WEBVTT - Under The Shell with Brenda Frese 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:03.400 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're unclear 0:00:03.440 --> 0:00:06.160 whether we're supposed to celebrate Saint Patrick's state the weekend 0:00:06.200 --> 0:00:09.200 before when Chicago dies the river green and parties in 0:00:09.240 --> 0:00:12.600 the streets, or the actual day of on Monday, when 0:00:12.680 --> 0:00:16.040 the river is still sort of greenish and Chicago wins 0:00:16.040 --> 0:00:18.480 are once again partying in the streets. As a good 0:00:18.520 --> 0:00:21.560 Irish girl, I guess I'll have to do both. It's Friday, 0:00:21.560 --> 0:00:25.080 March fourteenth, aka Pie Day, so while we usually celebrate 0:00:25.120 --> 0:00:25.960 you orange. 0:00:25.640 --> 0:00:27.240 Slices, treat yourself to a. 0:00:27.200 --> 0:00:30.040 Slice of something a little sweeter today, and maybe test 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:32.159 out your math knowledge while you're at it. See if 0:00:32.159 --> 0:00:34.479 you could beat my record of memorized digits after the 0:00:34.520 --> 0:00:39.320 decimal three point one, four and amount. On today's show, 0:00:39.320 --> 0:00:42.000 we'll be chatting with marilynd women's basketball head coach Brenda 0:00:42.000 --> 0:00:44.520 Freeze about leading the Terps to their first national title 0:00:44.520 --> 0:00:47.920 in six speed dating in the transfer Portal, era, to 0:00:48.000 --> 0:00:51.080 squad's Big Ten rivalry with Ohio State, and how her 0:00:51.080 --> 0:00:54.920 team's feel and headed into the NCAA Tournament. Plus buzzer 0:00:54.920 --> 0:00:58.120 beaters and overtime magic and Ode to Potatoes and your 0:00:58.160 --> 0:01:00.720 new favorite swag. It's all coming to right after this 0:01:13.160 --> 0:01:15.399 welcome back slices. Here's what you need to know today 0:01:17.560 --> 0:01:20.080 in college hoops, there were a couple wild endings in 0:01:20.120 --> 0:01:23.720 conference tournaments on Wednesday night. First, the Montana State Bobcats 0:01:23.760 --> 0:01:26.600 downed in state rival Montana fifty eight to fifty seven 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:30.000 at Boise's Idaho Central Arena in the Big Sky Championship 0:01:30.240 --> 0:01:34.400 now effectually known as starch Madness. Thanks Idaho, a last 0:01:34.400 --> 0:01:37.160 second put back layup by Merra Dykster at the buzzer 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:40.039 was the Differencedykster had ten points in the game, and 0:01:40.080 --> 0:01:43.600 teammate Esmerelda Morales led all scorers with twenty five points. 0:01:44.000 --> 0:01:46.160 The win was the cherry on top of a near 0:01:46.240 --> 0:01:49.960 immaculate season. Montana State won the Big Sky regular season 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:53.920 title outright, dropping only one of their eighteen conference games. Then, 0:01:53.960 --> 0:01:56.560 the Bobcats became the first team in Big Sky Tournament 0:01:56.720 --> 0:01:59.440 history to post two wins by margins of more than 0:01:59.480 --> 0:02:03.080 thirty points over Northern Colorado and Idaho State. With the 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:06.360 championship victory, Montana State earned the Big Sky's automatic bid 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:09.000 to the NCAA Tournament, and we'll make an appearance there 0:02:09.040 --> 0:02:09.839 for the fourth time. 0:02:09.880 --> 0:02:10.880 In program history. 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:12.960 We'll link to the footage of Dyster's game winner in 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:14.920 our show notes so you can watch the final sequence 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:17.720 for yourself. Over in the Mountain West Conference, the San 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:20.560 Diego State Aztecs clinched an automatic bid to the Big 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:23.520 Dance via a seventy two to sixty eight triple overtime 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:27.079 win over the Wyoming Cowgirls, the first three OT championship 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:30.120 game in the history of the conference's tournament. The Cowgirls 0:02:30.240 --> 0:02:32.519 entered the contest the number two seed and the Aztecs 0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:34.679 were the number four seed, but it was the Aztecs 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:36.920 who punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:38.520 first time since twenty twelve. 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:40.160 Wyoming never led in OT. 0:02:40.800 --> 0:02:43.840 Veronica Cheffe led San Diego State with twenty four points, 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.880 and three of her teammates also reached double figures to 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:50.359 the NWSL, where the regular season gets under way tonight. 