April 3, 2025 • 31 mins
Head Coach Cori Close with Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez meet the media ahead of their game with the Huskies
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Final for pre championship press conference. Joining us on the
stage are the UCLA Bruins. We'll hear an opening statement
from coach and follow up with questions for Lauren, Keeky
and Gabriella. This time, coach, thank.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
You, thank you all for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
You know, I think one of the coolest parts about
being able to participate in this in this role is
being able to see behind the scenes all that goes
into creating an eleit experience for these student athletes, and
part of that is all of you in terms of
telling their amazing stories, shining a light on their incredible journeys.
(00:34):
And just want you to know it doesn't go unnoticed
around appreciated, and our game is not in the position
it is without your contributions to that. You know, we
are we are expectant. We this is not a surprise
for us to be here. We expected and believe that
we would be in Tampa, and so, and that being said,
we're really grateful, but we are ready to compete, and
(00:56):
so we're excited about that opportunity. Obviously incredible respect for
the other three teams that are in this tournament and
excited to match up against those.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Thank you coach. We'll open up with questions. We'll start
right here to my left, our left, and then we'll
come back over to all.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Right, Hi, Suprina Merchant the athletic. I guess for Key
or Gabriella, did either of you get a chance to
watch the McDonald's American game this week? And for Lauren?
What's it been like for your family to have all
of this going on at once.
Speaker 5 (01:24):
I did not watch. We were on the plane.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
Actually well the game was going on, but obviously saw
a lot of the highlights on social media. I want
to big give a big shout out to Sienna for
you know, doing such a great job and winning MVP.
But yeah, it's really cool to have, you know, her
coming in and we're very excited for her and Lauren
in the entire Bets family.
Speaker 7 (01:43):
Yeah, obviously we didn't get to watch, but when we landed,
Avery was sitting in front of me. She's like, oh,
Sina one MVP and I had no idea. So I'm
just so happy for her and the family group chat
was texting all night basically, so it's been a crazy
couple of past days for my family. But yeah, I'm
just super proud of her and She's just so amazing.
Speaker 8 (02:02):
So yeah, we're gonna go to our right, ladies. Kurt
Sandwell from maybe C seven back home, if two of
the three of you could answer at this point to
get to hear you get a lot of congratulations, but
also a lot of distractions between texts and social media.
What is the challenge of accepting that but also eliminating
(02:23):
the noise.
Speaker 9 (02:24):
Yeah, I think that is a difficult part and learning
how to navigate navigate that can be hard. But our
coaches do a great job of giving us tools to
handle these situations. And I think for me personally, you know,
after we won thely eight game to come to the
final four, I was really excited, and I was looking
(02:44):
at all the stuff on social media, you know, and
I give myself, you know, two days, and then after that,
I think it's time to lock in for our next opponent.
But yeah, I just try not to give too much
of your attention to that because a lot of people
are saying things, you know, I can piss you off,
you don't agree with, and they're not in our circle
and so understanding that they don't know what's going on
(03:06):
behind the scenes in our locker room and the people
in our locker room are most important.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
We want to stay. So I left, it's third row,
and then we're going to come up to the second row. Hi,
Jayalen Johnson for Lauren.
Speaker 10 (03:23):
That you took off, and I want to just say
thank you for your open, your.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Honesty with that.
Speaker 10 (03:30):
But you've talked, you learn were more than a basketball player,
and I just wanted to give you the chance to
say who Lauren Bits is aside from basketball.
Speaker 7 (03:38):
Oh my gosh, Well thank you also, But yeah, no,
I think that I always try to remind myself that
I'm so much more than basketball, and I think I
always talk about how I really value the relationships I
have with the people around me in my close circles.
So you know, I'm like a daughter, I'm a teammate,
I'm a sister, I'm a friend. So just reminding myself that, yes,
(03:59):
like basketball is what I do, but it's not who
I am at the end of the day. And all
of this is amazing, but when I go back home
to my teammates and my family, that's really what matters
to me.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
So we can get the microphone over to the second row. Please,
I see both of you. We'll go second back to
the third and then we'll come back up to the
second roll again, see you as well.
Speaker 11 (04:19):
Thank you, Annie Costabel, Front Office Sports Corey. These questions
for you with the transfer portal being open, love the laugh.
With the transfer portal being open while you guys are
still playing, what challenges does that present and how do
you have to adjust your staff to accommodate that need?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Actually, if we could hold, we're doing coach questions for
coach posts, so we're going to continue to fill those
questions to the student athlete.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
We'll come back to you.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Annie, promise we can go third row. If you can
raise your hand higher.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
We'll get to you. What's going on, y'all. Misha Jones
also with Rising Media Stars.
Speaker 12 (04:54):
I'm from the DMV ki Key, so I wanted to
ask you specifically, what is it about that area that's
you think molded you as a player And are there
some faves from that area that I've played in this
tournament and Mint Stars that you.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Kind of take inspiration from.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
Yeah, I mean growing up then DMV, I always say
it's the best basketball area in the country, but I
think just the level of competition through high school and
a you really prepared me for the next level. I
mean I grew up, you know, going to the w
C a C Championship games and just seeing all the
fantastic leagues there and yeah, I mean watched.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
A lot of players at Saint John's, you.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Know, Da Maatha on the guy's side, and I just
think that, you know, seeing that really motivated me to
just continue to get better.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
And yeah, it's so grateful to be from that area.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
We're going to go to our right in this corner.
We're going to come back over to the side. Please
receive Carl Adam at Hurts the media key.
Speaker 11 (05:47):
Key.
Speaker 13 (05:47):
Can you talk about the jump that Lauren has made
this season from start to finish and to follow Lauren,
if you could talk about the same thing, the work
you've done and the pressure you've dealt with to be
an elite player.
Speaker 6 (06:01):
Yeah, I mean Laurens obviously improved so much over these
past few years, and I think for all of us
just being able to see that firsthand every day in practice,
and you know, she works so hard. She put in
so much work in the spring and the offseason, the summer,
and I think that's where her game just really really
improves so much.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
And I think like from the first day in some
workouts and.
Speaker 6 (06:19):
The preseason, I could just tell what a different player
she was and the kind of a different confidence that
she had about her, because we all knew the entire
time the incredible player that she was. But I think
a lot of it was about her realizing that and
just being able to kind of play with her, help
her alongside, and that journey has been an incredible honor,
and I mean, you know, she's obviously unstoppable out there
on the court, and just very grateful to play with her.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Thanks, We'll stay on our right reaching. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
No, it's okay. Thanks. Key.
Speaker 7 (06:45):
To add to that, I would say, I mean, kind
of like what Kiki said, I think it's just me
finally realizing the player that I am. And I think
that a lot of it has to do with not
just the basketball side, but like the mental work that
I've done this past season. I think that, you know,
just talking to coach Shannon, having those conversations about like,
you know, taking away all the pressure of when I'm
on the floor and just playing for my teammates and
(07:07):
understanding like the moment and what I have to do.
I think that's just made me the player that I am.
