NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - VIRGINIA VS GEORGIA

March 21, 2026

Katie Abrahamson-Henderson

Rylie Theuerkauf

Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Georgia Bulldogs

Media Conference

Virginia 82, Georgia 73 (OT)

THE MODERATOR: Coach, the floor is yours.

KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON: Opening statement would be -- I don't ever do opening statements, but I'm very proud of this team. I mean, we had 22 wins. 22 wins. We're sophomores, freshman, juniors. I mean, first time Rylie has been in the NCAA tournament.

Second time Dani, first time Trinity, Miyah, I could go on and on. So it's just a great accomplishment for our team. I'm very proud of them. Hopefully we can keep them all together and keep building on this, because they're a lot of fun to coach every single day. They're great people. They got great families.

Our culture is really in now in Georgia. It's in. Our culture is in.

Q. You had a big second quarter, five of five from three. What happened the second half? Did they take you away or were you guys more focused on getting the ball inside?

RYLIE THEUERKAUF: I think a little bit of both. I mean, Miyah did a great job when they got the ball inside. I think also they changed from their zone to their man so they were definitely denying me a little bit harder.

So I would say that's pretty much what happened.

Q. Red Mamba, tell me about how you earned that nickname. Seems like you were a Red Mamba out there today despite the result.

RYLIE THEUERKAUF: Thank you. It kind of came from a long time ago in high school. I used to play in this city with my AU team for Exodus. Used to play at Rutger Park and all the parks out there. It kind of just became a name from I think one of my assistant coaches at the time.

Yeah, just kind of stuck.

Q. I have one more. Obviously not the result you wanted, but you did drop 22 points. This is your first time in the NCAA tournament. Just kind of talk about the experience of what it was like to get to be in the Big Dance and how are you going bring this team back next year?

RYLIE THEUERKAUF: Yeah, it was definitely a lot of fun. As Abe said before, our team is very young so a lot of our first times. I wish it was a different result but it was definitely an honor to be invited to the tournament.

I think next year when we come back we just got to realize and use our experience better.

Q. Rylie, you guys only had two points in overtime. Was that still the defense that they were playing or do you think you are got good shots, they just didn't fall?

RYLIE THEUERKAUF: I think a little bit of both. We got our shots up and they just were going in and out or however they were going. But, yeah, I think that was really it.

Their defense was pretty good also.

Q. Coach Mox has mentioned several that you two of you are friends. What's that like playing against a friend? It's not what you wanted, but how do you feel for her?

KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON: I'm excited for her. I would prefer not to play my friends, you know what I mean? She probably wouldn't want to play us and I don't really want to play them. I'm very close with their whole staff. I was in her wedding.

So, you know, that's how these storylines go. So obviously Carla Williams, I actually played the AD at Virginia. She was my teammate when I played at Georgia.

So, you know, it's tough because they want so much success for us and I want so much success for them, and so it's just a tough situation. But you just got to let it go and play the game.

Q. When they changed defense, how much did that affect you and did you still think -- seemed like you were still able to get some good shots.

KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON: Well, I think we were up by 8 and they hit two threes. That was big. That was big. They cut it to two points. I called a time out. I had to use some of my timeouts too soon, too quick, so didn't really kind of have them.

But then Miyah went out and now they're really pressuring us in the zone. That's what Rylie said, they want man and trying to deny Dani and deny Rylie the ball. Kind of what we do with Kymora. So I think that was big, Miyah going out and not being able to get her the ball.

She was a bucket tonight. Her going out really hurt us because they could really extend on the perimeter.

Q. You talk about Miyah. She did get knocked down quite a bit. She was in a lot of pain seemed like in overtime. How tough is she to still have the night she was to get?

KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON: That's her night every night. That's not just here. It's in the SEC every time. To me I always refer to her as Shaq. You don't know when to call the foul because she is getting hit and banged and banged and hit. She did a good job today of calling those.

Q. Savannah had a career high 11 points today. With everything she's been through, three knee injuries, how does it feel as a coach and mom to see her go out there and perform the way she did on such a big stage?

KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON: As a coach, like so happy for her because I don't think there is anybody that worked as hard as her meaning not on the floor but off the floor. Meaning the mental aspect, in the weight room aspect, the grind of every single day of coming back after three knee surgeries.

I laugh and say I wouldn't do it. There is no way. She takes care of her body. She eats right. She sleep right. Prays a lot. She a devout Christian. We have a great sports performance -- I don't know how you call it -- sports performance group at Georgia that has really helped us out. Brad has been amazing for Savannah.

So as coach it's great. As a mom it's just like, you know, amazing. That's the Savannah I know. That's the Savannah I've watched in her whole life grow up. Just it takes some time. That takes a toll on you mentally, too. And physically.

And as a mom I'm super proud of her.

Q. Obviously we talked about Miyah going down. Is she doing okay? What was her injury?

KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON: Yeah, I think it's just the whole year, just getting beat up and beat up and slammed and beat up and beat up. It doesn't end for her. She really went to work. She did a great job. She had 27 points. I mean, she could've had 34 points if she made some of those free throws. Obviously really hurt us in the overtime not having her out there.

Q. Just three of the people in the starting five are sophomores. How does that excite you for next year? You get to come back with the same squad. How will you use that to your advantage?

KATIE ABRAHAMSON-HENDERSON: Yeah, our freshman, Zhen Craft didn't play or Aubrey Beckham and they got the opportunity to come here and see it. Jocelyn played a little bit.

But they're freshman. That's where Trinity and Miyah were last year. They got to experience a lot of playing time, right? Craft experienced a lot of playing time this year until she got hurt.

So did Beck. Beck played a little bit and got hurt again. So it's just like you got to fight through injuries at this level. Obviously Dani is a sophomore, Trinity sophomore, Miyah sophomore. I mean, we got to -- I just talked to them about that, like staying together. This is a good thing. It's just this transfer portal gets a little crazy sometimes. I talk to them about how we love them. Our administration loves them. Our administration loves them up and we're going to do everything we can do to fight for them.