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:53.240 If you missed yesterday's show, we included a full team 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:55.959 by team preview ahead of my interview with Chicago Stars 0:02:55.960 --> 0:02:58.600 goalkeeper a Lissa there. We also have a little update 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:01.600 on the status of Chicago Star Mallory Swanson, though the 0:03:01.680 --> 0:03:05.080 update is really that we don't have an update On Thursday, 0:03:05.120 --> 0:03:06.799 the team confirmed that she won't be playing in the 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:09.520 season opener tonight against the Orlando Pride, with head coach 0:03:09.600 --> 0:03:12.280 Lauren Donaldson saying, quote to me, it's a week to 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:14.519 week thing. I kind of just give her space and 0:03:14.639 --> 0:03:17.120 let whatever happens happen. We can't do much about our 0:03:17.120 --> 0:03:20.079 situation right now because that's her space. We just want 0:03:20.120 --> 0:03:21.919 her to be happy and the club is behind her 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:25.079 end quote. The club announced in January that the star 0:03:25.120 --> 0:03:27.120 player would be missing the start of training camp due 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:29.640 to personal reasons, and that they were fully supportive of 0:03:29.639 --> 0:03:32.320 her decision. We're sending our best to mal and hoping 0:03:32.320 --> 0:03:34.320 to see her back on the pitch whenever she's ready. 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:37.680 In pro vibes, It's week ten of the Love season 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:40.360 and players are in Houston this weekend for three matches 0:03:40.400 --> 0:03:42.400 at the Fort Ben County at the Center. The first 0:03:42.440 --> 0:03:44.640 match is tonight and it's a duel between the league's 0:03:44.680 --> 0:03:47.839 top two teams, Love Atlanta and Love Houston at eight 0:03:47.840 --> 0:03:51.240 pm Eastern. Atlanta is nine and two overall and Houston 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:53.720 six and five, but the Texas squad has the two 0:03:53.720 --> 0:03:56.360 players with the most points thus far this season. In 0:03:56.440 --> 0:04:00.120 opposite hitter Jordan Thompson and outside hitter Jess Mrzik this 0:04:00.200 --> 0:04:02.880 weekend's action, there will be only three weeks left before 0:04:02.880 --> 0:04:05.600 the Love Finals get started on April tenth. We'll link 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:08.280 to the remaining regular season schedule and ticket links in 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:11.760 our show notes. There's also PVF action tonight and over 0:04:11.800 --> 0:04:13.800 the weekend. We'll link to that schedule in our show 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:17.279 notes as well. And we've got Beach Vibes news. The 0:04:17.320 --> 0:04:21.479 Association of Volleyball Professionals aka the AVP, the biggest and 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:24.760 longest running professional beach volleyball tour, has a new TV deal. 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:28.360 Per report by Brian Steinberg in Variety, a package of 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:31.640 regular season games will air on CBS Sports Network leading 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:34.720 up to Big CBS airing the AVP League Championship on 0:04:34.800 --> 0:04:38.240 August third. The CW will also broadcast Saturday night matches 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:41.400 beginning Memorial Day and ending Labor Day. The AVP is 0:04:41.800 --> 0:04:44.760 such a great live experience I've been going for years. 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:46.880 Super exciting that fans will be able to watch from 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:49.840 Afar on TV now as well on the ice. After 0:04:49.880 --> 0:04:53.080 reviews by the PWHL Player Safety Committee, the league announced 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:55.520 consequences on Tuesday for a couple of incidents. In a 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:58.760 contest between the Toronto Scepters and Minnesota Frost on March ninth, 0:04:59.120 --> 0:05:01.560 Toronto defender not A Fast was fined two hundred and 0:05:01.560 --> 0:05:04.599 fifty dollars for cross checking Frost forward Kendell coins Schofield 0:05:04.720 --> 0:05:06.919 in the head with the shaft of her stick. The 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:10.200 contact wasn't penalized during play, but she has been fined. 0:05:10.240 --> 0:05:13.200 It's the first fine Fast has gotten in the PWHL. 