BIG EAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 3, 2023

Melanie Moore

Mohegan Sun Arena

Xavier Musketeers

Postgame Media Conference

Seton Hall - 84, Xavier - 58

COACH MOORE: Congratulations to Seton Hall. Heck of a game by them. They controlled the tempo for the majority of that game. And I thought we looked very young and disorganized. But I thought Courtney Prenger had probably the best game of her career. If you're going to go out, go out on top. I thought she did that today.

Q. What was your message to the team post game? And generally just how proud are you for their fight the entire season? I know it was a difficult season. How proud are you of their effort?

COACH MOORE: I'm very proud, and I'm mostly proud of our seniors, Courtney Prenger being one. She's the glue to our team and you guys saw that tonight, just her fight and will to never give up. And she was the reason why we never quit this season, because how can you when you have a senior playing with all she has?

I think the other two seniors had a tougher path because they only played last season. And both of them, unfortunately, were medically disqualified at the start of the season. So I think that's hard as a senior to know you're done and you don't get to put that uniform or one last time.

But they continued to travel with us all season. They were every bit a part of our team as Courtney was, and I know they're taking it really hard as well because now you know it's over, it's really over.

So that locker room was a sad locker room. And then to the youngsters, we've got a lot of work ahead of us. You're young, but the great thing about youth is you grow up. And so it's no more excuses anymore. It's get back to work and get better.

Q. With the kind of performance that Prenger had in her final game, did it make that last final embrace, when she checked out at the end of the game, did it make just that much more powerful, more emotional for you?

COACH MOORE: Definitely, because I know she felt it. And I think she knows she emptied her tank. And at the end of the day she can move on to her teaching career, coaching career, whatever, teaching and coaching. I know she knows she went as hard as she could her last game of her career.