I mean, I think also I have to give a
lot of credit to this program and like the amount
of confidence that they've given me, and like all the
love that they've showed me these past couple of years.
I mean, I'm just super grateful to be at UCLA.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
All Right, we're going to go to our second row.
We'll go to the back, and then we'll come back
over our see you, yes please right, sorry, take me
anyone with the la times For Kiki, I know you
talked earlier this year about your.
Speaker 14 (07:43):
Relationship with Dordan Canada. What is what has that been
like for you as you've gone through this from freshman
now to junior year. She was in a similar situation
point guarded for the number one recruiting class, and like,
how is just she she and maybe some of the
other alumni helped you kind of grow throughout this process
(08:03):
now to the final four.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
Yeah, I think we would, all of us sitting up
here would say how impactful all of the UCLA alumni
have been on our journey. I mean, they've just been
so supportive throughout this entire year and since we've gotten here.
You know, JC was someone I watched before I came
to UCLA, and you know, I really really have always
admired her, and just you know, over these past few
years she's been at practices, she's helped us get better,
helped us prepare for games, and now to see her
(08:28):
like watching from afar and just kind of she also
sent me congratulatory texts after games and just you know,
certain things, and I think having their support really means
a lot, because, you know, part of the reason why
we're in this position is because of the you know,
the work that they did to build this program, and
we're continuing to carry that on.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
You can raise your hand in the back.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
He'll get to you.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
We'll come back up to the front. I see you
as well. I still saw you it in the front
row as well.
Speaker 15 (08:50):
Please receive Hi, Bella Munson with the next Laura and
I also wanted to ask you about the the ESPN
story about your mental health. I was wondering if there
was any particular reason you decided to do that story
recently it was published I think two weeks ago, and
how you feel since sharing it in Kiki and Gabriella.
If you could talk about what, if any changes you've
seen in Lauren since she's been more open about her
(09:11):
mental health struggles, I would be really appreciated.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
Yeah, I think one of the reasons why I wanted
to come out with the stories because I felt like
I was finally in the right place to do so.
I think that I'd just done a lot of healing
since then, and I was like, you know what, you know,
I just don't feel like I have to really hide
this anymore. And the I think the response is that
I've had since then have truly just like validated, you know,
(09:36):
what I did and what I put out, and I
think that, you know, the amount of love and support
that I've gotten is just means a lot to me,
And you know, to help young girls who I guess
didn't really have anyone to look up to Like I personally,
I had mentors, and I'm really thankful, but I know
there's a lot of young girls who don't, and so
I think just for me to be an outlet and
(09:56):
to kind of validate their feelings and to know that
there's someone out there who's dealing with this same thing
that I am, is I think is just really important.
But yeah, I'm just really grateful for all the love
and support that I've been receiving since the article, it
means a lot to me.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So and for follow up questions, can we start with
Kiki and then go to Gabriella.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
Yeah, I mean, I just think Lauren's willingness to be
open about a topic that's not easy is inspiring to
tell all of us.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
And I think, you know, we've.
Speaker 6 (10:20):
All seen her growing our confidence over these you know,
of these past few months, and I think I've even
seen another step in that over these past few weeks
towards the end of the season.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
And yeah, just really proud of her for that.
Speaker 9 (10:34):
I'm sorry, I'm just super proud of Lauren, and you
know the way she emphasizes mental health and is an
advocate for it, especially with student athletes, because it is
something super important and being a student athlete is, you know,
very hard at times, it's super fun. I'm super thankful.
But to see Lauren just advocate for not only herself,
(10:56):
but for so many others, it's really inspiring. And I'm
just super proud of her and the way she has
grown throughout her college experience in college career.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
I want to shift to our right.
Speaker 16 (11:07):
Hi, I'm Gid you overtime and Lauren, what is something
he in is better at the.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
God, oh my gosh. Okay, like in basketball or just
like in life in general, like basketball basketball. Okay, I
will say she's a way better shooter than I am.
And to be honest, like I feel like for her
being younger, I think she like is a little bit
smarter than I am too. Like, she's genuinely one of
(11:33):
the smartest basketball players I've ever been around. So yeah,
credit to her. I don't know where she got it from,
but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I want to shift to our left. Did you raise
your hand in the black? Thank you?
Speaker 14 (11:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 17 (11:45):
Mitch North of Mesmination, Kiki, I know you played against
Easy in high school. Just you know what kind of
from your perspective makes her a great player? And are
you looking forward to kind of matching up with her
again on such a big stage And what are you
looking for or two about that matchup?
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Yeah, she's a great player. We played against each other
a lot throughout high school. Our high school's for like
fifteen minutes away from each other. And I think she's
always been a fantastic shooter, one of the best shooters
that I've been able to see, And stuff, and I think,
you know, just grateful to have another opportunity to play
against her and you know the Yukon team. But yeah,
it's really cool that both of us are from the DMV.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
We'll stay on our left had side. If you can
raise your hand with the blue jacket so we can
get that microphone to you.
Speaker 13 (12:31):
Uh.
Speaker 18 (12:31):
Shape Attagning with the Tampa Bay Times. I had a
question for Gabriella. So, knowing that your brother Jim made
his own run with UCLA to the Final four and
twenty twenty one, has he given you any advice on
how to handle this new and big stage of the
Final Four?
Speaker 8 (12:43):
Uh?
Speaker 9 (12:43):
Yeah, I was very thankful that I got to, you know,
watch my brother's two games in Indiana on his team's run.
But he's been super busy with his own basketball games
and things like that. But he's always supporting and I
just really appreciate his support.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
What's our right hand side, Joey, If you grisha hand,
then get to you.
Speaker 19 (13:12):
Joey Johnston with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Lauren, I
want to ask you, you know, there there's players and
other programs that have been to this event. This is
the first time around for UCLA. You guys have been
here for a few days. How do you mix business
with pleasure? You know, do you get some time to
enjoy the community and what do you think so far?
What's been like here?
Speaker 7 (13:31):
No, it's unbelievable. You know, we kind of talked about
it in film just Koshannon brought it up. Just enjoying
the moment. Obviously, we talked a lot about you know,
media and how there's going to be a lot of
things going on and it'll be a little hectic, but
like just acknowledging that, like we're here at the Final
four and this is a huge deal and it's a
huge accomplish accomplishment for this program, and you know, just
(13:51):
having fun. I mean, like we're all here together. We
all love each other so much, and just to experience
this together I think is amazing. But yeah, we've had
a lot of fun. Obviously, we're also you know, reminding
ourselves that in the day, like we're here to win
as well, and it's a business trip and you know,
at the end of the day, like we're here to
play in the Final four as well, but we can
also just have fun and enjoy each other's company.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
So take our final question for student athletes, if you
can raise your hand on the right hand side so
we can get to you right. You had your hand
raised previously him Mark yep a question no longer. Okay,
we'll hit this last question on our left hand side,
if you can raise your hand. Thank you.
Speaker 11 (14:29):
Hi.
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Jennifer Portsy from A Let's Tall Women in Basketball, What
have you guys learned about yourself throughout this tournament?