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:16.640 Say that five times the first fine Fast is gotten. Additionally, 0:05:16.720 --> 0:05:19.599 Minnesota forward Britta curl Salem was suspended one game for 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:22.520 an illegal check to the head on Scepters defender Megan 0:05:22.560 --> 0:05:25.640 Carter that earned curl Salem her second one game time 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:28.440 out of the season. Coin Scofield scored an overtime of 0:05:28.440 --> 0:05:30.479 that game to lift Minnesota to a two to one win, 0:05:30.640 --> 0:05:33.240 and at present, the Scepters and Frost are number two 0:05:33.279 --> 0:05:36.800 and number four in the league standings, respectively. The squad's 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:39.440 match up again on March thirtieth. There are also two 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:42.159 PWHL games this weekend, so we'll link to the schedule 0:05:42.160 --> 0:05:45.640 in our show notes. Two unrivaled basketball where ahead of 0:05:45.680 --> 0:05:48.120 playoff weekend, the Three on three League has announced its 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:51.440 first end of season award winners that includes first team 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:56.080 honorees Ifisakallier of the Lunar Owls, Chelsea Gray of ROSEBC 0:05:56.279 --> 0:05:59.880 and Kaylea McBride of the Laces and Second team honorees 0:06:00.000 --> 0:06:02.960 Skyler Diggan Smith of the Lunar Owls, Ryan Howard of 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:06.960 the Vinyl and Angel Reese of ROSEBC. Recipients of the MVP, 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:09.800 Defensive Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year 0:06:09.839 --> 0:06:13.159 awards are still to come. Unrivaled playoffs get underway on 0:06:13.240 --> 0:06:16.040 Sunday with the semi finals. The first matchup is between 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:20.039 number two seed ROSEBC and number three Laces BC, followed 0:06:20.040 --> 0:06:22.880 by top seed Lunar Owls BC against number four seed 0:06:23.000 --> 0:06:25.960 Vinyl BC. Rose has been a bit of a dark course. 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:29.080 The team dropped four of its first five Unrivaled games, 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:31.200 but a surge in the later half of the season 0:06:31.200 --> 0:06:33.800 has earned producer Mishas squad an eight and six record 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:37.640 and a spot in the Brief Big Dance. Notably, Kalia Copper, 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:40.400 who is averaging nearly seventeen points per game, has not 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:43.640 played for Rose since February seventh while rehabbing an injury. 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:46.599 The league's last player update indicated that she would return 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:49.960 quote toward the end of the Unrivaled season end quote. 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:52.840 We're at the end, so we'll see if she suits up. 0:06:53.360 --> 0:06:56.599 Meanwhile, Lace's BC started the season on fire, going four 0:06:56.600 --> 0:06:59.360 to one in the first five games, but ultimately injuries 0:06:59.400 --> 0:07:02.880 hit Four of their six originally rostered players Alyssa Thomas, 0:07:02.960 --> 0:07:06.400 Kaylea McBride, Tiffany Hayes, and Kate Martin all injured at 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:08.520 one point or another. The league even made the tough 0:07:08.520 --> 0:07:11.520 decision to cancel one of the team's games. Relief players 0:07:11.520 --> 0:07:14.080 were signed so the Laces could keep playing, but there's 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:16.720 no doubt it had an effect on their performance and chemistry. 0:07:17.000 --> 0:07:19.400 They ended the regular season seven and seven and on 0:07:19.440 --> 0:07:21.640 a two game winning streak. Their last loss was against 0:07:21.720 --> 0:07:24.520 Rose on March eighth, onto the Lunar Owls, who have 0:07:24.560 --> 0:07:27.520 all but run through the rest of the field, finishing 0:07:27.560 --> 0:07:30.800 with only one loss in fourteen games to ROSEBC in 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:34.520 late February. Unrivaled co founder Nafisakalier is the anchor for 0:07:34.560 --> 0:07:37.120 the squad and leads the whole league at twenty five 0:07:37.160 --> 0:07:39.680 point seven points per game. The club's in pretty healthy 0:07:39.680 --> 0:07:42.400 all season and enters the semis as a clear favorite 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:45.240 and last but not least Vinyl BC up and down 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:47.800 regular season for this club, they finished five and nine 0:07:48.000 --> 0:07:50.680 one bright spot. Ryan Howard and Deerica Hamby have been 0:07:50.720 --> 0:07:54.280 one of the most dynamic duos in unrivaled Offensively, both 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:57.360 are top five in the league in scoring, averaging upwards 0:07:57.360 --> 0:08:00.440 of forty points per game combined. Their team's played off hopes. 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:02.600 We're in jeopardy up to the last night of regular 0:08:02.680 --> 0:08:05.440 season action and they have a tall task in front 0:08:05.480 --> 0:08:06.360 of them against. 