NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - KANSAS STATE VS NC STATE

March 20, 2022

Jeff Mittie

Serena Sundell

Ayoka Lee

Brylee Glenn

Kansas State Wildcats

Media Conference

Q. What's the benefits of a rematch? Playing a team that you saw earlier in the year, what's different about them and what's different about you guys this late in the season?

BRYLEE GLENN: Yeah, I think for this rematch I know me, I'm definitely looking forward to this rematch because at the beginning of the year we're just starting out, just getting a feel for everything as a team. So now I think we're like way more experienced, we have been playing together a lot longer, and like, we've already played here, so there's some comfort in knowing that we have already played here, been through this before. Yeah, I don't know, I'm excited.

Q. Ayoka, could you talk about the challenges of matching up against Elissa Cunane and what did you learn from playing her the first time?

AYOKA LEE: Yeah, I think she's a great player. NC State is a great team, we have a lot of respect for them. Kind of like what Brylee said, I think it's really helpful that we've already played them, we've already played here. And yeah, I think it's definitely not like an easy match-up. Like we match-up really well with this team. So yeah, I think it's just going back to the fundamentals of my game and just sticking to that.

Q. Serena, you had 21 points when you played at NC State earlier this year. What worked for you well in that game and what are you expecting to kind of rely on in this one?

SERENA SUNDELL: I think that just came a lot from kind of my reads off the ball screen. So we'll have to see how they decide to play it this game. But I feel good about our preparation and knowing that we have options no matter how they want to come out and try to guard that. So I want to stay aggressive and find my shot and also find opportunities for my teammates.

Q. Ayoka are you tired of hearing that you scored 61 points in a game? I'm just asking --

AYOKA LEE: Serena is.

[ Laughter ]

Q. I mean, you were a great player -- you always scored a lot of points but you know, it's like you're a one-man band and I'm sure you don't feel that way.

AYOKA LEE: That game --OU isn't an easy opponent. So it's hard because I don't want everything else, our team did well to be overshadowed because our defense was great that game. Sometimes -- like, really sometimes after I have to remind myself, oh yeah, like that happened. Because the season is so long. And really it's like in the Big 12 anyone can win any given night. So it's kind of, like, fun, yeah, celebrate, and on to the next. Yeah, I don't know, it's crazy but yeah. It's a long season.

Q. Okay, so this is an awkward follow-up. Since you mentioned the 61-point game. For the other two players, what it's like to be on the floor with someone when they're in the zone like this to score that many points? Were you watching the scoreboard, were you checking the stats on timeouts? What's it like to see your teammate in the zone like that, in-game what is happening?

SERENA SUNDELL: Yeah, it was a little unreal. And I was on the court a lot that game, so I come off on the bench and I look and I'm like, 30! It's not even halftime yet, right? And then they just really got playing her the same way, so I didn't see any reason why we wouldn't just keep -- she was so efficient, keep going in the same thing, and kind of happened some many times you don't really realize -- I didn't realize until she was running off the court and the announcer was like, she set the NCAA record. And I was like, how many did she have? 61, holy crap. It was crazy. It was really unreal.

BRYLEE GLENN: Not really. I was the same exact way. Seeing how many she had before halftime. We all kind of went into the locker room thinking that, okay, now they are going to bring more people to her so us guards on the outside have to be ready to shoot. They are going to double team her. She already had 30 points at halftime. Coming out from halftime and still being able to get the ball into her, and it's still working, still scoring efficiently. We just kept doing what she was doing. Like Serena said, it was unreal. Looking up and seeing that she had 61. I didn't even realize it until she did go off the floor, and everybody was clapping and I was like, what's happening? The game is not over. And that's when I realized, yeah.

Q. This is for Brylee or Serena. NC State, you guys are the freshman. NC State has two fifth-year seniors in their backcourt. As guards what kind of challenges does that represent going up players that experienced?

BRYLEE GLENN: It is like a little bit intimidating because we are young and they are more experienced. But then again, like I said early, we have played them before so we do kind of know their style of play. So at the end of the day we just have to remain aggressive, keep attacking their guards and do what we do. And it should be fun. It should be fun.

SERENA SUNDELL: Yeah, I think we're going to fall back on our preparations. Our coaches have done a great job to put us in this position. And yeah, it's a big stage. Obviously we're the underdogs, but I think we really don't have a lot of fear going into this game because it's just a huge opportunity.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, if you could, can we please get an opening at the statement?

COACH MITTIE: Yeah. Feels good to be sitting here. I would say this: We were resilient yesterday, we were tough in the right areas, we couldn't throw in the ocean. It is probably the growth of our team. I said that after the game and that we continue to fight, dig deep when we're not playing as well or not shooting the ball well. So real proud of our group for doing that, we found just enough offense. Found just enough of a push. We knew the first five minutes of the third quarter were critical. That was the one thing -- I think the team we talked at halftime, about how we got to come out here and be tough defensively. We got to have good possessions. You can have good possessions and not score. But we got to have good possessions. And I thought our group did that, and I thought we made a good push right away to start the third quarter, and then it was a fight until the very end, and I thought our group was pretty resilient.

Q. Coach, I'll start with the match-up everybody is looking forward to. What kind of challenges does Cunane present?

COACH MITTIE: Both ends of the floor. I'll start with defense: She's a physical defender, smart defender, competitive, smart, knows how to play people, and certainly physically has the physical gifts to do some of those things, and she's willing to sacrifice. Offensively she's got the able to run offense through her because she's such a good passer. She's also got the ability to use the bounce some with her back to the basket. She's just a really, really good all-around player.