Speaker 5 (14:36):
M Yeah, I can take that one first.
Speaker 11 (14:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
I mean, I think our toughness and our resilience has
been something that we've really worked on and that's been
on display throughout got their turn. I think, especially in
our LSU game, our ability for so many people to
like so many people different to step up and hit
big shots and make big plays, and just our ability
to play in those close games and you know, find
a way to pull them out.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
I would say the same thing. I think our toughness
and I think our composure as well. Obviously, like say
game of runs, things are gonna go wrong, people are
gonna have fouls or being foul trouble. But I think
just making sure that you know it's next man up,
and I think that just talks about like the depth
of our team. I mean, everyone's just ready, and you
have such a talented roster that when things go wrong,
(15:22):
like we know, at the end of the day, we're
gonna be Okay.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
Yeah, I would just add exactly what they said. But
our togetherness, how powerful we are when we stay together
throughout the whole game and we play for each other.
So just I've had so much fun so far, and
I can't wait for more.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Thank you, Lauren, Keeking Gabriella. At this time, the locker
room is now open and the three student athletes will
move to the mix zone will now open up for
questions for coach Andy. We will start with you. We'll
get the microphone to you. Give me one second sight,
(16:00):
please proceed.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
Okay, Corey, sorry about that.
Speaker 11 (16:02):
In Passable Front Office Sports, Yeah, I'm curious with the
transfer being open while you guys are still playing. What's
the challenges that are presented and how do you shift
your staff to accommodate.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Yeah, you know, it's it's we Thankfully we'd have more
coaches now and that makes a big difference so that
we can divide and conquer a little bit more. But
you know, I think there's two sides of this, and
I saw an interview with Bruce Pearl recently and talking
about how, yes, the it's very inconvenient, it's very difficult,
(16:34):
but also that having the kids be able to pursue
what their next steps are is important. And I really
did pause when he said that and think about the
majority of the numbers. Right, we are very fortunate this
year we don't have a lot of space, so it
actually has not been very difficult for us at all
because we have the potentially to have almost our whole
(16:55):
roster return. But from a global perspective, I think there's
two challenges.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
One is what is.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Best for the student athletes and what is best for
our game. And the part that concerned me a little
bit about the game part is how quickly coaches we're
trying to Our athletic departments were trying to field coaching
positions so that they had people in place during the
you know, for the transport portal opening, and I think
(17:24):
that has been an unintended consequence of the date, which
is really difficult. So now you have assistant coaches leaving
in the middle of the tournament.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
You've got, you know, on top of everything else we're doing.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
I have people calling about you know your coaches and
are the interested in jobs and things like that, so
somehow to find a marriage of like, okay, what is
best for the student athletes?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
I think the bottom line.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Is if you're in the sweet sixteen or beyond and
you need a transfer situation, there's enough people that you
can accommod Is.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It convenient no? Is it hard, yes, but you can
do it.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And especially since we're in the minority, there's only sixteen
teams left that are affected in that way. But I
do think the whole thing about how it affected the
coaching carousel, I think that's worth a second look because
that has been a major distraction, and when that's a distraction,
it affects the student athlete experience, and so I think
that's something we got to look at.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Take our next question up in the front, Cassandra, can
you raise your hands? I can get it to you.
Speaker 20 (18:26):
Cassandra Nuglia, Yeah, who's sports. You've often talked about being
an uncommon coach, and you mentioned it yesterday at the
Nasmith ceremony, having uncommon players. I know there's the uncommonness
of UCLA being in its first NCAA Final four, but
I'm just curious what is uncommon about this team that
got you here.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I think there's the hardest working team that I've ever
been a part of, top to bottom.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
I have to kick them out all the time of
the gym. They want more. They're incredibly hard working.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And I have to give that credit to Kiki Rice
because she has set a cultural standard of work that
is contagious and pervasive, and you know, just she she
deserves so much credit in that. I think what else
is uncommon of this group is so many players. I
have never had a roster this star studed and to
(19:20):
have it's uncommon to have this many stars be willing
to give up individual things for a more powerful collective thing.
And those would be probably the two most uncommon things
about this particular team.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
I'm gonna move to all right, Doug, and then we'll
come back over. I have a list going.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
You're good, hey, Corey Romberg AP.
Speaker 21 (19:46):
I was hoping you could walk us through a little
bit your relationship with GINO, because I remember you went
to watch practices probably close to a decade ago, and
now I think thirteen years ago, just how that all happened,
and now that you're playing them in Yeah, biggest stage.
How great it was to be able to learn.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Learn Yeah, not only was it well.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
So when I my first year at U c l A, I, uh, we.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Weren't in the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
We and so I had a little more time on
my hands after the season was over, and I'm like,
what a unique opportunity. I wonder if people would let
me watch them, you know, practice, And so I called
Muffett McGraw and I called, you know, coach Oriama and
asked if I could come and watch. And so I
spent I think the first and second rounds I spent
(20:34):
watching Notre Dame their prep and then I went to
Connecticut and spent four days there and watched them practice
and prepare, and you know, it was just tremendous. And
uh then the next year in October, I brought my
entire staff out to watch him practice. And you know,
he's a master teacher. He's really really uh you know,
(20:54):
he's done it in a style of play that I
really enjoy just personally, especially on the office of end
and trying to think about, you know, as a young
first year at that point, head coach, what did that
what was that going to look like? For me and
so to have that time where and it wasn't just
coach Orima, you know, CD and their assistant coaches, I
mean their whole program. Just letting someone in in the
(21:18):
middle of the NCAA tournament and learn.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
I think it's a huge credit to them.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
And so there used to be a joke that whether
I was at UC Santa Barbara or at Florida State
or then at UCLA, every year we ended up in
their brackets.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
So that got a little old because they were really good.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
But at the same time, you know, I just think
when people who have set the standard of the game
are willing to reach back and teach somebody else, it
goes a long way.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
We'll stay on our right hand side. If you can
come up one more in the brown.
Speaker 22 (21:50):
Hi Grey, Emily Adams Hartford current. You worked with both
Page and Azy at the USA basketball level. Just curious
what you remember about them, working with them at that
age and how you've seen them develop now as your
skill outing them for a Final four.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Yeah, you know, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
When we were in Thailand for the U nineteen World
Cup with Page, she happened to be my next door neighbor.
The entire time for three weeks in Thailand, and so
her and Celeste Taylor, I remember it, and it would
always be we joke about what the pregame playlist was
gonna be, and thankfully we both really liked gospel music,
so that was usually the choice. And Page has just
(22:25):
got an incredible charisma.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
She you know, made the pass.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
I mean, I just I think to me, she's an
incredibly most efficient scorer of all those things, but her
elite skill in my mind, that I love the most
is watching her vision in her passing is just amazing.