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:07.400 The Hoodi Hoo Crew. 0:08:07.880 --> 0:08:10.640 Catch all the semi finals Sunday doubleheader action tip it 0:08:10.640 --> 0:08:13.560 off at seven thirty pm Eastern on TNT and True TV. 0:08:14.280 --> 0:08:17.520 A Little Sports Business News Monarch Collective, a private equity 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:20.480 fund dedicated to women's sports, has increased the size of 0:08:20.480 --> 0:08:23.240 its fund to two hundred and fifty million dollars, up 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:25.720 from the initial one hundred and fifty million it funded 0:08:25.760 --> 0:08:28.800 in twenty twenty three. The firm, led by Jasmin Robinson 0:08:28.800 --> 0:08:32.080 and Angel CITYFC co founder Karen Nortman, has investments in 0:08:32.160 --> 0:08:35.679 three NWSL teams, Angel City, San Diego and the new 0:08:35.720 --> 0:08:39.200 Boston expansion team per Sportico. The new one hundred million 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:42.760 dollar investment is thanks to many of the fund's original contributors, 0:08:42.800 --> 0:08:46.760 including Melinda French Gates, Hello Sunshine CEO, Sarah Hardin, and 0:08:46.880 --> 0:08:49.600 former Netflix executives Cindy Holland and Annie m. 0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:49.960 Hoff. 0:08:50.160 --> 0:08:52.480 We'll link to another Sportico story in the show notes 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:55.160 that provides more detail on the rules around private equity 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:56.760 investment in the NWSL. 0:08:57.320 --> 0:08:58.320 And finally, we want. 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:00.520 To give a huge shout out to Alexa Gasparo, who 0:09:00.520 --> 0:09:03.559 became just the eighth US woman and the first black 0:09:03.559 --> 0:09:06.960 woman to land the extremely difficult triple axel at a 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:09.160 competition in Poland earlier this month. 0:09:09.520 --> 0:09:10.880 Huge kudos to you, Alexa. 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:12.679 Y'all don't want to see me try to land a 0:09:12.720 --> 0:09:16.160 triple axel, or really any axel for that matter. We'll 0:09:16.200 --> 0:09:19.160 link to the video of Gasparado hitting the breathtaking skill 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:24.240 in our show notes. We're going to take a quick 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:27.719 break when we come back my chat with head turp Brenda. 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:37.400 Freeze joining us now. 0:09:37.400 --> 0:09:39.360 She's been the head coach of the University of Maryland 0:09:39.360 --> 0:09:41.920 women's basketball team since two thousand and two, leading the 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:44.840 team to a national championship win in six and final 0:09:44.840 --> 0:09:47.760 four runs in twenty fourteen and fifteen. She was voted 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:49.839 AP National Coach of the Year in O two and 0:09:49.880 --> 0:09:52.400 twenty one, ACC Coach of the Year in twenty thirteen, 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:54.600 Big Ten Coach of the Year four times, and Matt 0:09:54.640 --> 0:09:56.480 Coach of the Year in two thousand. She's a mom 0:09:56.520 --> 0:09:59.240 to teenage twin boys, the star of the video series 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:01.800 Under the Show, which is in its twenty first season, 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:05.040 and she hasn't seen a losing season in over twenty years. 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:07.040 It's Brenda Freez. Thanks for joining us. 0:10:07.040 --> 0:10:08.680 Coach, Oh thanks for having me. 0:10:09.400 --> 0:10:11.360 I want to start with that sixth season. 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:13.679 You were just four years into your journey with the 0:10:13.760 --> 0:10:16.560 Terps and led the team to a national championship. It 0:10:16.640 --> 0:10:20.000 is a memorable standout team for many people, including my 0:10:20.080 --> 0:10:22.920 producer Meisch, who got absolutely hooked on hoops that year 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.400 growing up in the DMB. And I wonder if, looking 0:10:25.440 --> 0:10:28.199 back these years later, if you can remember the hardest 0:10:28.240 --> 0:10:29.800 part of that journey as a leader. 