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PACIFIC-12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 6, 2014Jillian AlleyneAriel ThomasPaul WestheadSEATTLE, WASHINGTON Washington State – 107 THE MODERATOR: We welcome the Oregon Ducks. Thank you for being here. Coach Paul Westhead, Jillian Alleyne, and Ariel Thomas. Coach, I'll have you make opening remarks and questions from the media. COACH WESTHEAD: I think our team played about as hard as they could. I'm proud of them, and they gave a terrific effort and good for them. Q. Ariel and Jillian, what have your emotions been over the last week? Obviously, a lot has gone on, and it was a tough one tonight, really playing your pace, kind of an up‑and‑down week for you guys. ARIEL THOMAS: Pretty much our emotions were just to get game ready for the Pac‑12. We didn't really focus on what happened outside of the court. It was just we came to play fast‑paced basketball and we came up short. JILLIAN ALLEYNE: Yeah, what Ariel said, honestly. We were just preparing ourselves for this game and giving our all for our coaches. Pretty much all that ws going through my mind, despite the news, we were just pulling together for each other. Q. Jillian and Ariel, if you could, now that you've had a moment to kind of let everything else settle in, how was it, or how does it fit with you right now to have this be the final game? JILLIAN ALLEYNE: Right now it's still kind of‑‑ I mean, it hit me pretty hard at the end of the buzzer, but I'm still kind of taking in everything that's happened and going to happen. It's really hard for me especially because I have so much love for my coaches and my teammates, especially the seniors. So I'm really just trying to stay positive. I'm kind of just letting everything come to me right now. It's really a lot. Honestly, it's tough, but I've got to remain positive. ARIEL THOMAS: Like Jillian said, keep a positive mindset. It hit me as well more in the locker room, the emotions. But I don't think there is time for that. I think it's just stay in the moment. Can't worry about what's going to happen next. It's just a matter of taking in the moment right now. Q. What did Washington State do that frustrated your team, if you will? I thought if you got into the shootout, you would have preferred that, but is there anything particular that they did that you felt kind of carried the day? COACH WESTHEAD: Well, I think they shot the ball very well. They minimized their turnovers, which we do our best to kind of frazzle teams that kind of turn the ball and get them into awkward positions. So I think those two things was at least 7 points. Washington State played a good game and they shot the ball well. So good for them. Q. What were some of the things that were talked about in the locker room? Because you did limit Washington State to only 48 points in the second half. What were some of the defensive adjustments made going into the second half during halftime? COACH WESTHEAD: We were trying to minimize our own turnovers. We thought that would be a key for us to kind of run our break and minimize turning the ball. Unfortunately, we turned it again in the second half. Some the good play of Washington State and some we just missed some opportunities of people that we should have given the ball to and we didn't. But that happens in this type of game. You know, we played that high velocity basketball and turned it, and it hurts. If you don't turn it, you get easier shots. So we played that way. Q. Coach, as fast‑paced as the game is going, it seems you always had them within your sights. Did you feel confident you'd have the good shot at catching them? COACH WESTHEAD: Yeah, I felt good. I don't know when it looked like the game got away from us, certainly inside the minute. But I thought anywhere between two and a half minutes, three‑point game. I thought we were‑‑ I'd have rather been up three or four, but I never thought the game was out of sight until‑‑ I mean, inside the minute was tough. We needed some five‑point shots then and we couldn't get them. Q. Paul, you'd mentioned that you were interested in staying in basketball. Do you still want to coach or do you see yourself in some other position? COACH WESTHEAD: I know some things I wouldn't be, but that's okay. I won't get into that in the basketball world. You won't see me with any different colored shirt on, I can tell you that. But that's all right. Yeah, I'm a basketball coach. Q. You guys are eligible for the WNIT. Is that something you'd like to be part of? COACH WESTHEAD: I like my team. I like their spirit. I think they're a game to play on and they could be successful, so why not? Yeah. I'd be happy for them if that's the way it turns out. Q. If the announcement on your job would have come a few days later, do you think it would have been a different outcome tonight? COACH WESTHEAD: Oh, no. No. Q. Ariel, when you look at Jillian and Chrishae and some of the pieces they have in place, where do you see the program headed in the future? ARIEL THOMAS: Like you said, like Jillian being able to average double‑doubles and Chrishae being a phenomenal scorer, they have a great upside. I'm excited for both of their futures and this program. I hope we can stay together. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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