March 27, 2006
North Carolina Press Conference
La'Tangela Atkinson
On the team having the freedom to make decisions
With the freedom to make our own decisions, it helps to let us be loose and not think so much on different plays and decisions. With her (Coach Hatchell) letting us make decisions, it kind of helps out the team. We feel like if we make the wrong decision, we let her down and we let our teammates down. I don't think I've let her down as much this year.
On if she thought her team played "tight" against Purdue
I think we weren't as focused as we usually are. We opened the game flat yesterday, but I guarantee we won't be like that tomorrow. We're going to come out with intensity and play Carolina Basketball.
On having seen Tennessee play against Duke earlier this season
It doesn't make things any easier. At this point in the tournament, seeding doesn't mean anything, everyone's going to come out and play. All the teams are playing well right now. They're bringing their 'A' game tomorrow, and we'll be bringing our 'A' game. It will be a tough game.
On the importance of getting off to a good start
We talked about that at halftime yesterday. Every chance we got, we talked about it, about the need to be more focused and start the game off with intensity and play Carolina Basketball, like we have for the last couple of games.
On the team's strategy against Candace Parker
I'm going to make her to go her weakness and stop her from doing the things she's done throughout her career.
On the challenges Tennessee presents
It's is going to be a great game. They like to run the floor, we like to run, they like to rebound and battle on the boards and we do the same. It is going to be a great game, it is kind of like a national championship game, if you look at it that way.
Are you prepared for a physical game?
This is a tough tournament, the NCAA. Everybody brings their 'A' game and everybody will give it all they have because it is one and done and you have to be physical. It is going to be tough out there.
Camille Little
On if the team plays better when loose
It lets the pressure off of me. We just get to play, we don't have to worry about what else is happening, we just get to play. A lot of coaches put a lot of emphasis on a lot of things, and Coach Hatchell makes it that much easier for us to play.
On watching Tennessee play Duke earlier this season
Most of us watched the game when it was on, and it's not a lot different from what we saw on film. We just talk more about what we're going to do during the game when we're watching film.
On if teammate Ivory Latta goes hard all the time
We have practice every day, and it's the same thing. For us, practice is harder than our games most of the time. You're not used to it, so it's not as much of a big deal to us.
On making mistakes during the game
Everyone knows when you mess up. Everyone's watching the same game. When you make a mistake, we just try to make it up on the other end.
On North Carolina's team defense
I think that's one of the main things about us. We work on that every day. Like coach says, that's our bread and butter. It's taken us a long way, and we need to keep that up. We need to make our opponents remember the pressure when they play Carolina. That helps our team a lot.
On Tennessee still being mad about their seed
I think right now, every team is in that situation, but you can't change the seedings. Nobody wants to go home. Both teams know what's at stake. It's going to be a big game tomorrow.
On tomorrow's game and facing Tennessee in the regional championship
Tennessee is a great team. Every team that's still playing right now is at its best. They're here for a reason. I give a lot of credit to their conference and ours. They're playing great now. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and getting the job done.
On if she thought she would be guarding Tennessee's Candace Parker
I think tomorrow will be a great game. I'm just looking forward to playing defense, I don't care who I guard. I hope we all get rest tonight and we're not up thinking about it. It's going to be a great matchup tomorrow.
On Erlana Larkins
She's a great all-around player, and she's a great person. There's this great aura about her when she walks into a room. She's the fastest big person I know. She's funny, she likes to have funwe all doand she's a great athlete, she works hard on and off the floor.
On the UNC-UT matchup
The stakes are so high and everyone is trying to get there [the Final Four]. I think the game is great for women's basketballtwo of the top teams in the country playing for a spot in the Final Four. We know what is at stakethe winner takes all.
On Tennessee
They have great post players, great shooters like Zolman, a hell of a coach in Pat Summitt. They have a great program and we are a great team as well.