0:10:30.720 --> 0:10:34.520 Oh man, it was uncharted territory, so you know, and 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:37.800 back in the time, you know, you talk about those 0:10:37.840 --> 0:10:41.560 battles between Duke and North Carolina and in the ACC 0:10:41.840 --> 0:10:45.640 all those rivalries, so it was continuous. When you just 0:10:45.679 --> 0:10:49.640 talk about being the underdog. You know, no one really 0:10:49.880 --> 0:10:52.920 kind of expected this young, fearless team. I mean we 0:10:53.040 --> 0:10:56.760 started two freshmen, two sophomores, and a junior, and it 0:10:56.880 --> 0:10:59.199 just kind of evolved. I think kind of the special 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:02.680 thing that season was that they kind of started the 0:11:02.679 --> 0:11:05.400 mantra overtime is our time, and all of a sudden 0:11:05.480 --> 0:11:08.520 they started having a lot of success in conference play, 0:11:08.640 --> 0:11:11.160 and then as it unfolded, I mean they went six 0:11:11.200 --> 0:11:13.400 to zero in overtime and had two of their biggest 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:16.520 games in the NCAA tournament, one against Utah to go 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:20.600 to the final four to Boston won that game, and 0:11:20.640 --> 0:11:24.040 then you know, everyone knows the game against Duke, the 0:11:24.120 --> 0:11:28.120 overtime win in the national championship games. So just a 0:11:28.160 --> 0:11:31.200 lot of first and you know, an incredibly you know, 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:35.160 wonderful year with the team that no one expected to 0:11:35.240 --> 0:11:36.640 be able to go win a championship. 0:11:37.120 --> 0:11:38.560 Okay, I have two follow up questions. 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:41.360 Is it the distance that has you calling them they 0:11:41.360 --> 0:11:42.040 instead of us? 0:11:44.280 --> 0:11:45.400 Right? Probably? 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:46.559 Okay? 0:11:46.760 --> 0:11:49.600 And then I know you tell the team day one, 0:11:49.960 --> 0:11:52.520 we have enough talent. It's all about the work that 0:11:52.520 --> 0:11:54.760 we're going to put in. Anybody can be the champion. 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:57.679 But if you're being honest, at what point during that 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:00.120 season did you really think, oh my gosh, like we 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:00.679 could win this. 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:01.920 Yeah. 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:05.400 I think as the season unfolded, when when we started 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:08.200 to have the overtime wins and I saw how fearless 0:12:08.240 --> 0:12:12.280 they were. You know, you kind of built and built 0:12:12.320 --> 0:12:16.040 that up through conference play, but it really was, you know, 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:18.239 all of a sudden as you got into the NCAA 0:12:18.360 --> 0:12:20.840 tournament that you know, you kind of just saw each 0:12:20.880 --> 0:12:23.880 game kind of build its own sense of momentum, and 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:27.600 you just kind of saw this fearless confidence team that 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:31.760 you know, really just had no you know, fear that 0:12:32.000 --> 0:12:33.000 that they were going to get be. 0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:36.880 I so admire coaches in their ability to do as 0:12:36.960 --> 0:12:38.800 much as they can to get a team ready and 0:12:38.840 --> 0:12:41.719 then have to accept what happens because they're not out 0:12:41.760 --> 0:12:43.959 on the court. That's very difficult for me to imagine 0:12:44.000 --> 0:12:47.319 doing as competitive as I am, and so it must 0:12:47.400 --> 0:12:50.200 be such a wonderful feeling to be like, oh, I 0:12:50.240 --> 0:12:54.760 got gamers like overtime, clutch time, like these are. 0:12:54.679 --> 0:12:56.520 The girls who are going to get it. That's so cool. 0:12:57.360 --> 0:12:59.360 You've had a couple of really talented teams that came 0:12:59.440 --> 0:13:02.200 up just short of finish line you're talking to some 0:13:02.240 --> 0:13:04.960 folks that have never been in a high pressure environment, 0:13:04.960 --> 0:13:06.800 what would you tell them about the challenges of a 0:13:06.840 --> 0:13:08.440 title run, no matter how much talent you have. 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:11.040 I mean, yes, you have to have the talent to 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:14.320 be able to get there, but there's also you have 0:13:14.360 --> 0:13:18.520 to have the breaks that fall your way, and anything 0:13:18.600 --> 0:13:22.280 can really happen. And you know, I mean one, I mean, 0:13:22.320 --> 0:13:25.160 staying healthy is one of them. As you're going into 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:29.520 postseason and through the tournament, and then you know, it's matchups. 0:13:29.559 --> 0:13:31.959 I mean, there's certain kinds of teams that you want 0:13:32.000 --> 0:13:34.480 to play against, and then there's other teams that are 0:13:34.559 --> 0:13:38.280 kind of your kryptonite. And so the margin for error 0:13:38.360 --> 0:13:41.040 is so slim to go win a national championship, to 0:13:41.160 --> 0:13:45.000 have every single player playing at their best, to not 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:48.120 have someone wake up and have the flu and be 0:13:48.200 --> 0:13:51.000 out or have an injury. So I think what people 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:54.640 don't realize is just how narrow the margin is to 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:55.920 be successful. 