March 16, 2009

Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey

On Baylor earning a two seed:
"As you study this game, the results and the RPI, I thought there were three or four teams that could get that last number one seed. I thought Louisville was one, I thought Baylor was one and I thought Stanford or Auburn was one. I can live with a two seed. I thought it was very fair. We are going to a place where our fans can attend. I was extremely happy. I was very concerned with Danielle's (Wilson) absence that we would be shipped off and be one of those last number two seeds that would have to play UConn. I am very much a believer that you acknowledge that UConn is the team to beat. It is going to take a tremendous effort for anyone to beat them."

On the selection committee selecting Baylor to play in Lubbock:
"I don't know that it is respect. What I think that you have to understand is that the difference between the men's game and the women's game is that teams go on the S-Curve in the men's game. In the women's game a lot of it is based on geography and the S-Curve. That is why you can't sit down and do a bracket for the women's game; there is just no formula to follow."

On the importance of playing the opening round in the state of Texas:
"We had a great crowd here today and the game is within driving distance. You will have three Texas schools in Lubbock and I know West Texas loves their women's basketball. We need to encourage everyone in West Texas to come out to the games."

On UTSA: "I don't know anything other than I know who the coach is but by this time tomorrow and by the end of this week I will know a heck of a lot more about UTSA."

Baylor Senior Guard Jhasmin Player

On the selection show watch party:
"It is extremely exciting especially for this team to be in there watching the selection show. Coach Mulkey had me nervous. She kept telling us where we could go and what we could do. She did call it that we were going to be in that bracket. When she saw Louisville come up she said `we will probably be in this region'. She called it. We are just going to have to work extremely hard to get ready for these two teams coming up."

On playing the opening round in Texas:
"Since I have been here we have played NC State at NC State in the tournament. That was tough and it was a battle. We have a lot of supportive fans and I know that we will see a lot of them up at the game. Lubbock is extremely supportive of women's basketball so there will be a lot of fans that will come out and support women's basketball. I hope they go for us because we are in the Big 12. "

On the NCAA Tournament:
"We have six games left. Hearing what our seniors are talking about and what Melissa Jones, Morghan Medlock and Kelli Griffin are talking about; they say that they are leaving everything out on the floor, going out scratching and clawing. Hopefully, we will just play extremely hard. We know that Louisville is a great team and UTSA and TCU both upset top 25 teams early in the season. We know we will have our work cut out for us but this is our last tournament and hopefully we will go out with a bang."