NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST FOUR - STEPHEN F. AUSTIN VS MISSOURI STATE

March 17, 2026

Kaemyn Bekemeier

Lainie Douglas

Moody Center

Missouri State Bears

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, folks. We are happy to have Missouri State student-athletes join us on the podium today to start our NCAA Women's Basketball Championship First Four pregame press conference. We are joined by Missouri State student-athletes junior guard Kaemyn Bekemeier and sophomore forward Lainie Douglas. Coach Beth Cunningham will be joining us later after the student-athletes take their questions.

If you are joining us virtually, please use the raised hand function to indicate that you would like to ask a question. When you are called on for your question, whether you're in Austin or joining us virtually, please state your name and affiliation first.

So, again, ladies, congratulations on the Conference USA Tournament championship and we will start with questions from Austin.

Q. Now you've had a couple days to soak into your playing. What do you think of Stephen F. Austin just on film, what you're seeing from them?

KAEMYN BEKEMEIER: Yeah, we're excited to be here for sure. We're soaking in those championship moments, but ready to move on to the tournament. I know our team's really excited. We're excited to be here, to be able to lead the team here. We got another basketball game on our schedule and I think that's what's exciting to us the most, just being able to go out and play basketball for each other again.

LAINIE DOUGLAS: Yeah, Angel used to play at Stephen F. Austin so I know she's excited to play against a school she used to play at, so just kind of small world but we're excited, like Kaemyn said, another game on our schedule. So keep playing as hard as we can.

THE MODERATOR: And that's a reference to Angel Scott on your team?

LAINIE DOUGLAS: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: All right, thank you for clarifying that.

Q. I'm assuming both of y'all's first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. How does it feel like?

KAEMYN BEKEMEIER: It's unreal. Just walking in here is so surreal to be able to be in Austin. We're really excited. We flew on a massive plane yesterday. That was a first for us. Really just soaking everything in.

We were just talking to each other about how quickly it's already flown by. It feels like the championship game was two weeks ago. It was just a few days ago, so just soaking in the moments. Yes, it's our first and hopefully not our last, but just soaking it in while we're here so that we don't regret it later.

LAINIE DOUGLAS: Yeah, it's almost like is just so exciting. Even the watch party was so fun, so exciting. Just the plane ride here and just getting to be in Austin is so fun, so, yeah. Just like Kaemyn said, soaking in all the moments and getting ready to play.

Q. When you're watching film, is there anything that Stephen F. Austin did that impressed you and you have to shut it down?

KAEMYN BEKEMEIER: Yeah, we're going to approach them the exact same way that we approach every them the exact same way we approach every single Conference USA team. I think it will be a really good match-up, something that we're kind of similar to. They work back and forth between man and zone so we'll be able to run everything that we have. I know they like to run out in transition. Lots of threes, lots of lay-ups. I think it will be an awesome match-up, something that we're familiar with, a type of play that we're familiar seeing.

We're just excited to get out there. We're excited to go get shots up even though it's practice today. But, again, just soak it in today, although we don't play today and getting ready mentally to play tomorrow.

Q. Y'all won the Conference USA tournament title as the lower seed in the tournament. How do you carry that momentum coming into the NCAA Tournament?

LAINIE DOUGLAS: Just knowing I feel like there was always a target on our back, just playing our hardest each game. I feel like if we play our game, we know that we always have a great chance at each team we play against. So just playing our game is probably the best thing for us to do and just sticking to scout and playing how we know, playing with toughness and grit.

Q. When you had that sixth seed in the Conference USA Tournament, it seemed kind of deceiving because the teams were so close. Do you kind of feel that way about your 16 seed a little bit? Maybe it doesn't really convey what you guys are capable of?

KAEMYN BEKEMEIER: Yeah, like I said, we're going to approach every game the same and at this point, it's just an honor to be able to be here. I know that the Lord's got a plan that whatever happens happens. The sixth seed was for a reason. The three games that we played up to the championship game or and championship game, it was all for a reason and I have no doubt this is for a reason too.

We talked. We're excited to get here, to be able to play a game before we play a really high seed. So I think it will be good to us to be able to shoot in a real game in the same arena and just have the game day feel and then be able to turn and around do it again two days later.

Q. Now that you're here, obviously you got to experience the WBIT and the WNIT, but now you're here, you're seeing all the cool, the pageantry that comes with it, what is it like to see it and be part of the setup and all that stuff?

KAEMYN BEKEMEIER: I think it's different for sure. It's on a higher scale, as it should be. It's a huge accomplishment for all us college basketball players. I know I'm really thankful that it's on the scale that it is because it's a lot of hard work that we've put in since June. Not just us, but obviously every women's basketball team.

Then just to be able to see women's basketball at this scale is also just so surreal for us. We grew up playing basketball, grew up dreaming of playing in this tournament. Now we're here and it's on the scale that it's on, it's so surreal. It definitely makes a younger generation want to play in this tournament too.

Q. Have y'all gotten the chance to explore Austin?

LAINIE DOUGLAS: We haven't quite yet. Me and Kaemyn are planning to go get a coffee later downtown somewhere. But, no, I was even like it's so cool just being in the middle of Austin, really. Not yet but we plan to.

KAEMYN BEKEMEIER: Send us suggestions.

THE MODERATOR: We can do that. Any other questions before we dismiss our student-athletes? If none, I don't see anyone. There's no one on Zoom right now that wants to ask a question, so ladies, thank you very much. Kaemyn and Lainie and best of luck tomorrow. Thank you.