ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 7, 2021

Dana Evans

Louisville Cardinals

Postgame Press Conference

NC State 58, Louisville 56

Q. Dana, obviously a tough loss for you all, but you seemed to get yourself going there in the second half. What did you think worked for you to kind of get into a little bit of rhythm when you struggled in that first half?

DANA EVANS: Just, I guess, being the championship game. I knew I needed to get myself going and kind of figure something out because I haven't obviously been playing my best ball. Just going to the basket because my outside shot wasn't really falling, so I just figured to get to the basket and try to get something easy, and eventually I would get going. But not really.

Q. You guys seemed to make some strides defensively this game. I think 58 points for NC State is the second lowest mark they've had all year. Where do you feel like you improved on that end since the last time you played them?

DANA EVANS: I think we took the scouting report and actually executed it the way Coach Purcell drew it up for us. We followed the scouting report. We did a lot better with rebounding and boxing out except for a few times towards the end. Collectively I think we did a great job on every player.

I think they made tough shots down the stretch, but we did exactly what we were asked to do.

Q. You mentioned the rebounding; throughout the tournament I feel like you guys did a lot better than you had earlier in the year. Coach Walz mentioned that practice has been a little more intense since that Florida State loss. How much confidence did that give you going into the NCAA Tournament knowing that you guys are rebounding better than you probably have all year?

DANA EVANS: I definitely think those practices made us tougher. I think we kind of found out how we can really guard the ball and how we can rebound and go in transition. I think we can get easier lay-ups, take some pressure off the half-court offense getting easy lay-ups. Us just realizing that once a guard against the rebound we can get out and go.

But I definitely think the practices have helped us, made us tougher, and I feel like we've been playing better since.

Q. A couple weeks ago you were talking about how you've been able to learn to move on to the next play. Was that hard for you during this tournament week? Did you feel mounting pressure because the shots weren't falling?

DANA EVANS: I would say I didn't do the best that I could with bouncing back and kind of letting that last play go, but I mean, it's basketball. I tried to kind of get a rhythm, a flow. I couldn't get in the flow at all.

Q. Anything about the shooting backdrop here bother you?

DANA EVANS: About the shooting?

Q. The shooting background, anything about this particular arena?

DANA EVANS: No, I just didn't play my best ball.

Q. I know this one stings and Jeff said you guys were obviously emotional in the locker room. Is this something you just forget about and get ready for the tournament because you've got bigger goals or is it something you hold on to to motivate yourself next week?

DANA EVANS: Something that we're going to hold on to and try to figure something out. We've just got to use it as motivation, and we've got to move forward. Can't dwell on it. There's nothing we can do about it but watch film, watch this game over and over and see how we can be better, see how I can be better, how can I make my teammates better, put them in better positions instead of just trying to take it myself. It's hard for me.

Q. It seemed that as the game went on you placed more emphasis on driving it to the basket. You got points that way. Is that kind of your go-to position when the jump shots aren't falling?

DANA EVANS: Yeah, that's the only other thing I had to pretty much do. Nothing was falling. My mid-range was off. I even missed a couple free throws this week.

Q. It's still a pretty effective part of your game. Is that something you normally lean on when everything else isn't going well?

DANA EVANS: Yes, I know I can get past my defender, it's just a matter of me finishing it, and I guess finish with contact every time I go to the basket because I guess that's just what I've got to do now. I've got to focus on getting hit in the face, bumped the whole time and finishing.

Q. I noticed on the broadcast you guys seemed to gather on the court real quick before you went to the locker room. What was that quick message there before heading back?

DANA EVANS: After we lost?

Q. Yeah, just right after the end of the game. I think it was on the broadcast where you seemed like you got together again before you went back to the locker room?

DANA EVANS: Well, I couldn't get off the floor, so they were just kind of trying to get me up.