0:13:56.920 --> 0:14:00.960 So, how long after a tournament loss an agonizing do 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:04.480 you spend thinking about decisions you made, plays that didn't 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:06.840 work out, calls that didn't go your way, and all 0:14:06.880 --> 0:14:08.680 the other minutia of the game. How long do you 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:12.360 allow yourself to ruminate before you say, Okay, I'm sad 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:13.800 it's over, moving on. 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:16.680 I think as a coach, you always take it with you. 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:19.640 I mean, you know, it's internally in you. I think 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:22.040 for me, I close the chapter. When I go back on, 0:14:22.320 --> 0:14:24.440 I would finalize and watch the film. I mean, yes, 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:26.480 you're going to go through internally in your head. But 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:29.920 for me, I try to go watch that film, Like 0:14:29.960 --> 0:14:32.800 you said, probably within the first forty eight hours, sometimes 0:14:32.800 --> 0:14:36.960 seventy two, depending how crushing of a blow is, and 0:14:37.360 --> 0:14:39.760 then you know, learn from it, dive into it, and 0:14:39.800 --> 0:14:43.200 then move on, you know, just sticking in that place 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:46.840 of pain. Yes, it can refuel you and motivate you, 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:48.520 but at the same point you've got to be able 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:51.000 to move on to what's next. And in today's day 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:54.040 and age, I mean, you know, for us, your season 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:56.320 ends and you're right into the transfer portal, so there's 0:14:56.320 --> 0:14:59.040 not a lot of time to really, you know, sit 0:14:59.200 --> 0:15:01.800 and worry about what's happened. You've got to move on 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:02.360 to your team. 0:15:03.440 --> 0:15:07.200 People often think about powerhouse programs like Yukon and more 0:15:07.240 --> 0:15:10.360 recently South Carolina when thinking about women's basketball, but under 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:13.200 your watch, Maryland has not only won that national championship, 0:15:13.200 --> 0:15:17.640 but seven regular season conference championships, seven tournament championships. You've 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:19.720 launched the career of so many players and stars in 0:15:19.760 --> 0:15:23.600 the W like Alissa Thomas, Brandon Jones, Christy Tolliver. What 0:15:23.720 --> 0:15:26.440 do WNBA coaches know they're going to get from a 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:27.520 player that you coached? 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:30.280 You know, they know there's not going to be any drama. 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.200 These kids are. They know how to work. I think 0:15:33.240 --> 0:15:37.120 that's why so many WNBA coaches kind of appreciate our 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:41.400 players transition really well. I know that we develop them 0:15:41.480 --> 0:15:44.600 so they are prepared for that next level. They're gonna 0:15:45.320 --> 0:15:47.880 be the ultimate team player. I mean in a system 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:51.520 like Maryland, you're gonna play within the team. You're going 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:55.280 to value you know, what we have instilled in them, 0:15:55.520 --> 0:15:59.040 within our culture and where our values take place. So 0:15:59.760 --> 0:16:01.760 they're able to take all of that and be really 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.600 self sufficient. I think there's a lot of no nonsense 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:08.080 that they don't have to worry about that they definitely 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:10.120 are going to know how to transition to be pros. 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:12.880 In an honest moment, does it ever bother you that 0:16:12.920 --> 0:16:15.040 your name isn't brought up as often as Gino or 0:16:15.120 --> 0:16:16.880 down or maybe even someone like kim Olky. 0:16:17.760 --> 0:16:21.680 I think the longevity of those coaches have been here 0:16:21.760 --> 0:16:23.360 for a really long time. 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:24.880 I mean, I. 0:16:24.360 --> 0:16:28.840 Respect all the work that they've put in, and. 0:16:28.080 --> 0:16:29.000 I am who I am. 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:33.080 I've never gotten into it for some sort of name 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:35.960 recognition and feel that I need to be valued. 