If we can concentrate on defense and really put our minds and our focus into that then we'll be fine."
Q: Does it feel like a role reversal where you are the guys who want to slow down the game, make it a little more half court and not wanting it to be too fast, where a lot of the times you guys are the opposite?
"I think it is definitely not the games we are used to playing; a lot of teams like to slow us down. It's not going to be a problem at all. We can run with them, we can slow it down. I think that helps us as a team just to be that versatile. By us stopping their transition, that would be our strength. It will be different, but it won't be a problem."
Q: What do you think about the match up with North Carolina tomorrow as both your teams are so similar?
" I have heard that a lot and I really don't know how I feel about that except for I really think that tomorrow's game is going to be a lot of fun. A team like North Carolina is a team that you grow up watching. [They are] a team that you pretty much know what you are going up against when you step on the court. The match up in itself is going to be a lot of entertainment and it's going to come down to the big plays at the end of the game."
Q: Will it present a challenge that your team is facing a team that is big but just as athletic as your team?
"Our athleticism on our team has pretty much been our strength and has gotten us out of some situations. To think that the other team could be doing the same thing is kind of scary and kind of not. Its going to be really interesting their athleticism may pose some problems for us, guard-wise, just running up and down."
Q: In the guard spot, have you faced any other teams this year that are similar to North Carolina that may trap you randomly or change up the defense?
"I'd say [Texas] A&M's defense and guard play resembles North Carolina a lot."
Baylor junior forward Sophia Young:
Q: How do you focus on just remembering that there is just one more game? "Throughout the whole NCAA [tournament] we try to take one game at a time. Even though we talk about the final four a lot, our focus is on North Carolina and we are just going to try to play as hard as we can, work as a team, and take one game at time and hopefully we will do well.
Q: Does reaching this far in the tournament feel like you thought it was going to feel? Does it feel like what you thought it was going to be?
"Yes, it has matched up with what ever we had before from last years season. It is actually better this year because we have played so well together this year and we knew we were going to get pass this point.
Q: Are the teams more difficult the further you get in the bracket?
"Yeah, definitely the further you get in the bracket, the better teams you are going to play. The games have gotten more challenging and we have to stay focused and go in and work as hard as possible.
Q: Is it more meaningful with your mom being here for you?
"It has been a great opportunity for my mom to come here and watch me play. She had a lot of fun just sitting up there in the stands and I don't think she really understood how big basketball is here [in the United States] and she finally got to experience that it was just a great opportunity for her to be here.
