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BIG 12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S MEDIA DAYSOctober 25, 2012Jim LittellDALLAS, TEXAS THE MODERATOR: We're now joined with coach Jim Littell. Your opening thoughts? COACH LITTELL: The Cowgirls are very excited to start the new season. We feel like we ended the season last year on a very positive note by winning nine out of the last ten games and winning six games at home in the WNIT. We returned five starters and feel like we have a lot of pieces to the puzzle that are going to allow us to take a step and be more competitive in the Big 12. Q. You've tried to elaborate a little bit on it, but winning the six games in the WNIT like you did, and having the cast of characters back for this season, what do you think that's going to do in order to catapult yourself into maybe contention this year in the Big 12? COACH LITTELL: I think playing in the WNIT, we've seen past experiences. Coach Patterson had her group in at K‑State one year, and they won the WNIT, and they came back and won the conference the next year. I'm not going to say that we're going to do that, but I think success breeds success. Any time you have an opportunity I think it's going to be beneficial to you. I equate it to Bowl games for football teams where they have that extra month of practice. We were able to practice another month, let our young players gain some experience. We really feel that it's going to help build our fan base as well. We saw our young team grow in confidence by leaps and bounds. Q. You have some people inside, Lindsey and Kendra. Talk about having two post players this year? COACH LITTELL: We feel like we have four. Toni Young is coming off a season where she ended up being the MVP of the WNIT Tournament, And Lindsey Keller brings dimension to our team where she's very physical and strong. Last year Gary Blair from Texas A&M called her the linebacker of the league. So we feel very good that she's returning. Kendra Suttles will be coming back for her junior year, and then we've got a 6'3" young lady inside named LaShawn Jones that we feel has gotten a lot better in the off‑season. So with those four people in place, we're really excited about our postgame. Q. With the addition of TCU and the addition of West Virginia, two quality programs here to a conference that already was really, really tough top to bottom, what's that mean for the Big 12? COACH LITTELL: It just got stronger. I think with West Virginia, you're bringing a team in that is very similar in style of play to Texas A&M, and we know what Texas A&M has been to this conference for a long time. It's a very physical team that is going to bring a style of play to the conference much like Texas A&M did. TCU, Coach Mittie has done a phenomenal job down there. I believe they've been in the NCAA Tournament nine or ten times in the last 12 years, and just having the experience of coaching and knowing what to do and getting a team in the tournament, it just continues to get better each year. I don't have any doubts it will continue to be the number one RPI conference in America. Q. Last year was your first in the Big 12. I wonder what your thoughts were after you finished up and what you feel that will do as you go around for your second year this year? COACH LITTELL: It was a learning process for me as well. I think I gained some valuable experience in the journey through last year. I know a lot more what to expect about the coaches. But I've been in the league for seven years prior to that. So I feel very comfortable coaching at this level and look forward to it and really enjoyed playing in the Big 12 each night because it's a challenge every night. Q. The commissioner stood up here and thought that Baylor had the opportunity to be one of the great teams in this sport if they continue their development. I just wonder if you could talk about the job that's gone on there and Brittney Griner and what she's been able to do during the course of her career there? COACH LITTELL: You talk about great talent and teams that you've got to know how to coach and handle players like Brittney Griner and how to develop them you have a Phil Jackson that has to handle Kobe and those kind of players. In my opinion, Brittney is the greatest player the women's game has ever seen. Until somebody comes on, I'm not going to change that opinion. But Coach Patterson was up here talking a few minutes ago about how she continues to get better each year which is a scary thought for the rest of us in the conference. She's added a lot of dimension to her game. She's able to step outside now. She's a great free‑throw shooter. She's become more physical. I think the biggest way that she's changed the game is the lane disappears when she's in the game. You just don't get anything free at the rim. The opportunity for easy baskets goes away. And it's going to take somebody to have the ability to shoot 60‑plus percent from the perimeter to up end them. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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