And we were in a position in the gold medal
game that she needed to make the pass for us
to have a chance to send it to overtime, and
she made the pass and made the play and sent
(22:51):
us on. And she's an incredible player. She's an even
better teammate and and just was great to have that
experience with her. Are lots of respect and that, you know, Asy,
It's interesting that I had this experience with Lauren too,
And those are probably the two that they carried me
a little bit so when I coached them. My dad
(23:13):
died when I was on the trip with USA Basketball,
and those two kids, I remember the circle.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
I remember sitting there and telling them.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Like, this is going on. I'm okay, but this is happening.
And their response to me was just tremendous. And I
had recruited them both they both turned me down. And
but Asy she just has this. She has incredible work ethic,
She's an elite player. She has a very tender heart.
And I was the beneficiary of that on that trip.
(23:44):
And I will be forever grateful.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
When Mussar left in the plaid and then we'll go
to the backs of the black. I know I have
the blue again.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
We'll move.
Speaker 12 (23:52):
Hey, we're moving Misha Jones here with rising media stars
once again. So I want to take us back in time.
You've been at UCLA since twenty eleven. You were under
five hundred that first season. But if you have to
go back knowing how everything is unfolded since then, what
is the advice you give that version of Corey close
and what do you tell coaches who want to make
that first gig stick?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Good question. I think that.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Don't try to be all things to all people. Know
what your lane is and how you operate best, and
be authentic to that.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
That's where the whole.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Uncommon thing came from is that I knew I didn't
want to do it like everybody else, but it was hard.
I was insecure at times, Can I really doet this done?
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Is this? Could this really work?
Speaker 22 (24:38):
You know?
Speaker 2 (24:39):
And so?
Speaker 3 (24:40):
But I think anything other than that would have been inauthentic,
And it would have been I wouldn't have had the
joy or the meaning that or honestly to be able
to sustain because I really wouldn't have believed that in
it at the deepest levels. Right, The thing that I
would say, the biggest thing is who you surround yourself.
Show me the five closest people to a new head
(25:01):
coach in the program, and I will show you what
their level of success will be. And I got a
lot of things wrong, but the one thing I got
right is the people I surrounded myself with, loyalty, character, trust.
I had so many people, well, you need this, you've
been gone from California this long, you need this person,
you need this telling me what I needed.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
But I knew I needed.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Trustworthy, people of integrity, high character, hard working. I knew
that I needed someone all of them. I wanted them
to be able to develop talent. I wanted them to
build authentic relationships, and I wanted them to be able
to recruit and that everything else. I figured if those
things were in place and they were high character people,
we'd be Okay, Kareem.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Please proceive Hey Poblan from Washington Post.
Speaker 12 (25:45):
Just QUICKI a couple things that you have to take
care of tomorrow to be successful into advance.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
A couple things, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I think that one of the reasons I chose to
learn from coach Orima is that he doesn't teach just
a bunch of plays. He teaches and equips his players
to make plays and to read defenses.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
So when you're scouting.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Them, you know the amount of there is not a
lot of predictability because they're really good at read and
react and it's a very high basketball IQ team. And
so I think the challenges are is all the different
ways they create open threes and the efficiency in which
you do it. So the number one thing is that
we've got to do defensively is to limit their three
(26:28):
point attempt rate. And it's very clear in the analytics.
When their three point attempt rate is up, they win,
and when they defensive rebound they win.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Those are the two.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Biggest win loss statistics that determine their success from an
analytics perspective, and so our challenge is going to be
to try to limit that attempt rate and at least
quality ones.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And then the other thing that they do is they.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Use players as you try to extend to do that
to cut behind you, and so to be able to
defend back cuts is really important because that's the counter
when you take away three.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
So those are the defensive end.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
And then we have to figure out how we can
play through the paint and not just with Lauren Bett's,
but to do that because that's how we're built and
shoot our threes after paint touches.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
And not fall in love with them too early.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
But the more stops we get, the more we're able
to do that in transition. So that'll be a huge
key for us playing through the paint. On the offensive end,
ball movement and paint touches are the two biggest indicators
for us being successful versus them on the offensive end.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Hunch, we're gonna move around right if you can raise
your hand and a.
Speaker 16 (27:38):
Green coral hall with you, say, today you're going up
against a Yukon program that's making their twenty fourth appearance.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
It's your programs. First.
Speaker 16 (27:48):
A lot of people might think that's an advantage for
Yukon and being here before, But do you feel like
there's an advantage on your side of your team? You're
doing something these programs never done before, and that kind
of different pressure. Just kind of what's that like from
your perspective?
Speaker 3 (28:00):
I think it's just, you know, every not only is
every team different in terms of their talent base and
strengths and weaknesses, but their makeup internally is different. And
I can't speak to theirs, you know. Obviously their record
here speaks for itself. But one of the coolest parts
about coaching this team for UCLA is that they haven't
(28:21):
been surprised. They really have prepared to win step by step,
starting way back when we played South Carolina at home,
you know, and we started out just not a very
confident team and just earned it little by little, and
so I just think this is that next hurdle, right,
So we're not preparing to be here, we're preparing to win,
(28:41):
and we're trying to prepare in such a way that
we have the confidence to do so.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Is it an advantage of being here? Multiple times?
Speaker 3 (28:49):
I would say yeah, it is, probably, but there's different
kinds of advantages on all parts of this so our job,
I can't control that, So my job is to not
give my energy to that at all.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Take our final question in the back and the blue
shirt you grease.
Speaker 23 (29:03):
You Andrew Edelson with ESPN dot Com Corey is a
follow up to that, you're the number one overall seed,
yet everyone's talking about you?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Come see that way?
Speaker 23 (29:13):
Does that's my questions? Does it feel like you guys
are a little bit of an underdog heading into this game,
even though you are the number one overall seed.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Yes, it does, but honestly, it has sort of all
year and I think we've benefited from that, honestly, that
we spent more time as number one in the country
all year long, and we were the most non talked
about number one team in history. But I can't complain
about that because I think it allowed our team to
stay focused on the right things, and so, you know,
(29:44):
it's I do think that's sort of been the case.
But I do know that the number one overall seed
stays in the nicest hotel, and that is true, so
that is really beneficial right across the street. So but
I think that the reality is that you know, I
love the coverage of our sports. So if you want
to talk about whoever you want, go ahead. It's going
to all shake out out there about who shows up
(30:05):
to perform, who plays their best when their best is needed.
And we both have two really really good teams. Also
a credit to them, I think they have been playing
their best basketball in the last you know, six weeks
of the season, and I saw a real turn in
them during that time. So they've earned some of that
and obviously their history, but this is this year's Yukon team,
(30:25):
not the last ten years of plus or twenty years
of Yukon teams. And this is our UCLA team, and
I have a lot of confidence both mentally and physically
and tactically in this UCLA team, and I think it's
gonna be a great battle.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Coach.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Want to thank you for your time today, best of
luck tomorrow, Thank you, thank you all for being here.
Just a reminder for those that are in the room,
the lack of Room and Mixon will be open until
twelve twenty pm. Next up, we have South Carolina. They
are scheduled to join us on the DAIS at twelve
forty five pm.