Ivory Latta
On the status of her injury
It's good, I'm taking it day-by-day, but it is not going to be a problem. Absolutely not. I'm going to be about 100 percent.
On playing against Tennessee's tall lineup
I'm not too concerned about matchups. They do a great job of guarding. We just need to go out there and play well.
On the region
The whole "Cold Cleveland" region was like a final four.
On what drives her
The love of the game, being out on the court with a great group of ladies and wearing the Carolina uniform makes you want to play great.
On her size
I've been criticized my whole life. My parents always told me how tall you are doesn't matter, the size of your heart is what defines you.
On if UNC will press tomorrow
Absolutely. I think we should go out there and get after them. We know we are an aggressive team, we're not going to change who we are. We have pressed every game.
Erlana Larkins
On the matchup
This could have been the matchup for the [national] championship game because of the caliber of our teams. And that's the way we have to come out and play tomorrowlike it's the championship game.
On playing Tennessee
We wanted to play them as soon as the brackets were announced. We were hyped and excited for the potential matchup.
On the size of the Tennessee lineup
We know they are a big team, but we have played against some big players in the ACC Tournament. They have some tough post players and are very physical. They crash the boards, so we have to do a good job of boxing out.
Jessica Sell
On what they need to do tomorrow
We just have to come out and play Carolina basketball. Yesterday, we didn't do that. We need to bring the mentality of being the aggressor.
On her reflections of seeing Tennessee before
It's always been a dream of mine to play UConn and Tennessee. I remember as a kid watching their Cinderella season. I've never played Tennessee yet in my career, so I'm very excited.
On the matchups
We're just excited to play. It's a huge game for the program and the school. Originally, we thought we'd meet up with them in the Final Four, but it didn't happen that way. We're just ready to play.
On what they need to do Tuesday
We definitely have said we need to come out tomorrow and play a lot better. We need to get the fast break, rebound and play really hard... just pick it up. Yesterday, we didn't play Carolina basketball.
Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell
We're excited to still be playing. It's going to be a great game. Tennessee is playing really well now. They've gone through some tough times with the injuries and the situations. I was impressed with what I saw yesterday when they beat Rutgers. They played better than we did yesterday. They'll be a lot of great players on the floor. I thought we would meet them somewhere down the road, this is a little earlier than expected. This could very easily be a national championship game. I'm sure it will be a great game. There will be a lot of talent on the floor. It's going to be great for women's basketball.
On '98 regional final against Tennessee
We're not undefeated. Tennessee was undefeated and we were playing in Nashville, so it's a little bit different of a situation. We've been in the same bracket quite a bit the last 8 or 10 years that we've been in the NCAA Tournament. We lost to Maryland in the overtime game where there were a lot of situations in that game. We've had some big games this year. Our players don't think about records or anything, they just look at our opponents and think what we need to do to win the game. I know that Tennessee feels that they should have been a number one seed and I agree, but also we were the number-one seed (overall). I don't know if things have been that fair for North Carolina. Vanderbilt was better than an eight-seed, trust me. Like Camille (Little) said, 'you have to go out there and play.' We just want to play a great game and get to the Final Four. The motivation is that it's a game in the elite eight and everyone that is still playing is a great team. We just have to know what we have to do to win the game and get the job done.
On Candace Parker
She is a great player. Candace is a great kid. We're going to give her different looks. We may put two or three people on her at one time, whatever we need to do. We've played against some great players this year, Curry at Duke. There has been several excellent players that we've played against. We'll have different players on her at different times and those type of things to give her different looks.
