AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 9, 2025

Lindsay Edmonds

Emily Klaczek

Aniah Alexis

Dickies Arena

Rice Owls

Postgame Press Conference

Rice - 76, UAB - 63

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with an opening statement from Coach and then take questions for the student-athletes.

LINDSAY EDMONDS: I'm just incredibly proud of our group, grateful for the opportunity to compete in the conference tournament, grateful to get the first win. I thought we had a very well-balanced attack and it was everything that we needed to make sure that we get this first win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Lindsay, how much did you draw on last year's tournament run kind of setting up what's possible this year?

LINDSAY EDMONDS: We started the year saying that our season is three seasons; non-conference, conference, and then conference tournament is our third season. So it was 0-0 before the day. The wins and losses didn't matter. We wanted to come out and be the best team that we could be today and get the first win.

We talked about last year. We talked about the run that we had. We talked about maybe being circled on everybody's sheet because of the run that we had. But we're hunting something. We are no longer going to play as if we're the hunted. We want to have everybody's name that we're playing circled, and we want to be the best version of ourself that day.

Last year it was incredible and we want to feel that again, but no one's going to hand it to us. We got to make sure that we go and take it every single day. We need to be hungry for the wins that we need here.

Q. Emily, you had a big week at this tournament last year. Was any of that going through your head today with another big game?

EMILY KLACZEK: A little bit. I mean, it always helps to play in a place that you've played in before. But we stick to our prep and we're confident in that and we're consistent in that.

So we did our shoot-around this morning, and we put the prep in, and so when we walk on any stage, we're ready to go. But it definitely helps that we've played in this gym before.

LINDSAY EDMONDS: I sent her a text, I heard you weren't feeling great. And she said, Well, I'm not, but you'll have a hundred percent of me whether I feel good or not. And I was like, I trust that and I believe that. And the Em that showed up today is the Em that we knew we could count on.

Q. For Aniah, what's it like -- you're not really a freshman anymore, but to be joining a team that did all this last year and stepping in for your first time in a post-season game?

ANIAH ALEXIS: I would say that having the team that came here last year and did this without me, I have a lot to look up to. And then their confidence -- my staff, my coaches, my teammates, their confidence and what they pour into me allows me and makes me want to pour everything I can back to them.

Q. For anyone, what are your thoughts on a rematch with UTSA? You played them really, really close a couple weeks ago.

LINDSAY EDMONDS: Yeah, we did. They're an incredible team with talented players and a great coach. We're going to do everything we can in the next 24 hours to make sure that we have ourselves as prepared as we possibly can be to go out and give it our best shot.

But, yeah, we played them close at our place. We played them close at their place for three quarters. But you know what? None of that the matters. What matters is what happens tomorrow.