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:36.800 By anyone else. 0:16:37.080 --> 0:16:39.680 I know who I am and who our program here 0:16:39.760 --> 0:16:41.320 is at the end of the day, and to me, 0:16:41.440 --> 0:16:44.600 that's the most important is that I'm just impacting lives, 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:47.440 and you know, I think for me selfishly, yeah, I'd 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:50.120 love to get to more Final fours because I love 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:54.600 what it takes just for your players and for you know, 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:58.160 the parents and the families to be a part of success. 0:16:58.480 --> 0:16:59.360 When it comes to recruiting. 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:00.960 Do you think, Matt, there's a lot to have that 0:17:01.000 --> 0:17:03.480 sort of household name and be the name that gets 0:17:03.480 --> 0:17:04.120 brought up often. 0:17:04.760 --> 0:17:06.719 I definitely think it has in the past. I think 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:07.480 it's changing. 0:17:08.560 --> 0:17:09.920 That's more parody. 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:13.840 I think players now aren't afraid to, uh, you know, 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:16.080 go be the one and go to other programs. 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:17.720 I think before it used. 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:21.280 To you know, write you know, ESPN would only show 0:17:21.320 --> 0:17:24.480 you con in Tennessee, and now you're seeing just on 0:17:24.520 --> 0:17:28.160 a national scale that so many names, so many stories 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:30.520 are being told, and I think that's why you are 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:35.159 seeing the parody is you can access anyone in everyone nowadays, 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:38.439 and I think that's what's really helped, you know, be 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:40.920 able to branch out the game and be able to 0:17:41.000 --> 0:17:41.760 have more parody. 0:17:42.320 --> 0:17:44.240 If you want some more headlines, might I recommend a 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:46.360 sweater with a basketball who built into it. 0:17:46.840 --> 0:17:51.639 That'll guarantee you some run on the internet? Yeah, not 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:52.200 your style. 0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:55.480 You know, some of the top players that you coached 0:17:55.520 --> 0:17:57.639 ended up transferring, like Angel Reese who went to l 0:17:57.760 --> 0:17:59.920 s U and then helped that team win a national champion. 0:18:00.440 --> 0:18:02.040 How did that impact you in the moment and how 0:18:02.080 --> 0:18:04.359 do you balance wanting what's best for a player and 0:18:04.400 --> 0:18:06.320 then also wanting what's best for your program. 0:18:06.680 --> 0:18:09.040 I think the transfer portal is there for a reason, 0:18:09.359 --> 0:18:12.960 and you know, there's better fits for other players in 0:18:13.040 --> 0:18:14.280 different situations. 0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:16.040 For Angel, that was the best fit. 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:19.520 For her, and you know, for for us, I've always 0:18:19.520 --> 0:18:22.840 felt like the players that stay here and that we're 0:18:23.200 --> 0:18:26.280 you know, also able to bring into the portal and 0:18:26.520 --> 0:18:29.480 players that have wanted to have, you know, great situations, 0:18:29.520 --> 0:18:31.720 want to be a part of a family experience, want 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:34.359 to be a part of a really strong culture. Have 0:18:34.440 --> 0:18:37.920 done really well here, and so I'm okay with it. 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:40.560 You know, I think that you know that everybody has 0:18:40.560 --> 0:18:43.879 their own reasons. We've been very successful as well ourselves 0:18:44.240 --> 0:18:46.560 with the amount of players that we've been able to 0:18:46.560 --> 0:18:50.120 get in here within the portal, and you know, sometimes 0:18:50.119 --> 0:18:51.840 the ones that go or are meant to go. 0:18:52.520 --> 0:18:55.840 Yeah, how does your strategy differ when you're recruiting players 0:18:55.880 --> 0:18:58.040 out of high school versus in the transfer portal. 0:18:58.640 --> 0:19:01.520 Well, high school you're able to build those relationships for 0:19:02.040 --> 0:19:04.720 a long time, and you know, the transfer portal is 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:09.719 pretty much speed dating and very quick. I mean luckily 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:12.639 for us. I mean we do love the fact in 0:19:12.680 --> 0:19:14.439 the portal when we can find kids that we have 0:19:14.600 --> 0:19:17.000 recruited in the past or that we know and we've 0:19:17.000 --> 0:19:21.280 had relationships with. I think that always, you know, is 0:19:21.720 --> 0:19:24.040