Q. Coach Moore said it seems like months ago, years ago that you guys played that first game. What's different about your group from the first game and what's different would you say from NC State on film since that first game.

COACH MITTIE: We have a couple players that can get into R-rated movies with their ID, so that's different. That might be true by the way. Yeah, I don't know. You know, it was -- I said yesterday it was a lifetime ago in basketball terms. I think that -- I think we're a better defensive team than we were at that time. But we're not shooting the ball as well as we were when we came in. At that time we were shooting the ball pretty well. But defensively we're tougher. And they really -- you know, they had what they wanted, and they are a very good offensive team. It's kind of pick your poison with what you want to give them or what you want to try to give them. But I hope we can be a tougher defensive team than we were last time, and I hope we can get our offense back going because it's going to be critical for us to play well tomorrow night.

Q. Piggy-backing on the last question, this time of year, is it an advantage to play somebody that you have already seen this year or would you rather have somebody fresh?

COACH MITTIE: I was glad to have somebody fresh yesterday. I mean, you know, I think every team that plays in the Power Five level you are sick of the grind, the Big 12, you see everybody, you know everybody, you are kind of ready to just see somebody new. In terms of Wes's team, I mean, I would be glad to see somebody new. No, I'm kidding. They are a talented team. So I don't know if it's advantage or disadvantage. I think that once again when you are talking about fourth, fifth game of the season for both of us, it's such a different time. This is a different time of the year, so I don't know. I think it can be an advantage. I said from a personnel standpoint you get a firsthand look at them. And even last night's game, I was curious going into the game about, you know, what we saw on film, was that going to be the same. Will we at least have a firsthand look at North Carolina State, and it was a long time ago.

Q. As far as a quick turnaround from one game to the next. As far as a scout, at least you have something to start from as opposed to starting from scratch, right?

COACH MITTIE: Yeah. I think that's true. And I think with any good basketball team or with a team like theirs, they are not going to get too far away from what's made them good. Yeah, we do. From a scout perspective. But I don't know that -- from a scout perspective we're still looking at the last six, eight games. It's still -- you are squeezing that in about 36 hours. They are doing the same. They are going to look at the last six, seven, eight games and see what changes that we've made. And see those things. So you are squeezing a lot in. I think you're right to the sense that yes, you do have a good number of things they have already done and we have defended.

Q. I think one thing that really struck me watching Ayoka in real life was her poise in that people are hanging on her, triple, sandwich, whatever . And she never really seemed to get rattled. Is that something that she's always had or have you talked with her about keeping that composure knowing she's going to get hanged on for 38 minutes a game?

COACH MITTIE: Do you have your official's license at all?

Q. I don't.

COACH MITTIE: It's too bad.

[ Laughter ]

COACH MITTIE: I don't think she's always that way. I think that she's had to learn much like any player that's been treated differently. You know, you saw her react a little bit, pick up a foul. It really is amazing to me what they allow in terms of the early contact. And that's been a real challenge for her. And I say it's been a real challenge because it went from one player to two players to now sometimes even some teams are bringing a third. And they are all chipping her, they are all, you know, guards are stepping in front of her, guards are meeting her above the free-throw line, you saw last night where Washington State was meeting her around the 12-foot mark and it was a wrestling match to get to the six, seven feet. I think she's done a good job of adjusting, but I still think -- as it would be for any player that is having to handle that, she's just got to handle it and she's got to work hard at getting her position because people are going to take those shots at her, and you hope you get a good whistle in that area. What you really hope is that the officials officiate the rules, which is that's all we ever hope for as coaches. What we hate, is when it's like, wait a minute, you said this is a hand check this game and not this game. It's really hard for your players. There is an element to this game that we all have to adjust to. And she's had to do that with the physicality.

Q. One of the players mentioned, at least we've played here before, been to this building before. Is that a big deal this time of year or just not something that big of a factor?

COACH MITTIE: It didn't help our shooting yesterday, maybe it will help us tomorrow. I don't know. I think the familiarity -- I mean, I think it's fine. I love this arena. I love this arena, I love seeing the crowd, I love the fact Wes has done a great job here and I love the arena. I think it's a fun arena to even just be in for practice. I think our players kind of feel the same way about it. I think they feel the same way of stepping in there. So there is a comfort level to that. But ultimately it's going to, you know, it's going to get back to all the things that we have been preparing for all year long. Can we defend? Can we have good offensive possessions? I think at this time we have been in so many -- I'm amazed some of them remember we have been here. We got such a young group, some of them -- I say that jokingly because I kid them all the time about some of those things, about remembering trips and the year kind of strings together. I think though that in coming here the first time it was in kind of a different format for the preseason NIT Championship, and so certainly the excitement of coming here the first time, this is a different level of excitement. The stakes are higher. And, you know, I don't know that the familiarity helps, but it certainly doesn't hurt that they are comfortable here.

Q. You start three freshman at guard but they are all pretty long. They are at listed at over six foot. What kind of advantages does that give you when you're defending the perimeter?

COACH MITTIE: You know what, I'll talk about last night's game. I thought we did a good job of getting in the shot line. I thought we did a good job of committing to get into the shot line. I think that whether we're man or zone, if we can keep that size in between those players are pretty good defenders. So yeah, and I think with some of the things that we try to do offensively as we try to use that space for post entry and so the bigger guards some have been a part of what we have recruited. We do like to trap in certain areas of the floor, and that's where we've seen. But last night in particular where I thought it really -- I thought our group did an excellent job of getting in the shot line and forcing, I think, some tough shots.