AMERICAN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2026

Jason Burton

Aysia Proctor

Megan Nestor

Legacy Arena At The BJCC

North Texas Mean Green

Postgame Press Conference

FAU 57, North Texas 80

JASON BURTON: I think it's important to come here and play with energy right away. The one thing about the way our new bracket is kind of formatted is even though you may have an advantage of getting a bye, there's sometimes an advantage of playing that first game.

Being able to come out and play with energy and get this first win is crucial for us. I want to say this: I thought LeAnn and that FAU staff did an incredible job all year. The way she coached shorthanded, multiple games where she's got seven or eight players, that staff and that team did a remarkable job this year.

But incredibly proud of our team. We ended the regular season with two losses, and it's easy to get discouraged or anything like that, but I thought the way we practiced the last few days, the focus that we had come into this tournament, huge testament to the character of these young ladies in this locker room.

Then had big-time players make big plays in a big game. These two right here to my right have been making big plays all year, but the way AP shot the ball with confidence today, Meg doing what she does with double-doubles, and then the whole team.

I thought our team played tremendous today, and we've got to carry that forward the rest of this week.

Q. You guys lost the last two in the regular season, what do you think turned it as you go into the postseason?

JASON BURTON: Just getting back to the basics. I thought we had a chance to get away for a little bit, and then got a lot of shots up. I thought that showed in the way we shot free throws today and the way we shot the ball with confidence from three today.

Then we cleaned up a lot of execution stuff. Defensively I thought our team locked into the defensive game plan, and it means something. We prepare all year for this moment to be able to come to Birmingham and play our best basketball, and our young ladies did that today.

Q. Aysia, terrific game for you today. What went into your performance of being able to get on track like that?

AYSIA PROCTOR: Just playing my game, staying confident, having fun out there. That's when I play my best.

Q. You had the monster run in the first half. What went into that run to change the game in the first half there from the first quarters into the second?

AYSIA PROCTOR: We just talked positively. We talked the right stuff to get our heads back into the game and to do better.

Q. Megan, I also wanted to ask you, what do you think changed from the end of the regular season into the tournament today?

MEGAN NESTOR: You know, we can't control the things that happen in the regular season. But we can control what happens in the postseason. I think we were just coming to the postseason confident. It's a new season, and we're really confident, and we're just going to play our best and give it our all every day.

Q. Where did that confidence come from?

MEGAN NESTOR: Just the type of team we are. We know we're a good team and sometimes we fell short but now we're all together and sharing the same goal and we're just confident going into the postseason.

Q. You get Tulsa again. You played a really tight game with them in the regular season. As you look forward in the tournament, how do you see that game shaping up?

MEGAN NESTOR: We're going to do our best. We're going to do what we've been doing all season and just locking up on defense, low turnovers, and give it our best shot and win the game?

Q. Does the way you guys played today give you a little bit more confidence going into the next round of the tournament and the remainder of the tournament?

AYSIA PROCTOR: Yes, for sure it does.

Q. Why is that?

AYSIA PROCTOR: It was a good game today. Our culture was good. Our energy was good. We were shooting the ball good, playing defense good. It brings us -- it gives us the confidence that we need.

Q. You beat Florida Atlantic three times. What is it about this matchup that has you all confident to be able to play the way you all did?

JASON BURTON: You know, I thought we've been playing really good basketball all conference play. Even though our losses, they've all been tight games with the exception of one South Florida game early in conference play. This team has found our rhythm, we found our identity, found what we're good at, and these players are playing really confident, like they said.

With Florida Atlantic we feel like there's an opportunity to go inside. But at this point in the year, we talked about it at halftime, you watch what happened with the Temple game and the FAU game yesterday. Don't matter what your lead, no lead is safe in the postseason. You've got to play for 40 minutes.

And that was the key for us today, was to make sure we're locked in the game the whole time. FAU tried to make a run. We played it even in that fourth quarter. But you look at what Charlotte did yesterday, you look at Tulane yesterday as far as their comebacks.

In the Playoffs you've got to play 40 minutes and you've got to play a complete game, so I'm proud of our young ladies for sticking to that and playing an entire game.

Q. Megan, you broke the rebounding record earlier this season. Is there motivation to do this on the national stage now in front of everybody to show that you are that person?

MEGAN NESTOR: Really, there is motivation. If the record comes, it comes, but right now we're focused on getting to Saturday and getting to the championship.

Q. Aysia, when I look at this, you're one of the most consistent scorers in the conference. What is it about your approach coming into this game to keep north Texas going?

AYSIA PROCTOR: You know, I try to stay positive no matter what the circumstances are. If shots are not falling I still try to be there for my team mates, be there for my team, even if I'm making shots.

Just having fun, that's really the main thing to have fun always, no matter what.