Louisville women’s Skylar Jones off the team a day before first tournament game

All right, welcome Coach Walls into the press room here and, uh, coach, whenever you’re ready, just *** quick opening statement on, uh, the weekend ahead and I wanna, um, congratulate the other three teams that are here, uh, as well. Uh, great seasons by, by everyone. Uh, want, want to thank all of you for coming out today and just really looking forward to an opportunity to host here at home. Uh, I would like to thank the NCAA men’s side of having our men’s game at 2:45 tomorrow and not noon. Uh, so I really do appreciate all of those, uh, That helped with that because I know that very well could have been *** 20 game as well, and, uh, wouldn’t have been *** pretty sight. So hopefully, we’ll get all, all of our fans to come down, watch us play at noon, and then go out and find *** restaurant, bar, *** tavern, and, uh, watch our men’s team and hopefully come back and watch more, uh, more basketball here. So, just want to say thank you for them. Appreciate it. Questions in the room? Perfect. Coach Add Minors with WLKY, um, I know you’ve talked plenty about this being *** business trip and, and you guys having *** little bit of struggle this year at home. So just talk *** little bit about how you’re reminding your girls of, you know, block out all of the we’re at home type noise, I guess, if you will, if, if that’s your strategy. No, we’re, we’re not saying that. I mean, we just have made this where we’re staying in the hotel. We’re going through all of our, our, our routines like we would if when we’re at the ACC tournament. Um, you know, you, you talk our struggles at home. We lost by 123, and 4, I think. Uh, it’s not like we’ve gotten blown out at home. So, but we’ve got ***, uh, *** finish games and obviously, we had that same problem at the ACC finals, you know, up 4 with *** minute to go and, and had the ball and didn’t finish. So, it’s, it’s more so just making sure we can keep them focused. We know exactly what’s going on. Um, We’re kind of controlling. What they’re doing to make sure anytime we want to watch film, we’re we’re we’re gonna watch film, we’re gonna have team meetings, we’re gonna make sure we go over personnel. Um, you know, I’m very impressed with Vermont. So we’re not going into this looking past anyone. If you’re playing here in this tournament right now, you’re *** good team. So it, it’s ***, it’s *** trip that we’re, we’re making as it’s *** 2-game tournament. You’ve got to win the first to get to the second. Mammy Gamma Louisville Cardinals on SI. Jeff, do you have an update on, uh, Skyler Jones? Yeah, she, uh, will not be, uh, participating. Uh, she, she’s no longer with the team. Uh, so we’ve just parted ways, and, uh, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s best for both parties. Alexis Cuba Louisville Courier Journal, just going off of that, Jeff, how does that kind of change that, that guard rotation because obviously she was someone that you were looking to kind of step up *** little bit. Yeah, I, I, I think if you go back to the past month, it’s really not going to change much. Uh, you know, in our ACC finals, Mac played all, all 45 minutes. Um, yeah, I’m not concerned about that with Rayna, Amari, Taj, Mac. Bender can, can, can, can, can step in there and play some minutes for us. Laura can can move to the 3 if needed. We have plenty of players. I mean, at this time of year, I mean, look what Sienna men did with 5. I mean, you’re just putting your best ones out there and unless they’re in foul trouble, or they’re about to, to just keel over and die because they’re exhausted, You keep playing them. It, it’s not, you’re saving them for the next game. So, I’ve never been one to just sub to sub. Uh, so we, we, we, we have plenty of depth with Amari, uh, coming off the bench and, and Reyna. Uh, Steve Bittenbender, Associated Press. Jeff, uh, in the men’s tournament, uh, the last couple of days, there’s been *** lot of talk about, um, the mid-majors not getting their chance against the, the higher seed programs. Uh, I know you’ve made it ***, ***, practice to play some mid-majors, um, before. Is that happening in the women’s game also? And if so, why is that? No, I’m not sure about that. I mean, we’ve always played, I mean, you wouldn’t call them mid-majors. I mean, we’ve always played good basketball team. Ball, Ball State’s ***, *** really good team. Uh, so we played at, at middle at Western Kentucky. You know, for us, you’re really trying to schedule regionally if you can, especially being here. There’s so many good teams. Um, so, We try to put *** schedule together that’s, that’s good for us and it’s always going to include, you know, mid-major teams. Um, so yeah, I, I mean, It’s, it’s one of those, it’s more difficult now for us to do *** home and home and go on the road and play at *** Western when we’re going to lose Gate. In ticket sales here. So with what with everything that’s going on in college athletics, we need to play as many home games as we can, uh, especially with the draw that we get in our, our, our fan base. So yeah, some might be like, well, you, you, you aren’t willing to go play at, at Western Kentucky. Well, that’s *** home game, then I, I’m losing. We used to do that all the time. I mean, I’ve, we played at South Dakota State, we played at Missouri State, we played all over the place at mid-majors. Well, now, it’s more difficult because there, there are finances involved in, in, in, in, in big numbers. Hey Jeff, Talia Goodman with on 3. What’s the biggest thing between the Duke game in the ACC finals and now that you’ve been kind of trying to instill in your team to, um, get them not just through this one, but, but further in the tournament as well? Well, uh, it’s, there’s really nothing. We sat down and watched