AMERICAN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2026

Jason Burton

Jazzy Owens-Barnett

Andi Schissler

Legacy Arena At The BJCC

North Texas Mean Green

Postgame Press Conference

North Texas 76, Tulsa 73

JASON BURTON: You know, the strength of our team all year has been our team, and I think as shown today, you saw two different players sitting up here yesterday. You saw Meg and you saw AP. But it's been a team effort all year.

Even though those were the two awarded by a conference we've got a team full of players that can get it done. Jazzy just had the most assists in UNT program since 2018 in a championship type game. To have nine assists as a point guard and just really get it done on both ends, man, she's been a tremendous leader and just a warrior for us all year.

Then Andi, it's not just the three-pointer but it's how she gets it done. Defensively, three-level scorer now. I wish she was here yesterday to talk about that and-1 left-hand lay-up in transition, man.

But just an incredible play. This team has been so fun to coach because of their belief, their belief in this team, their belief in the staff and their belief in each other.

Every single huddle that we went to today, they're saying the right stuff. Didn't matter if we were up or down or Tulsa was going on a run. We're talking the right things in the huddles and we are getting back refocused. A lot of that goes to these two women right here jut being level headed all year. Being winners.

We recruited a bunch of winners this off-season and we recruited a bunch of winners because we wanted to win in March. So proud of this team for how they've performed so far, and excited about this game tomorrow.

Q. You always talked throughout the season about finding it in March. Do you feel like you guys are where you wanted to be or where you envisioned being with the way you're playing at this point of the season?

JASON BURTON: Man, I do. It's unwavering belief in this team. I've coached some teams before when you have an early game and you have the early shootaround and they don't want to go. They're like, Coach, let us sleep in.

This team, both days, we played the first game, our shootaround is at 8:00 a.m. and they want it. They want to get up, they want to be prepared, and they showed up every single time. The fact that's the type of team we have, they want to win.

Yeah, you recruit these type of players because of March and we're playing elite basketball in March.

Q. Your guard play was terrific today. You've leaned on Megan so much this year. Were you happy with the way you guys played?

JASON BURTON: For sure, and sometimes Ri is getting done at the point she's scoring she's distributing and sometimes is Jazz. And Jazz is always tremendous. When she's on the floor or not she's talking. She's talking to everybody.

The way we've been moving around Andi, she's playing -- she's played literally the 1 through 4. She may have played 5 one game. But our guard play has been tremendous. But you look at Shaniya Price too, who has been someone else who just 2 through 5 has got it done for us. And AP is such a winner.

Yes, our guard play has been great. But to have a game where Meg Nestor doesn't really play, she's very ineffective as far as just being able to get a rhythm, we had to have players step up.

The way the bodies were hitting the floor today I am glad Meg has got a chance to rest a little bit. She's got a big task tomorrow.

We just talked about with this team, man, find a way to get it done in March, and this team is doing that.

Q. Jazz, the game really seemed to turn in that first quarter into the second quarter. What did you see transpire over the course of that run?

JAZZY OWENS-BARNETT: Yeah, I think our defense was just stellar. I just want to credit the team. I think we kind of knew our game plan D and we executed it. I won't say perfectly. I'm always greedy; I want more.

I think we did a really good job of having each other's backs and playing really good team defense, and I feel like we were on a string.

Q. Andi, you've been playing well of late. What's helped you get into this rhythm late in the season?

ANDI SCHISSLER: Yeah, I think just knowing I'm can rely on my teammates if I don't have the greatest game. Like somebody is going to have their game. It doesn't have to be one person or the other. It's not a lot of pressure.

Saying that, you have to do this, you have to do that, but everybody can do everything, and just having that and just trusting my teammates to back me up --

Q. Talk about the way your backcourt played on a day Megan didn't have the impact she typically does?

ANDI SCHISSLER: Yeah, like Coach Burton said, everybody stepped up and everybody played their hardest, and everybody played -- for the minutes they were on the floor, everybody played their hardest.

Q. They made at run at you late; did you kind of figure that was coming?

ANDI SCHISSLER: Yeah, we obviously don't want the big runs, but we know that basketball is a game of runs and we have to limit theirs and extend ours, so just keeping our heads and keeping our cool and being able to execute on the defensive end, obviously.

Q. Jazzy, you guys obviously get Rice in the championship game here, which has dominated the league throughout most of the year. What are your thoughts on going back up against Rice again?

JAZZY OWENS-BARNETT: Just it's a regular game to me. It's the game in the semis. It's a semis game to me. I think for me, it's just the next team we play, and obviously they're a very talented gifted team, but I think we're also talented and gifted.

I think it's going to be a really good matchup and I'm excited to play in the game and be able to hopefully come out on the great side of that. But yes, sir.