NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - WASHINGTON VS TCU

March 21, 2026

Tina Langley

Sayvia Sellers

Avery Howell

Elle Ladine

Schollmaier Arena

Washington Huskies

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by student-athletes Elle Ladine, Avery Howell and Sayvia Sellers.

Q. Elle, obviously it's a quick turnaround. What's the early scouting report on TCU?

ELLE LADINE: Yeah, TCU is a really good, competitive team, and I think we're kind of approaching this game like we do every other game. We have Coach Tina on our staff, who does a great job of scouting, kind of just watching film on them and committing to our defensive principles.

But honestly, we're just approaching it like every other game, and we're getting ready to go out there and compete.

Q. Avery, it's probably not an exact comparison, but is there any comparison between Olivia and JuJu Watkins, like who you played with last year?

AVERY HOWELL: Yeah, I think in some ways, yeah, I think they're both super high-level players. And obviously being able to play with JuJu last year, I know her game pretty well just by being on the court with her.

But I'd say they have some similarities. They're both really high-level athletes, good players. I think they do different things and do different things well. But both really good players, so, yeah, we're excited to play.

Q. Sayvia, when you look at TCU, obviously Olivia stands out, but they had two bigs with double-doubles yesterday and Taylor with a career high 27. How do you compare with a team like that that has so many different weapons and you know you can't just focus on Olivia or you might get beat by somebody else?

SAYVIA SELLERS: Yeah, I think obviously playing in the Big Ten, we've had experience playing against teams that have a lot of multiple people that score. So I think we're just taking it like we do every other conference game. Obviously preparing for a lot of different players that they have.

But I think we have a good experience playing against teams like this.

Q. Elle, yesterday it felt like there was a collective mindset shift after that first media timeout. South Dakota State got off to a pretty quick start. Can you take us through that timeout? Seemed like as a group you all decided, we've had enough and the game totally shifted after that?

AVERY HOWELL: I think in that timeout, our coaching staff just reminded us of our whole week of preparation we had for how we wanted to play, the scouting report we had on them and just kind of the principles we wanted to get back to.

I think a lot of people have maybe some nerves in the first game of March Madness. So I think that's kind of just what that was. And then our coaching staff did a good job bringing us back to the moment, where your feet are and the scouting report.

Then we were able to go out and execute that, and then obviously that kind of led us through the rest of the game, which was pretty good for everyone.

So I think it's just about staying where your feet are. And our coaching staff did a really good job of just bringing us back to the scout and all the work we had done that week.

Q. Sayvia, obviously you can score. But yesterday it just felt like you were so at peace with kind of just driving the ship a little bit, dishing it to your teammates. I think you had one big bucket when they were on a run, you had a layup that kind of snapped that and got you guys going. Is that something you're aware of in the game -- like, I don't need to score right now, my teammates are getting it done? Or is it just that's how it was flowing yesterday?

SAYVIA SELLERS: I think it was just the way that South Dakota was defending. They made it really hard to get to the rim. We knew that. So that whole week was just kind of practicing getting off the ball early.

And obviously when you have Avery that's making seven 3s a game, it makes it really easy to pass the ball. So I think it was just kind of a game where I needed to facilitate, and I knew that going in.

Q. Elle, having been in this program for so long, how good did it feel to get that NCAA Tournament win, but now having kind of having that, not being satisfied with that?

ELLE LADINE: Yeah, it's honestly a great feeling. It's something that when I committed here, Coach Tina presented on the table that's something we wanted to accomplish and obviously make a deep run. And so, yeah, we're kind of just being where our feet are, trying to keep going, keep this thing rolling.

Q. Avery, you're having a career year after transferring in from USC. What was that transition like for you? And what's clicked at Washington?

AVERY HOWELL: Yeah, the transition was pretty smooth, I would say. Finding right home out of the transfer portal is obviously what you want to see happen. That's exactly kind of how it's played out for me.

Washington's been a really good fit. And I think that was -- mainly, I think it was culturally a big thing for me coming out of the portal. And just Washington and my relationship with head coach, and then obviously the entire staff and teammates has been really important.

