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PAC-12 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT


March 6, 2020


Charmin Smith

Jazlen Green

Jaelyn Brown


Las Vegas, Nevada

Arizona - 86, California - 73

CHARMIN SMITH: Well, obviously, we're disappointed that, you know, our journey comes to an end today, but super proud of the team that we were all year. Proud of the fight that we showed, the growth that we showed and, you know, proud of the tone that our seniors set for this program and the foundation that was established. Thank you.

Q. Jazzy, I saw you nodding your head at your coach. I would love for you to talk about, you just fished off your first Pac-12 campaign, what you learned from both of the people sitting besides you up there?
JAZLEN GREEN: Starting with my senior, I learned about the growth that happens between the time you get here and the time you leave and what you can accomplish. She taught me a lot about, like, my will, what I can do myself, and having her for -- to display what type of player I can be and, when I put in the work and stuff, how I can come out of that, is what she taught me most, which I thank her so much for. I'm going to miss it too.

Charmin, this is new, I got three more years with her. She just taught me to keep being a fighter. No matter what. You step up to the plate, you have all of these opportunities, and it is up to you whether or not you take those opportunities.

And she basically just over the time I have been playing and, like, started the season was like: Take your opportunity. Stand your ground and approach it, be a fighter that you are.

Q. Flipping that one around to you two, Jazlen Green got her first Pac-12 start at Oregon in front of a sell-out crowd, and balled out. From the time she arrived on campus until today, what's it like seeing her growth? Charmin?
CHARMIN SMITH: I think, you know, Jazzy just has this light about her, and she always is smiling. And I think the reason she's been able to grow so fast in her freshman year is that she is not afraid to make a mistake. And she owns it. She's extremely coachable.

And I think that's allowed her to speed up the process in terms of her development. You know, she doesn't back down from a challenge. So Oregon, she's, like -- we were just talking about it on the way over here, we want another shot at them, you know. She's a competitor.

I think the ability to take criticism, to laugh at yourself, and just to not take yourself too seriously is what helps her step up and keep fighting time and time again.

JAELYN BROWN: Charmin pretty much said it all. I can be on Jazzy too, me trying to be a leader, she just takes it on the court, off the court. We're just trying to help her out, she understands, like, her role and her abilities.

Q. Jaelyn, we have talked about how much Jazzy has grown, how much have you grown in your time here and with Charmin?
JAELYN BROWN: I really think I have grown into like being a leader and just, like, trying to get the freshmen acclimated, just being a college women's basketball player, trying to help them through everything. That would be my thought.

Q. Charmin, with all of the ups and downs this year, and there have been a lot of ups, and everything that goes with the first year as a head coach, how would you describe your first year here?
CHARMIN SMITH: It's been a lot of fun. I really have loved it. I know we didn't, you know, get as many wins as some other teams out there. I have told this group several times, like, you know, I don't want to be Kelly Graves, I don't want to be, you know, Tara, anyone else, I'm so happy to be coaching the team that I had the privilege to coach.

You know, as a first-time head coach, I think it's really important, like, that your team show belief in you, and every single day they just made me feel more and more confident because they stuck with me and they continued to work hard, even though we weren't getting the wins, and that was extremely helpful and it made it a lot easier and I think it helped my growth as well.

Q. Coach, first year obviously coaching this team, do you have a favorite moment that really stood out to you that you can describe on, reflect on, now that the season has kind of come to a close?
CHARMIN SMITH: A favorite moment, gosh. There are a lot that come to mind. You know, I think Cailyn's big free throws against Arkansas, I think of Jaelyn, the putback against Arizona just last week, I think of the team rushing me, you know, at the -- hmm, on set -- thank you. Thank you, Jazzy -- on set there.

So we have had a lot of special moments. But overall, I think it is just going to be the feeling every single day that we had when we were on the bus, you know, in the locker room, just the fact that it's always felt like a family. And even when we had lost I think eight, nine in a row, we were still enjoying one another.

And those are the things that are most precious to me because there are going to be more wins, there are going to be more losses, that stuff is going to happen with different players and such, but I do not take for granted the positive attitude and the togetherness that this squad had during the really rough Pac-12 play.

Q. This Sunday is International Women's Day. I wondered if you would each take a moment to celebrate a special woman in your life or a mentor. Doesn't have to be hoops related, just whomever you want to give love to.
JAELYN BROWN: Honestly, Charmin Smith, she's been a leader and just shows me every day how hard she works, day in and day out, and I just appreciate her, her effort and commitment to our team.

JAZLEN GREEN: I will go next. As much as I love Charmin, I have to say my grandmother. She's a very hardworking lady. She's very gritty, strong, independent lady. And she just goes for what she wants, ambitious, and never puts her head down. Grammy, I love you.

CHARMIN SMITH: I'm going to name a few, and kind of all. Like, I hope I don't forget anyone, but from Adia to Charli, to Tara, Jody, JR, everyone, Lynne, everyone has been -- Cori, thank you, everyone has been extremely supportive of me in my first year, even when we have gotten a win over a couple of them, and that just made me feel really special.

And it is something I'll never forget; that the women in this conference were -- you know, they had my back and they were happy for me. And when we were down and we couldn't get a win, I got text messages from people saying hang in there, and it really meant a lot.

So I think every female head coach in this conference, I'm grateful for them and I'm so proud to be a part of this Pac-12 Conference as a head coach.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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