MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 7, 2026

Stacy McIntyre

Milahnie Perry

Emily Adams

Thomas & Mack Center

Air Force Falcons

Postgame Press Conference

Air Force 60, Wyoming 53

THE MODERATOR: We have student athletes Milahnie Perry and Emily Adams. Coach Stacy McIntire, we'll start with you. Just give your thoughts on today's game.

STACY McINTYRE: Well, that defense was amazing. Forced 19 turnovers. We were prepared, and we went out and executed today.

But just that effort. Probably the best defense we've seen all year.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. For both of you, I asked you a couple of days ago, you know, what led you to believe a run would be possible here. Then you guys came out and played probably the best game of the season. I mean, you mentioned the defense and then the shooting. Did that surprise you that this was able to come together the way it did?

MILAHNIE PERRY: Absolutely not. I remember our conversation. We know what we are capable of, and I said we would show that today and we did, and I'm very proud of us.

EMILY ADAMS: Not surprising at all. We wanted it.

Q. What was the key to getting the good looks, especially in the first three quarters to shoot at such a high percentage?

MILAHNIE PERRY: I think it was just not forcing shots, not rushing our shots, finding our open teammates. We knew they were going to collapse on whoever drove, so just finding that open person.

EMILY ADAMS: Yeah, relaxing and trusting each other.

Q. You both mentioned experience here as well. When you stepped out on the court, what were some of the emotions and thoughts you had?

EMILY ADAMS: I think mainly excitement, if I had to say anything. Excitement to show what we could do.

MILAHNIE PERRY: I agree. I was very excited, but I was also nervous. I don't want to go home first round, and I was just more excited to get this game and get this win.

Q. There have been so many games this season where the defense will be there and the shooting isn't or you're shooting well, but something goes wrong on the defensive end. How much of a relief is it when you get on this stage to at least for three quarters not have any of those issues or foul trouble or anything else pop up?

EMILY ADAMS: Such a relief. It was a really coming-out moment. I think we've been waiting on this game for a long time, and it really all came together.

MILAHNIE PERRY: I feel like it definitely helped. It just helped us play more relaxed, and that really helped us get this win as well.

Q. Then talk me through the fourth quarter. You know, closing and when they get to within three, how do you avoid the mentality of, oh, no, here it goes?

MILAHNIE PERRY: I think it's just keeping your poise, knowing that you are the better team and trusting in that. Not letting what happened get to you and fluster you and just keep playing and doing the things that were getting you the win.

EMILY ADAMS: Agreed (laughing).

Q. Bhret Clay had some huge minutes. I know in her high school career she was really good in the state tournament. Could you sense that in her -- obviously she's played a big role all season, but what you saw of her many the Mountain West Tournament now what impressed you about her?

MILAHNIE PERRY: Just knocking down those big shots. We know what Bhret can do. She's an amazing player, and I'm glad she showed and showed what she can do today.

EMILY ADAMS: She always plays a relaxed, energetic game. You can always trust her to do what she needs to do.

Q. Given the series history against Wyoming, how important was it to have beaten them within the past two weeks, just for a confidence standpoint, everything else?

MILAHNIE PERRY: It was crucial. I know that we wanted this. Our first win against them since we've been here, that was big, and just to get the second win against them, it's a blessing.

EMILY ADAMS: Yeah, very, very exciting.

Q. Real quick, away from the game, Milahnie, you were First Team All Mountain West today. It's probably a foregone conclusion given the numbers, but what does that mean to you?

MILAHNIE PERRY: I'm very thankful, and I'm very blessed just to see that everything worked out and all the hard work that I put in and that my teammates put in to help me get there paid off.

Q. Then Jayda was Defensive Player of the Year. I assume both of you have faced her in practice as well as seeing her in games. What makes her such a good defender, and what is it like to face her?

EMILY ADAMS: Jayda is relentless. Jayda never gives up. That's what it's like to face her. She never gives up on a play. She's always there when you need her to be, and that's why she's Defensive Player of the Year.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. Questions for Coach.

Q. I guess also, what kind of sense of relief was there that for at least three quarters, like I said, none of those foul trouble, shooting woes, perimeter three, somebody else catching fire on the other team, none of those issues cropped up. On this stage as a coach, you can't prepare for everything. How nice was that?

STACY McINTYRE: Well, we've had a lot of close games this year. I think any time you have games down the stretch against Colorado State, against UNLV, it prepares you for a moment like this.

I always say there is two things: You're either prepared or you're not prepared. We were prepared. We executed. Everybody was locked in. I think that's a big message. Any time you can get your entire team locked in.

The other message in the locker room was just everybody contribute to winning. That's what we did today. You were talking about Jayda earlier. What she does doesn't show up in the stat sheet.

I mean, just keeping the ball alive, staying active defensively. I mean, just that buy-in today was critical.

Q. I know you've mentioned momentum, building momentum into the tournament. That didn't happen, but can you build momentum in the tournament? Is that just as good or even better?

STACY McINTYRE: Hey, anything can happen in a tournament. I think everybody knows that. Every game is important, clearly, but you don't look past your first game. We'll enjoy this momentarily and get ready for a battle tomorrow.

Q. The scoring lift that Milahnie brought early, obviously you've seen her do it better than anybody in program history, but how crucial was that on this stage for her to get that in the first half especially?

STACY McINTYRE: She's amazing. I think she gives up pounds and inches to everybody, and she's relentless. She was selective in her shots. She shared the ball. She looked for her teammates, but when we need a bucket, she's always going to have the ball in her hands.

For her to hit those early shots and you have that momentum and it creates that momentum once you go down on defense.

Q. What did you say to Keelie after the first quarter situation?

STACY McINTYRE: I talked to Keelie today. I just told her to relax. Don't worry what happens on the defensive end of the floor. She just needs to know she's capable, keep believing in herself.

I know she stepped up, hit a three, but she's a great shooter and she's a great player. I think she proved to herself today that she can play defense too.

Q. Then with Bhret Clay, as a recruit, I don't know how much you got to see her in high school, but obviously her numbers, at least state championships speak for themselves, could you see some of that today, that she's been in big moments before?

STACY McINTYRE: It's amazing when you have a freshman that can step up and hit big shots, but she's been doing that all year. I think any time you're a freshman and you get quality minutes early in the season, and that combined with just the level that she played on in high school, I mean, she comes out and competes.

She doesn't let the game affect her. You know, it matters when you have a freshman that can come off the bench and get ten points for you.

Q. Then you played San Diego State recently. They shot I think 65% from three. Assuming law of averages that comes down, do you like the match-up?

STACY McINTYRE: Well, it better come down, because we know they can knock down threes. We know their guards can get downhill. All five of their players can score. We have to come with that same mentality, realize that, hey, even the No. 1 seed is vulnerable, but you got to come out, play hard, take this momentum from this win into tomorrow.

Q. Then just kind of how would you encapsulate the grit that it took to pick yourself back up in the fourth quarter and to finish?

STACY McINTYRE: Well, we have been doing it for three quarters, okay? When you're in the last two, three minutes of the game, I mean, that momentum through those first three quarters carries you through those last three minutes.

I think the buy-in and everybody believing in what we're doing and just that timing and score execution was great.