And I just think being able to play free and like confident with the people you have around you and knowing your coaching staff has your back has helped me a lot this year. That's why we're in the position we are and I'm able to play free in how I'm playing this year.

Q. You're the first Washington player to score 30 points in an NCAA Tournament since Kelsey Plum. What does it feel to be mentioned alongside her as you carve out your own legacy here at Washington?

AVERY HOWELL: I mean that's crazy. I didn't actually know that. Obviously she's a really good player and has a huge legacy at Washington. So I just think that's good to be in the same conversation a little bit, but obviously she's really good.

Q. It was the first NCAA Tournament win for your coach. Any idea what that meant for her? And just the idea of her sort of notching her first win, just your thoughts on that.

SAYVIA SELLERS: Obviously, it means a lot for her to be able to get a win like that with a program that she's turned around. But I think she's been around for a long time. And she's coached in Final Fours and had a lot of experience.

So I think to her, to be honest, it might not be that big of a deal. She's just ready to get some more wins.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, an opening statement about yesterday's game and looking forward to tomorrow's game.

TINA LANGLEY: South Dakota State is such a good team. So really proud of the way our team came out and focused on the game plan at hand.

I thought we did a really nice job of staying present. They came out really came out well and strong. And I thought we were able to collect ourselves in a timeout and have a good conversation and just refocus.

Shows a lot about the growth of this team. Just really proud of the way we stayed together and continued to stay focused.

Q. That first timeout, in that conversation, I asked the players about that. Do you remember specifically what you said and just the reaction that told you they were settled?

TINA LANGLEY: Just a refocusing moment. Usually when we refocus we talk specifically about the scout. We took a big, deep breath first. But after that, just kind of focused on the scout. And I think they just did a nice job of giving good verbal feedback, and you knew they were locked in.

Q. I can see why you're so excited about McGaughy, her performance. She was a big part of getting you guys back in the game. Just your thoughts on her performance the other day?

TINA LANGLEY: You're exactly right. There was a moment in the game that she went coast to coast, and I thought she showed great confidence. I think we really needed that moment.

And so for us, it doesn't matter your age. We believe you can lead. So she led us well in that moment and continued to lead through the game.

Q. Avery obviously has had some of her biggest games against the best teams in some of the biggest moments -- no pressure with her standing there. But what do you like most about her?

TINA LANGLEY: Well, I mean, she can compete with anyone. I think what's really neat about Avery is the drive that she has, and everyone knows that about her. But until you've really seen it day in and day out, you don't understand every possession matters to her, every moment matters to her. She's a student of the game. She has a great skill set. And she just continues to evolve.

Q. You spoke yesterday about what this win meant for you guys. But now going into the second-round game, you're playing a TCU team that hadn't lost at home in over two years. And we all know about Olivia, and then you saw yesterday the two bigs have double-doubles and another guard has a career high. How do you prepare for a situation like this? How do you get your team ready for something like that in the second round of an NCAA?

TINA LANGLEY: Yeah, it's a great question. You know we talked about it last night. You can look at it this way, it's not really an NCAA game, it's really a Quad One road game. We've had a lot of those this year in the Big Ten, and we've gone into some great environments. So just it's really important that we treat it the same as we have all year.

Q. How do you guys stop or slow down Olivia Miles? Seems like she does so much for their team.

TINA LANGLEY: Yeah, tremendous player. I think obviously we're still early in our scout, because we do have a little bit longer, thanks to the game time. We're going to spend some time on that.

But genuinely, great player. What makes her, I think, really difficult to guard, and everyone knows, is she can score it and she can really facilitate at a high level. So she's done a tremendous job of that. But just be up to us to decide how we want to play and if we want to maintain the same scheme for the game or if we want to change those schemes.

Q. About that game time, what do you guys do with yourselves tomorrow? And did that go into the thinking of practice like, what you guys do with a practice today, because the game is so late?

TINA LANGLEY: It did, it did. We wanted to think about how to use our day well and our day tomorrow because we have two full days. So fortunately when we played in the Big Ten this year, for some reason, we did something similar. We would go out and we would play an early game when we arrived and then we would stay and we would play a late game.

