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BIG 12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 12, 2009

Ashley Sweat

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

Kansas State - 68
Colorado - 51

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, Coach?
COACH PATTERSON: For an opening round, Big 12 tournament game, we're extremely proud of this victory.
Playing a third a -- playing a team a third time and coming in back-to-back is challenging, and I thought our players were emotionally mature, and I think their effort was strong tonight. It was tremendous for us to feel like we could get that first-round win, we're pleased to be advancing.
And we understand the magnitude of the challenge and appreciate the unbelievable play that Kara has brought to the Big 12 conference for her career. She has been a handful for everybody in the league, and goes out shooting 80% from the floor and scoring over 20 points.
Great final game effort by her in Big 12 play. A real high-quality young person, we have a great deal of respect for her.

Q. Both for Kari and Ashley, Kansas State always seems to play good, fundamental, throw-back basketball. Is that something that you learn as a small-town Kansas girl or is that something you're taught?
ASHLEY SWEAT: I think it has to do with what we're taught growing up. I can tell you from our high school experiences, here at Kansas State we pride ourselves on staying fundamental and executing, working the small things. And I think that's what has won us games this year and hopefully will win us more.
KARI KINCAID: I agree with what Ashley said and I think our coaches take pride in helping us get better. And we're the type of players that want to come in and learn and get better.
I feel like I wouldn't be playing basketball if I didn't learn those fundamentals, because I have to use my strength. And part of that is what I know about the game, because I'm not the athlete that a lot of these girls are. I think our coaches take pride in making us better.

Q. Ashley, especially inside the last couple of games, Marlies is scoring again. What does that do for this team because there was a stretch where not much was coming from her offensively.
ASHLEY SWEAT: I think that's huge for us, anytime we can get a couple of players to score, even just 10 points, especially on the inside, that opens things up for the outside. You see Marlies establishing things from the inside.
And then Kari can step outside and get shots, and I think when we're firing on all cylinders, it can be a dangerous combination.

Q. Ashley, you guys just played Colorado, it seems like yesterday you just played them in Boulder. And coaches talk about the third time around and it can be tough, but it wasn't that way at all. Can you talk about how you guys took control of this game from the tip?
ASHLEY SWEAT: I definitely think anytime you're going to play a team three times, it's going to be tough. We've done the same thing with Iowa State the past two years, and I think today we came out and were focused on our execution and focussing on our scout and staying true to how we've played 'em the last couple of times.
I think our coaches have us so well prepared, you can see that as our third game, you know, that we've played them.

Q. Brittany Spears only had 3 points in the first half, was she a point of emphasis for your defense?
KARI KINCAID: Definitely, Spears, we know, is an all-Big 12 player. She is great inside and out, and we brought total respect to her game and, you know, we know that she is looking to score and she did in the second half. We know who she was going into this game, but we knew all the other players, too.

Q. Do you think part of Colorado's problem was they only had two players who were looking to score today?
ASHLEY SWEAT: I think this is one of those games where they felt like all year they've carried the team and done such a great job.
Colorado is a great basketball team and having Spears and Richards on the inside, they do a bulk of the playing, but their guards do a lot of other things. They play great defense and Smith is a great shooter.
They bring a lot to the game, and I think toward the end of the season you're seeing more of a postgame on the inside.

Q. Ashley, and Kari, you guys played March 1st Texas A&M, and that was a pretty tough game for you guys. I know Shalin was under the weather then. What do you guys have to do different tomorrow, maybe you two individually and what you think you have to do as a team against them?
ASHLEY SWEAT: I think the last time we played them, I don't know if we were mentally ready for the challenge. That's a huge thing for our team, if we can get ourselves fired up, we play on a lot of emotion. That's what drives this team.
I think if we can come out with the fire and intensity that we've had the past three games, we can be successful. We need to play together and execute, and obviously I think that hopefully there will be a better turn out than last time.
KARI KINCAID: I agree, but we're going to have to play our best game to beat a team like Texas A&M, and we know that. They come in and play their hearts out every single game, and that's something we have to match and exceed if we have a chance to win.