Speaker 19 (30:56):
A lot of room,
Final for pre championship press conference. Joining us on the
stage are the UCLA Bruins. We'll hear an opening statement
from coach and follow up with questions for Lauren, Keeky
and Gabriella. This time, coach, thank.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
You, thank you all for being here.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
You know, I think one of the coolest parts about
being able to participate in this in this role is
being able to see behind the scenes all that goes
into creating an eleit experience for these student athletes, and
part of that is all of you in terms of
telling their amazing stories, shining a light on their incredible journeys.
(00:34):
And just want you to know it doesn't go unnoticed
around appreciated, and our game is not in the position
it is without your contributions to that. You know, we
are we are expectant. We this is not a surprise
for us to be here. We expected and believe that
we would be in Tampa, and so, and that being said,
we're really grateful, but we are ready to compete, and
(00:56):
so we're excited about that opportunity. Obviously incredible respect for
the other three teams that are in this tournament and
excited to match up against those.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Thank you coach. We'll open up with questions. We'll start
right here to my left, our left, and then we'll
come back over to all.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Right, Hi, Suprina Merchant the athletic. I guess for Key
or Gabriella, did either of you get a chance to
watch the McDonald's American game this week? And for Lauren?
What's it been like for your family to have all
of this going on at once.
Speaker 5 (01:24):
I did not watch. We were on the plane.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
Actually well the game was going on, but obviously saw
a lot of the highlights on social media. I want
to big give a big shout out to Sienna for
you know, doing such a great job and winning MVP.
But yeah, it's really cool to have, you know, her
coming in and we're very excited for her and Lauren
in the entire Bets family.
Speaker 7 (01:43):
Yeah, obviously we didn't get to watch, but when we landed,
Avery was sitting in front of me. She's like, oh,
Sina one MVP and I had no idea. So I'm
just so happy for her and the family group chat
was texting all night basically, so it's been a crazy
couple of past days for my family. But yeah, I'm
just super proud of her and She's just so amazing.
Speaker 8 (02:02):
So yeah, we're gonna go to our right, ladies. Kurt
Sandwell from maybe C seven back home, if two of
the three of you could answer at this point to
get to hear you get a lot of congratulations, but
also a lot of distractions between texts and social media.
What is the challenge of accepting that but also eliminating
(02:23):
the noise.
Speaker 9 (02:24):
Yeah, I think that is a difficult part and learning
how to navigate navigate that can be hard. But our
coaches do a great job of giving us tools to
handle these situations. And I think for me personally, you know,
after we won thely eight game to come to the
final four, I was really excited, and I was looking
(02:44):
at all the stuff on social media, you know, and
I give myself, you know, two days, and then after that,
I think it's time to lock in for our next opponent.
But yeah, I just try not to give too much
of your attention to that because a lot of people
are saying things, you know, I can piss you off,
you don't agree with, and they're not in our circle
and so understanding that they don't know what's going on
(03:06):
behind the scenes in our locker room and the people
in our locker room are most important.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
We want to stay. So I left, it's third row,
and then we're going to come up to the second row. Hi,
Jayalen Johnson for Lauren.
Speaker 10 (03:23):
That you took off, and I want to just say
thank you for your open, your.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Honesty with that.
Speaker 10 (03:30):
But you've talked, you learn were more than a basketball player,
and I just wanted to give you the chance to
say who Lauren Bits is aside from basketball.
Speaker 7 (03:38):
Oh my gosh, Well thank you also, But yeah, no,
I think that I always try to remind myself that
I'm so much more than basketball, and I think I
always talk about how I really value the relationships I
have with the people around me in my close circles.
So you know, I'm like a daughter, I'm a teammate,
I'm a sister, I'm a friend. So just reminding myself that, yes,
(03:59):
like basketball is what I do, but it's not who
I am at the end of the day. And all
of this is amazing, but when I go back home
to my teammates and my family, that's really what matters
to me.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
So we can get the microphone over to the second row. Please,
I see both of you. We'll go second back to
the third and then we'll come back up to the
second roll again, see you as well.
Speaker 11 (04:19):
Thank you, Annie Costabel, Front Office Sports Corey. These questions
for you with the transfer portal being open, love the laugh.
With the transfer portal being open while you guys are
still playing, what challenges does that present and how do
you have to adjust your staff to accommodate that need?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Actually, if we could hold, we're doing coach questions for
coach posts, so we're going to continue to fill those
questions to the student athlete.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
We'll come back to you.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Annie, promise we can go third row. If you can
raise your hand higher.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
We'll get to you. What's going on, y'all. Misha Jones
also with Rising Media Stars.
Speaker 12 (04:54):
I'm from the DMV ki Key, so I wanted to
ask you specifically, what is it about that area that's
you think molded you as a player And are there
some faves from that area that I've played in this
tournament and Mint Stars that you.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Kind of take inspiration from.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
Yeah, I mean growing up then DMV, I always say
it's the best basketball area in the country, but I
think just the level of competition through high school and
a you really prepared me for the next level. I
mean I grew up, you know, going to the w
C a C Championship games and just seeing all the
fantastic leagues there and yeah, I mean watched.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
A lot of players at Saint John's, you.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
Know, Da Maatha on the guy's side, and I just
think that, you know, seeing that really motivated me to
just continue to get better.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
And yeah, it's so grateful to be from that area.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
We're going to go to our right in this corner.
We're going to come back over to the side. Please
receive Carl Adam at Hurts the media key.
Speaker 11 (05:47):
Key.
Speaker 13 (05:47):
Can you talk about the jump that Lauren has made
this season from start to finish and to follow Lauren,
if you could talk about the same thing, the work
you've done and the pressure you've dealt with to be
an elite player.
Speaker 6 (06:01):
Yeah, I mean Laurens obviously improved so much over these
past few years, and I think for all of us
just being able to see that firsthand every day in practice,
and you know, she works so hard. She put in
so much work in the spring and the offseason, the summer,
and I think that's where her game just really really
improves so much.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
And I think like from the first day in some
workouts and.
Speaker 6 (06:19):
The preseason, I could just tell what a different player
she was and the kind of a different confidence that
she had about her, because we all knew the entire
time the incredible player that she was. But I think
a lot of it was about her realizing that and
just being able to kind of play with her, help
her alongside, and that journey has been an incredible honor,
and I mean, you know, she's obviously unstoppable out there
on the court, and just very grateful to play with her.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Thanks, We'll stay on our right reaching. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
No, it's okay. Thanks. Key.
Speaker 7 (06:45):
To add to that, I would say, I mean, kind
of like what Kiki said, I think it's just me
finally realizing the player that I am. And I think
that a lot of it has to do with not
just the basketball side, but like the mental work that
I've done this past season. I think that, you know,
just talking to coach Shannon, having those conversations about like,
you know, taking away all the pressure of when I'm
on the floor and just playing for my teammates and
(07:07):
understanding like the moment and what I have to do.
I think that's just made me the player that I am.
I mean, I think also I have to give a
lot of credit to this program and like the amount
of confidence that they've given me, and like all the
love that they've showed me these past couple of years.