So when I saw it came out, I was like, well, that's a pattern that we're familiar with. And so we do know how to use that. So we kind of went into that same mindset of, like, this is the way we use this day, this is the way we use the next day. And so we're just going to stay in that pattern.

Q. I just wanted to get your thoughts on what Avery has brought to this program and just the experience she has brought from her deep run in the tournament last year?

TINA LANGLEY: So much. I mean you guys get to see on camera what she brings as a player. But as a leader, I would say she brings just as much. And so from her experience, to her competitive drive, the way she communicates with people, you know, she's done a beautiful job of understanding how to communicate with each person differently.

We all receive information differently. And she's done a beautiful job with that. Then preparation and work and knowledge of the game. I could keep going, but really a tremendous, tremendous addition to our program.

Q. I don't know how much, do you know Mark Campbell much from his time on the West Coast?

TINA LANGLEY: I wasn't on the West Coast when he was --

Q. Do you know much about what he's done here, taking over a team that was 1-17 in the conference, and now he's just built it? What does it say about a coach that has been able to do that sustainably year after year with the transfer portal, it seems like for him?

TINA LANGLEY: Yeah, he's done a great job of keeping the team you know very experienced which is very unusual in college basketball. And so last year, I think they were the oldest team in the country. And this year, I think one of the oldest or the oldest, you might know.

And so, I mean, that's really important when you get into tournament play and you're playing at a high level and your players have a ton of experience, that means a lot. So I think he's done a great job of building a roster that is very experienced.

Q. It's probably not the time for reflection because you're in it -- but what did it mean to get that first NCAA Tournament win as a head coach for you?

TINA LANGLEY: We've been very fortunate. I mean, I loved -- our young ladies at Rice were incredibly talented, and we built a program there to go to the NCAA Tournament. And we went. And then COVID came, and so we missed the next couple of years, really, being together.

And so very similar path at Washington. We rebuilt again with really young players. And we've got to grow up together. And last year we got our first experience again. And then this year, again, get to come back and continue to get better.

I think I just really am appreciative of all the young women in both programs who have come in and done something really hard and stayed together and built something really special.

Q. Obviously the numbers for Sayvia continue to get better, and better, freshman and sophomore, now junior. But the maturity, I thought she said yesterday you expect somebody who's averaging almost 20 a game to want to get into double figures but just seemed to not force anything and really settled in as the point guard. And was curious if you can take us through where she was maybe a couple years ago to the maturity she showed yesterday?

TINA LANGLEY: Yeah, I mean, you said it really well. I'm not sure how to say it better than that. You know, she did show great maturity yesterday. And she has all season.

I think she understands what the team needs at different times. She understood the scout really well. We knew that they were going to make us shoot the 3, and we knew that she would have to create some opportunities to give us some cleaner looks. And she did such a beautiful job of that. She probably could have had a few more. We missed a few layups. So we'll work on that.

But just a beautiful job of understanding when she needs to get a bucket and when she needs to create for someone else.

Q. D trying to slow down somebody like Olivia, is it like all hands on deck? Do you assign one player to her and just say that's what we're going to do? Like, I'm not trying to ask you to give away the game plan, but just how, like, when you have somebody like that dynamic, do you have to invest everything into just stopping them?

TINA LANGLEY: Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of games we can go back to. Sometimes it's like a center like at UCLA that's really causing you some problems that you're going to need some help with and sometimes it's a guard that's causing you a lot of problems, and she's one of the best at causing problems.

And I think it's a decision that we're trying to make based on how other people have played so far. There's teams that have decided to let her have her time. And there's teams that have decided to put a lot of people on her. And they've had success in both scenarios.

So you're just trying to decide what you think might be the best scenario with the people that you have in your program. For us, we've been a team that's been very aggressive defensively. I felt last game, we did a nice job of turning people over. So I think the decision for us is how much do we go out of our own style. And I do think there's parts of our style that could be really effective in the sense of applying pressure. So we'll probably apply a mixture of both.