NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - PORTLAND VS OKLAHOMA

March 18, 2023

Michael Meek

Alex Fowler

Emme Shearer

Pauley Pavilion

Portland Pilots

Media Conference

Oklahoma 85, Portland 63.

Q. Alex, if this is it for you, how would you sum up your experience here?

ALEX FOWLER: I've had an amazing experience this whole four years has been a great journey. I've loved every minute of it and you know, things happen, it's March, ups and downs for everyone, but I'm so proud of my team, my coaching staff, up, everyone. It's been -- it's been a fun year.

Q. Alex, what did you learn both positively and negatively about where your team stands in the general NCAA landscape tonight and just competing out there on the floor?

ALEX FOWLER: We were just talking about this. It's tough, we're a new team coming in and they are a team that has experience in the NCAA and that plays into it adds well.

Things like this happen. We got pounded on on the rebounds. That's something we've got to fix for next season. But I think, again, like we've had an amazing season. You can't look at the negatives on that side too much because I'm super proud of my team.

Who knows, next year, this team might be back again and we'll have more experience and more knowledge how to deal with teams and how to get wins and I'm super proud of everyone.

Q. How physical was it inside the paint, and was that one of the more physical games you guys have had this year?

EMME SHEARER: Yeah, definitely, just the size and presence on the paint and their ability to carve up space. I mean, they all beat us off the ground jumping and stuff like that. It's a learning curve and I think it's something that now we understand, and going forward, we know the level that we need to be at.

I mean, yeah, they were plus 16 on the boards but I think we did have stretches where we contained them really well. There was just a few times where they got two, three, four, which kind of hurt us.

Overall I'm proud of the team and we made changes. We just weren't able to sustain them the whole game.

Q. Do you have any thoughts in terms of what's next for you?

ALEX FOWLER: Not right at the moment. I'm just taking in the experience that I've had this season and being here at the NCAA, it's not really on my mind just yet. I'm going to take a few days to relax and take a break from basketball in general and think about my future plans, but yeah.

Q. Except for maybe the second quarter, it seemed like you guys had trouble just getting any momentum going. Was most of that due to the offensive rebounds that they were able to get and keep breaking things up?

ALEX FOWLER: I believe so, yeah. I think there were times where we were just rattled a little bit too much. We have to find ways to get back to doing what we used to do.

As Emme said, I feel like for the first maybe three quarters, we were doing a great job of staying in the game and playing our style of play and that's what kept us in that whole time up until the last bit.

Q. The team seemed to press and force turnovers in the second quarter. What happened after halftime?

EMME SHEARER: You know, they obviously made some adjustments. I think we did a good job of continuing to pressure. Yeah, I just think they made some adjustments and they were able to get the ball up the floor a bit more. They are a very fast team with speed; I would say, only a couple teams in our league or that we've faced all season.

So I think they are ability to get the ball if fast and push it up the floor, and they took fast shots, I think that was something that we're not used to and that we possibly struggled with a bit.

MICHAEL MEEK: First of all, I couldn't be any more proud of our season and this team. The support from University of Portland and just all the back-end that we had, it was just an awesome experience for our team.

I think halfway through the season when Haylee got injured, I think there was a lot of people that didn't know what to expect and I just love how our team rallied around each other and rallied around here.

I just think that's the mark of a great team and you know, played a great Oklahoma team. They are a veteran team. I believe they have all five starters back, and they are a team that you know, wanted to come back together to try to make a run at it. You know, they are a great team. Just, again, I couldn't be any more proud of our team and how much they have overcome this season.

Q. You sort of walked up the floor kind of slow. Wondering what you were thinking as you were walking off the floor.

MICHAEL MEEK: You know, I just always reflect on things that I felt like I could have done more to help this team. You know, it was a very physical game, and I don't think that I did the job I needed to do to prepare them for that. Our team, it's just a bunch of players that care about each other and want to do well for not only our staff but for each other.

I just felt like I could have had them more prepared for this moment, and hopefully this first opportunity will give everyone, including myself, a better idea of what to expect moving forward.

And also, just how proud of them I am. Just the fact that, again, like I talked about, I think midway through the season, I think a lot of teams counted us out, and the fact that we got here and had this opportunity with, I mean, starting five underclassmen, too, is just an amazing accomplishment.

But at the same time, I couldn't be any more proud of the seniors, Haylee and Kelsey and all of them just how much they battled for each other.

Q. You mentioned how Oklahoma returned all five starters, so that could be something that happens within your program as well. Do you have any sort of updates on where those juniors/seniors stand going into next season?

MICHAEL MEEK: I think it's just their choice and I think we are just always going to support them. We care about our players and we want them to make the decision that's going to be best for them with the information and what they want.

I do know that this -- having a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament and be a part of this experience, I think is one that doesn't come along very often, and so you know, I think it was a great first run, and you know, I think that our goal should be to come back here many more times.

Again, I couldn't be any more proud of them in that regard. But it's their choice and we just want to be there to help them and support them with whatever they do.

Q. What explanation did you get from the referees on the call in the second quarter?

MICHAEL MEEK: On which call in particular?

Q. On the technical?

MICHAEL MEEK: I am that was in the third, right? Yeah, and I'm not going to get into that.

Like anyone else, I'll go back and watch film and watch things from there but you know, we all have a tough job to do and at the end of the day all I can do is reflect on the job that I did tonight, and I feel like we could prepare better.

Q. How did you feel like it got a way from you in the third quarter? Started with those two free throws on the technical and slowly started spiraling.

MICHAEL MEEK: I clearly don't think that was helpful. I think that, again, I apologized to our team about that because I think those kind of things can really sway momentum in a big way. I'm disappointed that that was the outcome of that but I'd rather not reflect on that until I have a chance to watch film, too.

Q. I talked to you a few years ago after you guys made it and didn't get to go. How many of your kids were on that team that were on this team this year?

MICHAEL MEEK: I'm sorry?

Q. How many kids were on the 2020 team that were going to go are on this team?

MICHAEL MEEK: We have five returners from that team. Obviously Haylee played a huge role in that team, and Alex and Liana missed that season with an injury, and Kelsey played a role and Keeley. We have a group that just stuck together and just so proud of them to have a chance to get back to this opportunity. They have worked really hard for it.

Q. That's awesome to come full circle with that group, and especially to get the tournament title again, too.

MICHAEL MEEK: Yeah, really, for this senior class to have accomplished that; I think when we came in as a staff four years ago, I don't think anybody could imagine that.

Unfortunately we didn't have that tournament experience that first year because I think it would have helped out this year.

But to have them have a chance to get back is just really cool, and just an awesome group to be around. Just really, really good people, and it's been a really fun journey that I'm proud to have been a part of it with them, because it's them and they have worked hard to just -- I'm happy to have been along for the ride for sure.

Q. Now that Portland has broken that seal, now you can just build from here probably; right?

MICHAEL MEEK: I think we definitely have the athletes to do so, and that's the goal. I'm really excited about the group that we have coming in and we'll see what we have coming back. But we definitely have the potential to have a great group back for sure.

Q. With the way you're building the program everything and, you could have had all five starters back but how much of a concern going into the off-season might be the transfer portal, just based on the team that you've built?

MICHAEL MEEK: For us or for --

Q. Maybe other --

MICHAEL MEEK: I don't worry about for our team. I feel confident that our kids are loving the experience and the amount of -- I think we had all 13 scholarship kids return this year and that doesn't happen many places.

You know, we have a great group that continues to stick together, and I'm not worried about it. I just want to continue to help provide a great experience for our players, and I think just thankful that they are including us in the journey that they are creating for one another as well.