the game, you know, we watched the end. And we just didn’t rebound the basketball and made *** poor decision or two going down the stretch. We missed *** free throw. I mean, there’s *** lot of things that took place, but I also tried to explain to him at the end of the first quarter, we only had 2 team fouls and our goal was to, when they got the ball inbounds, foul, to, to, to take, to do *** take foul to make him throw the ball and, and we didn’t, and Ashland Jackson throw, throws in *** 3 for about 28 ft. Well, that had as big of an impact. As the last minute of the game. So that’s what we’re trying to explain to them. Every minute counts. When you’re out here playing now, the 1st 5 minutes are just as important as the last 5. So, it’s more so just making sure our focus is on point for all 40 minutes. I got you. OK, that’s all that matters. Just just yell at me. Alexis Gbulova courier Journal. Jeff, I mean, statistically you guys have improved significantly in every single category from last year to this year. This sophomore class specifically seems like it’s taken *** huge leap. Amari said that the biggest key was just them listening to you *** little more this season. How have you just seen, I guess, them be *** little more, maybe more coachable or just to be able to take that, that stride? They’re, they’re *** good group of kids, you know, uh, and, uh, we’re very, I’m, I’m very fortunate, my staff is everyone involved. I think if, if you talk to anyone that works with our team from marketing, administration, we’ll, we’ll tell you they’re *** good group. And, you know, they’re they’re *** year older, then we add Laura and Rayna, who both both both of them have been very important to us just with how they handle things their their day by day. They’re seniors. And You give Amari more, more confidence. You give Taj, you give Mac, you know, Elif, uh, for her, it was the opportunity to play with the Turkish national team. You know, she had the opportunity to see how pros work. Um, you know, I was just texting with, with Marissa Russell, who came back from Istanbul from playing with the, uh, with, with the Canadian national team. And she said what an honor it was and what an experience to actually watch how professionals train, because it’s ***, it’s *** whole new level, how they take care of their bodies, the way they watch film, and that’s what Alif was able to see. And everything has clicked for her and changed because of her work ethic and her approach. It’s not that you have to spend more time in the gym. It’s just maximizing the time you put in. So she has grown *** ton. Uh, you know, it, it, it’s really all of them, and that’s what makes it so exciting is you’ve got players that continue to get better year in and year out. And then we’ve got kids that have already resigned to come back for next year. So you’re, you’re sitting here and we’ve got 5 right now, 6. I just talked to 1 today that say they’re coming back, 5 of them have signed. And you’re not sitting there going, OK, well, are they coming back? Are they not? We’ve spent, put all this time into them. We’ve helped them get better. They’re invested not only in our program, but in each other because they want to be on good teams. *** lot, *** lot of kids are, are, are going to go out for *** money grab, and that’s fine. But I’ve watched some go and get paid well and their team sucks. But, you know, they’re happy because their bank account’s good. But, It’s *** terrible experience for *** whole year to get the crap kicked out of you. Uh, and lose, where I’ve got players that we’re doing as well as we can. We’re, we’re compensating them, we’re taking care of them, but they also know they’re, they’re getting *** great experience and having *** chance to not only prepare to win here, but when in the future for their opportunity to hopefully play professionally, if it’s in the WNBA, if it’s, uh if it’s overseas, because they’re playing against really good players every single day. Just to follow up to that with those players that you’ve been able to resign, how nice is that to have that out of the way so that when, you know, whenever the season is over, you know exactly what you have, you know what you need to look for in the portal, that sort of thing. Oh, it’s great. I mean, because we, you know, I’ve sat down with one today and I won’t speak who. I mean, they all, not all of them, *** lot of them have agents. And what’s going on now, it’s the same thing in the men’s games in, in football. We’re all getting phone calls from kids that are still playing from the agents. Going, hey, you know, she’s been told she’ll get this amount if she stays. Will you give more? It, it’s just what’s going on. That, that’s why I think this, we’re, we’re gonna wait till April 7th to open the portal. It’s the dumbest *** I’ve ever heard. Like, let’s just do it *** week after their season ends. So then you’ve got schools that are finished. Kids are already telling the media, I’m going in the portal. I’m going in the, the, the, the, the portal. So it’s out there just, just *** week after your season ends, then you know, either I’m transferring or I’m not, and then you’re not gonna get blindsided, which we talked mid-majors. You’ve got *** kid who tells you your season’s over right now. You got *** kid that says, I’m, I’m coming back, and then on April 9th, they walk in your office and say, hey. I’ve decided to transfer. And the only reason is because they got *** phone call from somebody that said you can get 200,000 from, from this school. So it’s just all about the cash. So your season ends on the 5th, you have until the 12th to, to go in because then you’re transferring because you’re not happy, you want more playing time, or you really are like, hey, I’ll take *** gamble. And see if I can make more. And then you’re