I mean, I'm just super grateful to be at UCLA.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
All Right, we're going to go to our second row.
We'll go to the back, and then we'll come back
over our see you, yes please right, sorry, take me
anyone with the la times For Kiki, I know you
talked earlier this year about your.
Speaker 14 (07:43):
Relationship with Dordan Canada. What is what has that been
like for you as you've gone through this from freshman
now to junior year. She was in a similar situation
point guarded for the number one recruiting class, and like,
how is just she she and maybe some of the
other alumni helped you kind of grow throughout this process
(08:03):
now to the final four.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
Yeah, I think we would, all of us sitting up
here would say how impactful all of the UCLA alumni
have been on our journey. I mean, they've just been
so supportive throughout this entire year and since we've gotten here.
You know, JC was someone I watched before I came
to UCLA, and you know, I really really have always
admired her, and just you know, over these past few
years she's been at practices, she's helped us get better,
helped us prepare for games, and now to see her
(08:28):
like watching from afar and just kind of she also
sent me congratulatory texts after games and just you know,
certain things, and I think having their support really means
a lot, because, you know, part of the reason why
we're in this position is because of the you know,
the work that they did to build this program, and
we're continuing to carry that on.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
You can raise your hand in the back.
Speaker 5 (08:45):
He'll get to you.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
We'll come back up to the front. I see you
as well. I still saw you it in the front
row as well.
Speaker 15 (08:50):
Please receive Hi, Bella Munson with the next Laura and
I also wanted to ask you about the the ESPN
story about your mental health. I was wondering if there
was any particular reason you decided to do that story
recently it was published I think two weeks ago, and
how you feel since sharing it in Kiki and Gabriella.
If you could talk about what, if any changes you've
seen in Lauren since she's been more open about her
(09:11):
mental health struggles, I would be really appreciated.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
Yeah, I think one of the reasons why I wanted
to come out with the stories because I felt like
I was finally in the right place to do so.
I think that I'd just done a lot of healing
since then, and I was like, you know what, you know,
I just don't feel like I have to really hide
this anymore. And the I think the response is that
I've had since then have truly just like validated, you know,
(09:36):
what I did and what I put out, and I
think that, you know, the amount of love and support
that I've gotten is just means a lot to me,
And you know, to help young girls who I guess
didn't really have anyone to look up to Like I personally,
I had mentors, and I'm really thankful, but I know
there's a lot of young girls who don't, and so
I think just for me to be an outlet and
(09:56):
to kind of validate their feelings and to know that
there's someone out there who's dealing with this same thing
that I am, is I think is just really important.
But yeah, I'm just really grateful for all the love
and support that I've been receiving since the article, it
means a lot to me.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
So and for follow up questions, can we start with
Kiki and then go to Gabriella.
Speaker 6 (10:13):
Yeah, I mean, I just think Lauren's willingness to be
open about a topic that's not easy is inspiring to
tell all of us.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
And I think, you know, we've.
Speaker 6 (10:20):
All seen her growing our confidence over these you know,
of these past few months, and I think I've even
seen another step in that over these past few weeks
towards the end of the season.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
And yeah, just really proud of her for that.
Speaker 9 (10:34):
I'm sorry, I'm just super proud of Lauren, and you
know the way she emphasizes mental health and is an
advocate for it, especially with student athletes, because it is
something super important and being a student athlete is, you know,
very hard at times, it's super fun. I'm super thankful.
But to see Lauren just advocate for not only herself,
(10:56):
but for so many others, it's really inspiring. And I'm
just super proud of her and the way she has
grown throughout her college experience in college career.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
I want to shift to our right.
Speaker 16 (11:07):
Hi, I'm Gid you overtime and Lauren, what is something
he in is better at the.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
God, oh my gosh. Okay, like in basketball or just
like in life in general, like basketball basketball. Okay, I
will say she's a way better shooter than I am.
And to be honest, like I feel like for her
being younger, I think she like is a little bit
smarter than I am too. Like, she's genuinely one of
(11:33):
the smartest basketball players I've ever been around. So yeah,
credit to her. I don't know where she got it from,
but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I want to shift to our left. Did you raise
your hand in the black? Thank you?
Speaker 14 (11:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 17 (11:45):
Mitch North of Mesmination, Kiki, I know you played against
Easy in high school. Just you know what kind of
from your perspective makes her a great player? And are
you looking forward to kind of matching up with her
again on such a big stage And what are you
looking for or two about that matchup?
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Yeah, she's a great player. We played against each other
a lot throughout high school. Our high school's for like
fifteen minutes away from each other. And I think she's
always been a fantastic shooter, one of the best shooters
that I've been able to see, And stuff, and I think,
you know, just grateful to have another opportunity to play
against her and you know the Yukon team. But yeah,
it's really cool that both of us are from the DMV.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
We'll stay on our left had side. If you can
raise your hand with the blue jacket so we can
get that microphone to you.
Speaker 13 (12:31):
Uh.
Speaker 18 (12:31):
Shape Attagning with the Tampa Bay Times. I had a
question for Gabriella. So, knowing that your brother Jim made
his own run with UCLA to the Final four and
twenty twenty one, has he given you any advice on
how to handle this new and big stage of the
Final Four?
Speaker 8 (12:43):
Uh?
Speaker 9 (12:43):
Yeah, I was very thankful that I got to, you know,
watch my brother's two games in Indiana on his team's run.
But he's been super busy with his own basketball games
and things like that. But he's always supporting and I
just really appreciate his support.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
What's our right hand side, Joey, If you grisha hand,
then get to you.
Speaker 19 (13:12):
Joey Johnston with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Lauren, I
want to ask you, you know, there there's players and
other programs that have been to this event. This is
the first time around for UCLA. You guys have been
here for a few days. How do you mix business
with pleasure? You know, do you get some time to
enjoy the community and what do you think so far?
What's been like here?
Speaker 7 (13:31):
No, it's unbelievable. You know, we kind of talked about
it in film just Koshannon brought it up. Just enjoying
the moment. Obviously, we talked a lot about you know,
media and how there's going to be a lot of
things going on and it'll be a little hectic, but
like just acknowledging that, like we're here at the Final
four and this is a huge deal and it's a
huge accomplish accomplishment for this program, and you know, just
(13:51):
having fun. I mean, like we're all here together. We
all love each other so much, and just to experience
this together I think is amazing. But yeah, we've had
a lot of fun. Obviously, we're also you know, reminding
ourselves that in the day, like we're here to win
as well, and it's a business trip and you know,
at the end of the day, like we're here to
play in the Final four as well, but we can
also just have fun and enjoy each other's company.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
So take our final question for student athletes, if you
can raise your hand on the right hand side so
we can get to you right. You had your hand
raised previously him Mark yep a question no longer. Okay,
we'll hit this last question on our left hand side,
if you can raise your hand. Thank you.
Speaker 11 (14:29):
Hi.
Speaker 7 (14:29):
Jennifer Portsy from A Let's Tall Women in Basketball, What
have you guys learned about yourself throughout this tournament?
