March 31, 2010

Head Coach Kim Mulkey

On Connecticut
"UConn is up here and we are down here and the rest of us are playing for second place. That doesn't mean we are just going to go out there and give up and start waving the flags. We are going to do like everybody else does. We are going to toss it up and just play. Just go out there and do the best you can."

On how Connecticut is so dominant:
"Well I can't answer it, because I haven't seen up close and in person. You may need to ask somebody who has played them in person. I can tell you on film they are just so talented and they play so well together. They don't turn the ball over and they make you turn it over. They lead the country in field goal percentage defense. We are second in the country in field goal percentage defense, so that is a great story to write right there. As productive as they are on the offensive end that statistic impresses me as much as anything they do on the offensive end."

On her 10th anniversary of coaching at Baylor:
"When I came here 10 years ago and I was in front of all those Baylor people, I was a nervous wreck, because while I knew I made the right decision, I was still uncertain. I was scared. I had never left the state of Louisiana. I was leaving my comfort zone. It wasn't as an enjoyable press conference as it should have been, because my heart was hurting. Ten years now I can tell you it was the greatest decision I ever made and it is fun to be in a position now 10 years later that you are one of the elite programs. You are taking a group of freshman back to the Final Four, just happy."

On the maturation of the freshman class:
"Melissa Jones probably needs to take credit for a lot of it. Sure the coaches take a lot of credit, but the injury to Melissa Jones at a time where you just couldn't afford that particular player to be injured made me as a coach have to play them. It wasn't like I was playing them against some patsies. I was playing them in the Big 12 and we were losing games, turning the ball over. Then we would lose one, then win one, then string two or three together. I kept thinking, why is this happening to us? Why? Now she is healthy again and there is that silver lining you were looking for in January or February. I don't hesitate now to put those freshmen in the game, because of the minutes that got because Melissa Jones' injury forced me to do that."

Freshman Guard Shanay Washington

On the Memphis Regional:
"We went into every game knowing that we had to be strong. We knew that we could beat some teams. We went into Memphis and it was a big stage. We knew they were ranked number one and we had loss to them before. We knew that they had good guards and a good inside game. I guess we just played well that game. It was just like playing (in Knoxville) again. There was so much orange. It was pretty hard."

On Connecticut:
"They have won 76-straight game. Wow, that is unbelievable to win that many games. We are not concentrating on how many wins they have, rather, we are concentrating on the 40 minutes that we are going to have with them."

On playing Connecticut:
"We are very excited to play them. We know it is going to be a close game because they are the number one team in the country. We are very excited to play the number one team and to get to see what it feels like."

On the run that the team has made over the past few weeks:
"A lot of people picked us to lose against Georgetown. I think the run that we have had has just been outstanding. Our freshmen stepped up tremendously when (Melissa Jones) went out. Having (Melissa Jones) back is such an asset to this team. Everybody is just falling into place and doing their roles. I think the mishap of (Melissa Jones) has helped this team and prepared us for what we are going through now."

On Baylor being the underdog:
"Nobody wants to be the underdog but it is kind of what Baylor has been since I have been here. We've always been the underdogs with who we have been playing and we have never really been picked to win against the teams like Tennessee, Duke and UConn. It is a good feeling when you do go out and beat those teams that you are not supposed to. It gives the team confidence and it makes you feel good individually and it says a lot about this program."

On the importance of the Final Four being played in San Antonio:
"I just feel good that our fans get to come to a game in our backyard. They travelled all the way to California and Tennessee. I think it is rewarding for our fans to only have to travel three hours away from Waco. I know my family is pretty excited. We are just excited to be back home and have a game that is like a home game for us against the number one team in the country. It is a good feeling for us."

On her expectations of her freshman season:
"I told Coach Mulkey that I wanted to win a national title. I didn't know that we would have to fight this hard to get there. Since we (won the Memphis Regional), I have been so excited. I just can't stop dreaming about it when I go to sleep."

On Connecticut:
"They are pretty good. We just have to keep our heads strong and don't overlook ourselves. We are going to stay with them. Defense rebounding is going to be a key part to this game."

On Connecticut:
"It is a very intimidating thing with everything that they have accomplished in the past. We are not focusing on what they have done; we are focusing on what is ahead of us in the next 40 minutes that we are going to step on the floor with them."

On ending Connecticut's 76-game winning streak:
"I believe anything can happen. On any given night, anything is possible. I think if we really focus on what Baylor can do, I think anything is possible."

On the team's never say die mentality:
"The thing that makes me so proud to be a part of this team is that not at one point did a girl give up or think the game was over (against Duke). They just have this energy or excitement inside that we are still in this game no matter what. It truly showed on the court the other night against Duke."

On the Final Four:
"I think this is huge. It is hard to believe that there are really just four teams left that are playing right now. Only one team will be happy at the end of the year and completely satisfied. That is our goal."

On being intimidated by Connecticut:
"No, I don't think it is intimidating at all. I feel like that is how you take yourself out of winning the game, by being intimidated or scared going into a game. You should never go into a game being intimidated by other teams records or how many wins they have. I feel like we should go into each game like they are on the same level."

On matching up with Tina Charles:
"I've gone up against seniors before so I don't really look at classifications. She is the best. I just look at it as a learning block. It is just like playing boys in practice. It is going to make you a lot better and I am really looking forward to going up against her."

On Connecticut's 76-game win streak:
"They have played all of these teams and now we get a shot. We get 40 minutes to try and get past them. We are going to try and take advantage of it and hopefully we can be the ones to upset them."