also, because there are *** lot of kids that go into, into the portal that stay in there. They give up ***, *** scholarship because they think they’re better than what they are and then don’t get an offer. Uh, so yeah, I mean, it, it’s crazy. Everybody talks about, oh, it’s going to make it easier. No, it’s not. It’s the same thing. Just open it up 7 days after their season ends, but then just say you can’t go on campus for *** visit until April 7th, because that’s where the hassle’s been. When we played in, in Seattle in the Elite Eight, we, we, we, we, we get beat. We, uh, we red-eye flight home, we land at 6 in the morning. And Jada Curry landed at 7:45 from ***, *** red-eye for her official visit. So we got off the plane, went straight to the airport, picked her up, and started *** visit. You know, so if you just sit there and say you can go into the portal, but you can’t go on *** visit, makes way more sense for everybody. So all this crap that’s going on right now. It, it’s not gonna, it’s still gonna go on, but I don’t think it’d be as bad. And then you’ve got programs that aren’t going to be just ripped apart at the last minute. Because all of *** sudden now, OK, I’ve got 100, 150 for *** two guard, and now you’re pulling him from somebody’s team where the kid said, I’m coming back. So that coach was not out looking for *** transfer. That’s just my two cents. But what would I know? Uh, Peyton Titus career Journal, uh, coach, this is the first NCAA tournament with the coach’s Challenge. What’s it been like for you as *** staff to adjust to using that tool this year and how impactful do you think it might be over the next few weeks? Well, I think, uh, I, I think it’s been great. Uh, you know, I’m not exactly sure what our record is on it, but I think we’ve done pretty good. I mean, there, there have been *** few times where I’m going to call *** timeout anyway because *** run might be going on and I’ll just be like, just review that. Who, who did the ball go out of bounds on? Because sometimes you never know what they’re going to see. Uh, but for the most part, if we see something, if we see it, we’ve had *** pretty good success with it. Um, I like the fact in our game that you can keep calling him if you want. I mean, you’ll just get *** technical foul if you’re wrong. But I, but I think it’s important. Why should you lose it? That’s why I’ll say, why should I lose my challenge if I’m right? It makes no sense. So I, I think it’s really smart the way we’ve done things in women’s basketball. Um, because there, there are some plays that are going to come, come down to where it’s *** bang bang play. You know, you’re trying to see who, who the ball went off of and the officials, they’re trying their best too. And when you can go and review it in slow motion, it’s *** lot easier to see. Natalie Hevron with the Nine Sports, um, you mentioned Laura, uh, earlier. What impact has she had, um, for the team this season? Well, I mean, she’s been, she can score the basketball. She, she, she passes the ball. She, she’s 2nd on our team in assists. She’s our leading rebounder. Um, she understands the game. She’s, she’s been *** great piece to what we’ve been able to do, uh, in her leadership. Just her knowledge and experience are things that, you know, you can’t replace. And her and E have played really well on the floor. Uh, they, they passed the ball well to each other and, and just *** really good tandem that, that we have with, with, with those two out there. Uh, Addie Miners of WLKY circling all the way back to that first question that I had asked you, but you had said about finishing, and that’s what you want your girls to focus on. What does that mean in your eyes? Score more points than the other team. That’s our number one goal. We got to be able to, at the end of the day, when you have *** lead, you’ve got to hold the lead. You’ve got to be able to execute and knock down *** shot. Um, you know, you’ve got to be able to get *** shot off. We have had some opportunities where we didn’t get *** shot off. Uh, just small things like that. It’s, You know, I’ve, I’ve said it from day one, we don’t have Dana Evans on the floor. We don’t have, you know, Shoney, somebody that you just get the ball to and get out of their way, and they’re going to get *** shot up. They might not make it, but they’re getting *** shot up on the rim. They’re going to cause another defender to have to come help, and then we can crash the glass. So, we’ve worked on *** few different things trying to give us *** better opportunity to make sure we’re getting *** shot up. So then when we do, if it doesn’t go in, we have *** chance to rebound the ball. Uh, steep in Bender Associated Press along those lines, Jeff. Um, I remember after the Notre Dame game, you were talking about the lack of movement on offense. Um, You know, obviously you had ***, you know, ***, ***, *** good run in the ACC tournament. Um, are you happy with where the offense is now, or are you still wanting to see more from them? No, I, I thought we played really well at the ACC tournament. Uh, you know, I mean, obviously, we, we lost the, the last one, but If we win that game, which we should have, I don’t think anybody’s asking me if the offense is struggling. I mean, we played well, we moved the ball well, we passed it well, uh, we shot it well. Now it’s just *** matter of making sure we close, we close these games out. Um, and they’re, they’re all going to be really good games. I mean, I’m expecting *** great weekend of, of basketball here. All right Coach, appreciate your time. Thank you everybody. Appreciate you all. See you tomorrow. No question, Nick. I got nothing from *** radio guy. Nothing like set me up, make me look good or nothing. Unbelievable. The, the, the one question. Yeah, the one question, you can’t burn that one.