Q. Deb, same question I asked the girls. You take a lot of pride in that you've built such a successful program at K-State, using mostly Kansas girls.
COACH PATTERSON: We've been unbelievably privileged to have hard-working, Kansas talent over the years. And like every program in this league, your program tends to have a signature style with which they play.
Our Kansas talent has really given us the opportunity in our successful years, I think, to shine and to be successful, and competitive in this league and nationally. So all credit to them.
Also just to the -- you know, the commitment that they have to making the very most of their abilities and the foundation that they have coming out of AAU ball and high school basketball.
Obviously we're attracted to fundamental, hard-nosed, tough players, very much like you might find at an Iowa State or Nebraska. So it's just a tribute to them. And I think our style will continue to remain the same and our system, as I think all of the Big 12 programs by and large are successful, remaining true to who they are and how they want to play.

Q. Talk about the rebounding, especially the offensive rebounding in the second half and getting the chances.
COACH PATTERSON: I thought coming off the floor with about 8 was significant for us. It's an aspect in tournament play that you have to bring to the floor.
We were active there, we didn't rely on one shot and out, which at times when you're a team that tends to rely on offensive execution and the finish of a play, you can get tempted to not put your nose to the grind stone offensively. And offensive rebounds are so much at times about athletic instincts and athletic skills.
And we're not always so great in that area, and our kids worked hard to get the opportunities to rebound. That was big in the first half, our rebounds and opportunities and second and third possessions, whether we converted or not was very, very big.

Q. How much -- is it an advantage or disadvantage to have to play the first day, go into the second day since you have momentum under your belt, Texas A&M coming in cold. Is that an advantage or is it tougher having to play the extra game?
COACH PATTERSON: I don't look at it as any tougher for us than anybody. You earn your way into this tournament, and we had this opportunity today to compete hard. And I thought our kids competed well, and now the reality is it's just all about the next opponent.
And we know we're facing a great one with Texas A&M, and someone that took us to school the first time we played 'em. So that's the unbelievable challenge of Big 12 play. And I think it's just a testament to the quality of this league to think that in your second-round game, you're playing the No. 8 team in the country.
Under the circumstances, unbelievable. And it speaks to the fact that this is a league that's had maybe seven and eight easy in the NCAA tournament. It's just that tough.
So we have all the respect in the world for Colorado, we're thrilled to have won this game and now we look ahead and go, wow! Texas A&M! I'm just proud of what we brought to the floor and hope we can build on it.

Q. Coach, Texas A&M has shown they're human a couple of times, but person-for-person are they the most difficult match-up for you in this league of anybody?
COACH PATTERSON: Well, they certainly proved the first time through that they could put a hurt on us, more so than anyone else in this league. They're playing just phenomenal basketball.
You look at their -- the fact that that's a program that tends to play very well down the stretch, you know, in late February and March. They matured into a program, and they have an offensive team to match the great defense they bring to the floor.
I think they're playing as well as anybody I've seen in this league. I know they had a tough game against Baylor down the stretch, but when you're playing at such a high level through the course of this league, and you lose a game against another top-10 opponent, you can tend to think, what a hiccup, and really it wasn't at all.
It's just that you were playing a top-10 opponent in Baylor, I think top 10. It's just that good of a league, great balance, Danielle Gant, Sydney Colson stepped up in our game and was an amazing freshman, Takia Starks, Tyra White, Tanisha Smith, you don't find a spot in their lineup that's weak, and that's why they're a top-10 program in the country.
It's amazing to think that, again, that's a team that didn't win our league because there are teams that were even better. They're great, they've been a tough match-up for us in our first game and we'll have to play significantly different and better than we did the first time to give it a good shot.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. Good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts

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BIG 12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 12, 2009

Kari Kincaid

Gary Patterson

Ashley Sweat