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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT


March 7, 2014


Kody Burke

Wes Moore

Miah Spencer


GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina State – 79
Syracuse ‑ 63


COACH WES MOORE:  Again, I just couldn't be prouder of this group of kids.  They've done this all year long.  It's not good for the head coach and the heart, but sure is nice when you have a happy ending.
So again, I think we were down 10, 38‑48.  We talked about at halftime how Syracuse probably had an advantage in the first half, having already played a game and gotten the jitters out of the way.  But we felt like in the second half we maybe could take advantage of that by being well rested.  Probably the delays probably didn't hurt us any either.
Kody Burke, what can you say, 21 points, 16 boards.  Keisha Gatling, obviously career day scoring‑wise.  Breezy Williams coming in off the bench.  Miah Spencer, a freshman here.  Just so many people stepped up.  Len'Nique Brown playing about the entire game, having to handle the ball against the press.
So just a great team effort and couldn't be prouder of them.

Q.  You were down 48‑39 and then scored 25 of the next 26 points in and around several power outages, which you said didn't affect you.  What turned the game around?
COACH WES MOORE:  I'm not sure.  I thought defensively we did a much better job in the second half of trying to take the 3 away.  They've got some great shooters on that team.
The first half I think they hit six 3s, we had to really do a better job there.  And then offensively we got it inside.  Obviously Keisha is hard to guard down there.  And when you've got people like Kody and Miah knocking down shots on the perimeter a little bit of inside‑out, it makes it tough.  But, again, I think we did a nice job, too, on the offensive boards, and went and got some easy points.
So, again, just a great second half.

Q.  It may be a little early, but do you have any kind of an injury update for us?
COACH WES MOORE:  Not really.  The x‑rays and everything they've done so far has been good.  I know they're going to do an MRI just to be safe.  But hopefully, whether it be tomorrow or in a couple of weeks when we play again, hopefully we'll get her back out there.  But, you know, right now, nothing definitive.

Q.  Obviously Keisha, Kody, and Breezy had great games.  Sometimes seniors just decide we're not going to have it end today.
COACH WES MOORE:  Right.

Q.  Is that your experience, that it makes a difference to have seniors at tournament time?
COACH WES MOORE:  There's no doubt.  But Miah is a freshman and she handled it pretty well, too.
This team, they've done this all year long.  They've been so many times against ranked opponents, they could have hung their heads and said this just isn't our day, and they keep battling, they keep fighting, they hit a couple of shots and get a couple of stops and turn the game around.  I've been very blessed to be a part of it and get to go along for the ride.

Q.  Kody, how inspiring was it to get the academic award right before the game?  How eager were you to play and win this one today?
KODY BURKE:  The award was definitely a surprise.  I had no idea, I was lining up for the National Anthem.  And they told me to go to the half court to accept your award.  That was a big surprise.  It definitely motivates me.
When I waved to the Wolfpack fans, see how we had their support, that definitely fired us up as well.  ACC tournament time is time for us to make a statement in the postseason.  This win definitely helped.

Q.  A lot of freshmen when they come into this venue, it's an intimidating experience the first time.  You came out hit your first three.  How did you settled down so quickly?
MIAH SPENCER:  Just knowing that my team is very confident in me and I'm confident in myself and the coach and Kody and my teammates push me every day in practice.  I knew I was table to knock down shots when I came into the game.

Q.  Question for Kody and Miah, Kody especially being the senior, if Keisha is not able to go tomorrow, obviously you had 5 or 6 minutes today to learn what that's like.  What are you thoughts about going forward?
KODY BURKE:  I'm so confident in my team, because there was a long stretch where Keisha wasn't in the game and we had people step up to the plate.  As you see, Breezy Williams had a great game.
Defensively, as long as we play defense I feel like our offense will come.  So I have more than enough confidence.
MIAH SPENCER:  Just keep playing defense, getting rebounds, boxing out, doing little things that count.  We'll be fine.
COACH WES MOORE:  It beats the alternative.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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