BIG EAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 7, 2026

Joe Tartamella

Sa'Mya Wyatt

Mohegan Sun Arena

St. John's Red Storm

Postgame Media Conference

Seton Hall - 63, St. John's - 61

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with an opening statement from Coach and then take questions.

JOE TARTAMELLA: Tough battle, obviously. I thought we competed certainly better in the second half, put ourselves in a position to possibly be able to win it. Didn't really execute as well as we hoped. But proud of our guys for how they played in terms of getting themselves back in a position to do that. Obviously, our turnovers -- you know, to give up 31 points off turnovers and still be in the game at the end is, I guess, remarkable.

But, yeah, I mean, they fought their way through a game where we struggled to kind of find rhythm and tempo and lineups that would work. Obviously, we had a hard time for the first time in three games to contain Codio. She played really well.

So, yeah, I mean, obviously disappointed. I think a game that we felt obviously you can win, not to get a shot at the end is a difficult way to go out. So certainly disappointed with the outcome, but I think in terms of what these guys have done through the year, we'll see what happens in terms of post-season, but I'm proud of how they played this year.

THE MODERATOR: Take questions.

Q. Sa'Mya, in a game like this where you're battling back all game and you're seeing the other team kind of make runs here and there to keep it within six or eight and for you to come down late in the game and have the ball with an opportunity to win it, what does it speak to the kind of resolve and resiliency of your team over the course of the season to kind of embody that tonight?

SA'MYA WYATT: We're really resilient just to come back from being down. We played hard. I give my teammates all the props for that. It's a hard loss, but we'll get it back. It's fine.

Q. What were the keys when you were able to get it going and what were some of the keys that, Coach, you were keeping your team updated on to try to stay in this game?

JOE TARTAMELLA: Look, I thought when we were doing well, we were defending at a high level. I thought we were clearing the glass, not turning the ball over. I thought our bench did give us a good boost, especially early to bring us back where it could have got out of hand for us early. But I thought we were more locked in in terms of execution and putting pressure on them in areas where we had been able to exploit them at times in the first two games.

But we had too many breakdowns through that. So you could make that run and then maybe you have a breakdown where they can kind of keep themselves upright in terms of trying to take over. But I thought when we had hit that shot where Wagner had that turnaround, I felt that we were in a pretty good space.

But credit to those guys for being able to continue to be resilient as well. But, yeah, look, it was a grind the first three quarters in terms of trying to get anything that was going our way, especially even the start of the third. So when you look at the start of the third and then how we had to come back, they all did a great job. I think in the fourth, we kind of got more life. I think that was the biggest thing where, you know, they were enjoying what they were doing.

Q. Jailah Donald really kind of showed her confidence and her strength in the two games that you played here. What is it about her that kind of embodied being a St. John's captain and leader of the team?

JOE TARTAMELLA: Well, JD is a four-year kid so when you look at her it's probably unique in that aspect in terms of her just being here. I think seeing four different types of years in her time. Yeah, she was terrific in these games. She had a great look about her in how she played. She had that air of a veteran that you need in terms of not backing down, I think staying through the runs. So she did a great job for us in these two games. And again, she's been a key for us. When she plays well, most of the time we're going to win. But, no, she was great for us in those games. But she was steady today. That's one guy I would say that was pretty steady for the entire game.