Speaker 5 (14:36):
M Yeah, I can take that one first.
Speaker 11 (14:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
I mean, I think our toughness and our resilience has
been something that we've really worked on and that's been
on display throughout got their turn. I think, especially in
our LSU game, our ability for so many people to
like so many people different to step up and hit
big shots and make big plays, and just our ability
to play in those close games and you know, find
a way to pull them out.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
I would say the same thing. I think our toughness
and I think our composure as well. Obviously, like say
game of runs, things are gonna go wrong, people are
gonna have fouls or being foul trouble. But I think
just making sure that you know it's next man up,
and I think that just talks about like the depth
of our team. I mean, everyone's just ready, and you
have such a talented roster that when things go wrong,
(15:22):
like we know, at the end of the day, we're
gonna be Okay.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
Yeah, I would just add exactly what they said. But
our togetherness, how powerful we are when we stay together
throughout the whole game and we play for each other.
So just I've had so much fun so far, and
I can't wait for more.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Thank you, Lauren, Keeking Gabriella. At this time, the locker
room is now open and the three student athletes will
move to the mix zone will now open up for
questions for coach Andy. We will start with you. We'll
get the microphone to you. Give me one second sight,
(16:00):
please proceed.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
Okay, Corey, sorry about that.
Speaker 11 (16:02):
In Passable Front Office Sports, Yeah, I'm curious with the
transfer being open while you guys are still playing. What's
the challenges that are presented and how do you shift
your staff to accommodate.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Yeah, you know, it's it's we Thankfully we'd have more
coaches now and that makes a big difference so that
we can divide and conquer a little bit more. But
you know, I think there's two sides of this, and
I saw an interview with Bruce Pearl recently and talking
about how, yes, the it's very inconvenient, it's very difficult,
(16:34):
but also that having the kids be able to pursue
what their next steps are is important. And I really
did pause when he said that and think about the
majority of the numbers. Right, we are very fortunate this
year we don't have a lot of space, so it
actually has not been very difficult for us at all
because we have the potentially to have almost our whole
(16:55):
roster return. But from a global perspective, I think there's
two challenges.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
One is what is.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Best for the student athletes and what is best for
our game. And the part that concerned me a little
bit about the game part is how quickly coaches we're
trying to Our athletic departments were trying to field coaching
positions so that they had people in place during the
you know, for the transport portal opening, and I think
(17:24):
that has been an unintended consequence of the date, which
is really difficult. So now you have assistant coaches leaving
in the middle of the tournament.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
You've got, you know, on top of everything else we're doing.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
I have people calling about you know your coaches and
are the interested in jobs and things like that, so
somehow to find a marriage of like, okay, what is
best for the student athletes?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
I think the bottom line.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Is if you're in the sweet sixteen or beyond and
you need a transfer situation, there's enough people that you
can accommod Is.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It convenient no? Is it hard, yes, but you can
do it.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
And especially since we're in the minority, there's only sixteen
teams left that are affected in that way. But I
do think the whole thing about how it affected the
coaching carousel, I think that's worth a second look because
that has been a major distraction, and when that's a distraction,
it affects the student athlete experience, and so I think
that's something we got to look at.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Take our next question up in the front, Cassandra, can
you raise your hands? I can get it to you.
Speaker 20 (18:26):
Cassandra Nuglia, Yeah, who's sports. You've often talked about being
an uncommon coach, and you mentioned it yesterday at the
Nasmith ceremony, having uncommon players. I know there's the uncommonness
of UCLA being in its first NCAA Final four, but
I'm just curious what is uncommon about this team that
got you here.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I think there's the hardest working team that I've ever
been a part of, top to bottom.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
I have to kick them out all the time of
the gym. They want more. They're incredibly hard working.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
And I have to give that credit to Kiki Rice
because she has set a cultural standard of work that
is contagious and pervasive, and you know, just she she
deserves so much credit in that. I think what else
is uncommon of this group is so many players. I
have never had a roster this star studed and to
(19:20):
have it's uncommon to have this many stars be willing
to give up individual things for a more powerful collective thing.
And those would be probably the two most uncommon things
about this particular team.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
I'm gonna move to all right, Doug, and then we'll
come back over. I have a list going.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
You're good, hey, Corey Romberg AP.
Speaker 21 (19:46):
I was hoping you could walk us through a little
bit your relationship with GINO, because I remember you went
to watch practices probably close to a decade ago, and
now I think thirteen years ago, just how that all happened,
and now that you're playing them in Yeah, biggest stage.
How great it was to be able to learn.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Learn Yeah, not only was it well.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
So when I my first year at U c l A, I, uh, we.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Weren't in the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
We and so I had a little more time on
my hands after the season was over, and I'm like,
what a unique opportunity. I wonder if people would let
me watch them, you know, practice, And so I called
Muffett McGraw and I called, you know, coach Oriama and
asked if I could come and watch. And so I
spent I think the first and second rounds I spent
(20:34):
watching Notre Dame their prep and then I went to
Connecticut and spent four days there and watched them practice
and prepare, and you know, it was just tremendous. And
uh then the next year in October, I brought my
entire staff out to watch him practice. And you know,
he's a master teacher. He's really really uh you know,
(20:54):
he's done it in a style of play that I
really enjoy just personally, especially on the office of end
and trying to think about, you know, as a young
first year at that point, head coach, what did that
what was that going to look like? For me and
so to have that time where and it wasn't just
coach Orima, you know, CD and their assistant coaches, I
mean their whole program. Just letting someone in in the
(21:18):
middle of the NCAA tournament and learn.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
I think it's a huge credit to them.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
And so there used to be a joke that whether
I was at UC Santa Barbara or at Florida State
or then at UCLA, every year we ended up in
their brackets.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
So that got a little old because they were really good.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
But at the same time, you know, I just think
when people who have set the standard of the game
are willing to reach back and teach somebody else, it
goes a long way.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
We'll stay on our right hand side. If you can
come up one more in the brown.
Speaker 22 (21:50):
Hi Grey, Emily Adams Hartford current. You worked with both
Page and Azy at the USA basketball level. Just curious
what you remember about them, working with them at that
age and how you've seen them develop now as your
skill outing them for a Final four.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Yeah, you know, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
When we were in Thailand for the U nineteen World
Cup with Page, she happened to be my next door neighbor.
The entire time for three weeks in Thailand, and so
her and Celeste Taylor, I remember it, and it would
always be we joke about what the pregame playlist was
gonna be, and thankfully we both really liked gospel music,
so that was usually the choice. And Page has just
(22:25):
got an incredible charisma.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
She you know, made the pass.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
I mean, I just I think to me, she's an
incredibly most efficient scorer of all those things, but her
elite skill in my mind, that I love the most
is watching her vision in her passing is just amazing.