On her team's style of play
I try to think of ways we can speed it up and do more things. I think you can tell that we didn't play well yesterday. I don't want to take anything away from Purdue they made us play sloppy yesterday. Our chemistry in our program couldn't be any better. I think a lot of it is the style that we play. You say freedom but it's more responsibility and accountability that I give the players just like I do with the coaches. I give them their jobs to do and they do an outstanding job. When they do a good job, I just try to bring those things out and give them words of affirmation. That motivates them to do that much more. We're having a great time. I'm looking at ways to speed up the game even more and making it more exciting. I love that Candace Parker has dunked. We've got a couple of players on our team that can dunk. This late in the season I might try to set something up for one of our kids. I've been doing this for a long time. First of all, I want to win games for North Carolina, but I want to bring attention to the women's game. I want people to embrace women's basketball and talk about how much fun it is. Young kids have to learn the fundamentals to dribble, pass and shoot. I think that is how you develop talent. You do those things in our system or you don't play. I've had a lot of people ask me when the season is over to sit down and talk to them about our philosophy. I'm more than happy to do that. Most of it is just about enjoying the game. Our style is not for everybody, but it's for us and we enjoy it. Down the stretch, the last three minutes, we played well. We didn't have any turnovers and we got the ball inside. We got some big rebounds and took it inside and score when we needed to.
On her bench behavior
I try to keep my composure over there, because I know if I don't the players won't. I learned a long time ago, if you're out there ranting and raving the whole time then everybody tunes you out. If you are pretty calm over there and you do get emotional that's something that they usually listen to. I don't say too much unless I really feel like there is a strong point to be made.
On playing defense on Candace Parker:
Candace Parker is a great player, but she's not the entire Tennessee team. They have a lot of great players on their team. A lot of what they do goes through her, but they have a lot of talent on their team. I think you just have to have a good game plan and give them some different looks. La'Tangela (Atkinson) and Camille (Little), we have several players that take pride in their defense. I feel that the overall game plan will be for the Tennessee team not just Candace Parker.
Anoskie is big and a very good defensive player. I think Ivory (Latta) will except the challenge. We've played teams that have put big players on her. Anytime you put somebody big on her there's going to be a positive. Sometimes you just have to work to find it.
On the men's tournament and the growth of women's basketball
I'm pulling for George Mason because they beat our guys. I think the more they win it makes our guys look good. I think there is a reason why the men's game is like that. It's because the scholarships are down to 13. Instead of having two kids sitting on the bench at the power houses are now playing somewhere else. Women still have 15 scholarships and I think that's a big factor, because of Title IX. The women's game has changed over the several years. It used to be the same 4, 6 or eight teams going in the Final Four and winning the championship. Every year you are getting new teams in Sweet 16. I don't think it's going to be the parity that we have in the men's. There are new programs breaking into the top level of women's basketball. That's because there are a lot more good women's players out there, because of the AAU programs and the opportunity for young girls to play.
On the differences in guarding Ivory Latta compared to guarding Candace Parker
It depends what's going on out on the court. Candace Parker taking the ball inside is tough, especially if you let her go to the right. Ivory (Latta) in the open court is tough to guard, especially if she knocks down a couple of threes then you have to come out on her even more and it opens up the drive. They're two different kinds of players and it just depends on the situation.
On UNC forward Erlana Larkins
She's a warrior. She loves the physical contact and loves to compete and win. She always has the back of our players. She's just a great team player. She does whatever we need her to do.
On if she recruited Candace Parker
Just like every team in the country. There's no one in the Sweet 16 that didn't recruit her. We got to know her and her family well. I watched her play several times. Not only is she a great player, she is a super young lady.
On if she has seen players like Parker
When we played in 1998, I thought Chamique Holdsclaw was pretty close. She was on the team that we played in the elite eight. Candace is intelligent and has a lot of good skills. A lot of the time she'll try to carry Tennessee on her back.
On Tennessee guard Shanna Zolman
She's a great three-point shooter. When she gets going she can make them from anywhere on the floor. Another great kid that gives Tennessee a dimension, the inside-outside look. She gives Tennessee the balance they need.
On the two teams' common opponents
We've watched a lot of film. Match-ups, different teams create different things. You can't really look at that, but you can look at situations and match-ups.