And we were in a position in the gold medal
game that she needed to make the pass for us
to have a chance to send it to overtime, and
she made the pass and made the play and sent
(22:51):
us on. And she's an incredible player. She's an even
better teammate and and just was great to have that
experience with her. Are lots of respect and that, you know, Asy,
It's interesting that I had this experience with Lauren too,
And those are probably the two that they carried me
a little bit so when I coached them. My dad
(23:13):
died when I was on the trip with USA Basketball,
and those two kids, I remember the circle.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
I remember sitting there and telling them.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Like, this is going on. I'm okay, but this is happening.
And their response to me was just tremendous. And I
had recruited them both they both turned me down. And
but Asy she just has this. She has incredible work ethic,
She's an elite player. She has a very tender heart.
And I was the beneficiary of that on that trip.
(23:44):
And I will be forever grateful.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
When Mussar left in the plaid and then we'll go
to the backs of the black. I know I have
the blue again.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
We'll move.
Speaker 12 (23:52):
Hey, we're moving Misha Jones here with rising media stars
once again. So I want to take us back in time.
You've been at UCLA since twenty eleven. You were under
five hundred that first season. But if you have to
go back knowing how everything is unfolded since then, what
is the advice you give that version of Corey close
and what do you tell coaches who want to make
that first gig stick?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Good question. I think that.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
Don't try to be all things to all people. Know
what your lane is and how you operate best, and
be authentic to that.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
That's where the whole.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Uncommon thing came from is that I knew I didn't
want to do it like everybody else, but it was hard.
I was insecure at times, Can I really doet this done?
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Is this? Could this really work?
Speaker 22 (24:38):
You know?
Speaker 2 (24:39):
And so?
Speaker 3 (24:40):
But I think anything other than that would have been inauthentic,
And it would have been I wouldn't have had the
joy or the meaning that or honestly to be able
to sustain because I really wouldn't have believed that in
it at the deepest levels. Right, The thing that I
would say, the biggest thing is who you surround yourself.
Show me the five closest people to a new head
(25:01):
coach in the program, and I will show you what
their level of success will be. And I got a
lot of things wrong, but the one thing I got
right is the people I surrounded myself with, loyalty, character, trust.
I had so many people, well, you need this, you've
been gone from California this long, you need this person,
you need this telling me what I needed.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
But I knew I needed.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Trustworthy, people of integrity, high character, hard working. I knew
that I needed someone all of them. I wanted them
to be able to develop talent. I wanted them to
build authentic relationships, and I wanted them to be able
to recruit and that everything else. I figured if those
things were in place and they were high character people,
we'd be Okay, Kareem.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Please proceive Hey Poblan from Washington Post.
Speaker 12 (25:45):
Just QUICKI a couple things that you have to take
care of tomorrow to be successful into advance.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
A couple things, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I think that one of the reasons I chose to
learn from coach Orima is that he doesn't teach just
a bunch of plays. He teaches and equips his players
to make plays and to read defenses.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
So when you're scouting.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Them, you know the amount of there is not a
lot of predictability because they're really good at read and
react and it's a very high basketball IQ team. And
so I think the challenges are is all the different
ways they create open threes and the efficiency in which
you do it. So the number one thing is that
we've got to do defensively is to limit their three
(26:28):
point attempt rate. And it's very clear in the analytics.
When their three point attempt rate is up, they win,
and when they defensive rebound they win.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Those are the two.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Biggest win loss statistics that determine their success from an
analytics perspective, and so our challenge is going to be
to try to limit that attempt rate and at least
quality ones.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And then the other thing that they do is they.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Use players as you try to extend to do that
to cut behind you, and so to be able to
defend back cuts is really important because that's the counter
when you take away three.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
So those are the defensive end.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
And then we have to figure out how we can
play through the paint and not just with Lauren Bett's,
but to do that because that's how we're built and
shoot our threes after paint touches.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
And not fall in love with them too early.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
But the more stops we get, the more we're able
to do that in transition. So that'll be a huge
key for us playing through the paint. On the offensive end,
ball movement and paint touches are the two biggest indicators
for us being successful versus them on the offensive end.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Hunch, we're gonna move around right if you can raise
your hand and a.
Speaker 16 (27:38):
Green coral hall with you, say, today you're going up
against a Yukon program that's making their twenty fourth appearance.
Speaker 5 (27:47):
It's your programs. First.
Speaker 16 (27:48):
A lot of people might think that's an advantage for
Yukon and being here before, But do you feel like
there's an advantage on your side of your team? You're
doing something these programs never done before, and that kind
of different pressure. Just kind of what's that like from
your perspective?
Speaker 3 (28:00):
I think it's just, you know, every not only is
every team different in terms of their talent base and
strengths and weaknesses, but their makeup internally is different. And
I can't speak to theirs, you know. Obviously their record
here speaks for itself. But one of the coolest parts
about coaching this team for UCLA is that they haven't
(28:21):
been surprised. They really have prepared to win step by step,
starting way back when we played South Carolina at home,
you know, and we started out just not a very
confident team and just earned it little by little, and
so I just think this is that next hurdle, right,
So we're not preparing to be here, we're preparing to win,
(28:41):
and we're trying to prepare in such a way that
we have the confidence to do so.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Is it an advantage of being here? Multiple times?
Speaker 3 (28:49):
I would say yeah, it is, probably, but there's different
kinds of advantages on all parts of this so our job,
I can't control that, So my job is to not
give my energy to that at all.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Take our final question in the back and the blue
shirt you grease.
Speaker 23 (29:03):
You Andrew Edelson with ESPN dot Com Corey is a
follow up to that, you're the number one overall seed,
yet everyone's talking about you?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Come see that way?
Speaker 23 (29:13):
Does that's my questions? Does it feel like you guys
are a little bit of an underdog heading into this game,
even though you are the number one overall seed.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Yes, it does, but honestly, it has sort of all
year and I think we've benefited from that, honestly, that
we spent more time as number one in the country
all year long, and we were the most non talked
about number one team in history. But I can't complain
about that because I think it allowed our team to
stay focused on the right things, and so, you know,
(29:44):
it's I do think that's sort of been the case.
But I do know that the number one overall seed
stays in the nicest hotel, and that is true, so
that is really beneficial right across the street. So but
I think that the reality is that you know, I
love the coverage of our sports. So if you want
to talk about whoever you want, go ahead. It's going
to all shake out out there about who shows up
(30:05):
to perform, who plays their best when their best is needed.
And we both have two really really good teams. Also
a credit to them, I think they have been playing
their best basketball in the last you know, six weeks
of the season, and I saw a real turn in
them during that time. So they've earned some of that
and obviously their history, but this is this year's Yukon team,
(30:25):
not the last ten years of plus or twenty years
of Yukon teams. And this is our UCLA team, and
I have a lot of confidence both mentally and physically
and tactically in this UCLA team, and I think it's
gonna be a great battle.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Coach.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Want to thank you for your time today, best of
luck tomorrow, Thank you, thank you all for being here.
Just a reminder for those that are in the room,
the lack of Room and Mixon will be open until
twelve twenty pm. Next up, we have South Carolina. They
are scheduled to join us on the DAIS at twelve
forty five pm.
Speaker 19 (30:56):
A lot of room,
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