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00:00 Yeah, well, I mean, kind of, I guess maybe a little bit of what I expected.
00:04 Fun to get the first one out of the way.
00:07 Good environment.
00:08 What you kind of, I don't know, thought about it a lot today.
00:11 What would that be like when we, when I walked out to be the head coach of the
00:15 Mountaineers and that was pretty special.
00:17 You know, a lot of thoughts kind of went through my mind before the game today.
00:20 But, you know, started off a little shaky, I thought.
00:23 We weren't great defensively, settled in in that second quarter
00:25 and only gave up the two points.
00:26 So, I thought once we did that, I thought we were considerably better
00:29 challenged them at halftime to really kind of work through the paint a little bit more.
00:33 I didn't think we did a great job working through the paint at all today.
00:36 Really did a good job from behind the three.
00:38 So, that was encouraging to make an amount of threes we did and shoot it at that
00:41 percentage.
00:42 Thought we got a little bit better playing through the paint in the second half.
00:46 Did not do a great job on number 11, who was a really good player,
00:49 and we knew that coming in.
00:50 So, we'll have to be a little bit better moving forward with a dominant post
00:54 player like that.
00:55 But we'll get better from this.
00:56 It's a start.
00:59 We didn't show a lot either, so I kind of -- we watered down the offense
01:02 and defense a little bit tonight.
01:04 And so, we'll start to, you know, maybe click a little bit more when we can help
01:08 them out moving forward.
01:09 But all in all, it's a good start.
01:10 It's a win.
01:11 And then we'll go on the road for Pitt on Saturday.
01:15 Coach, eight points from Loyola to end the first quarter there, full 8-0 run,
01:19 and then only two points in the second quarter.
01:21 What changed?
01:23 We just settled, I thought.
01:24 I mean, I thought we had a good start to the game, right, got up,
01:27 I don't remember what it was, 10-ish, right, I think.
01:29 And then I think they hit a three.
01:31 We had a couple terrible turnovers that, you know,
01:33 I think they converted into points there.
01:35 So, it was just that one little -- I think it was about two-and-a-half-minute
01:37 stretch where we just, yeah, kind of fell apart offensively, took some bad shots,
01:41 turned it over, and then led to some offense for them.
01:43 Nothing really -- we didn't do anything a whole lot different, just settled in.
01:47 12-23 from three, you got a lot of open looks.
01:50 Did you expect to see that?
01:52 And the efficiency scoring from behind Eric as well.
01:54 Yeah, well, it's so hard early on.
01:55 You just don't know what teams are going to do.
01:57 You know, they played 85% man a year ago, and they come out and play a zone,
02:00 which we thought they might.
02:01 So, we had prepared for both.
02:04 You know, they had another couple kids that we thought would play that didn't play.
02:07 So, it's just these games are hard.
02:09 I even told them before the game, I put up an acronym before every game,
02:12 and it was about basically prepare for the unexpected because we don't know what
02:15 this is going to look like.
02:18 You know, so, yeah, we just -- I think we're taking what the defense gave us,
02:21 but we do -- I mean, our guards are good and they can make open shots.
02:24 I think it's just on the rest of the team to get us the right shots.
02:27 And then when we get it, thankfully tonight we were able to convert.
02:30 You said you watered some things down and obviously want to show everything in game
02:33 one, but did you see the characteristics you wanted to see out of your team here
02:37 in the first game?
02:39 Some, yeah, for sure.
02:40 I mean, there was some defensive identity at times that was pretty good.
02:43 There was, you know, some turnovers that led to points that we want to, you know,
02:46 be a little bit about that.
02:48 You know, got all the kids in that we had available tonight,
02:50 so we got that first run, that first game through everybody,
02:53 so maybe we can settle down.
02:55 We had had some injuries, so we got a couple of those kids back.
02:58 So, yes, I saw enough that we can build off of it for sure.
03:01 But, you know, and they had asked me this I think in the press conference last
03:04 week, you know, if I had like 80 or 90% of, you know, the stuff in,
03:08 and I bet we're probably closer to like 55%, 60% of the stuff.
03:11 So, we'll get a lot better as it goes.
03:14 Coach, obviously, you know, you coached Jordan last year,
03:17 and Steven, people are just now here getting their first look at her.
03:22 You know, what did you see from her tonight,
03:25 and how is her game, you know, beginning to evolve from one year to the next?
03:29 Well, she's just getting more comfortable here.
03:31 I mean, you saw her.
03:32 That's Jordan Harrison.
03:33 She was the freshman of the year in our league for a reason.
03:35 She got much better as the year went on,
03:37 but I think she was plus 37 today on the plus minus, you know,
03:40 and she's just a floor general.
03:42 But she's a leader, and she knows what I want.
03:44 You know, and while the other ones were still working on that, right,
03:46 because we're new, Jordan is the one that's been with me,
03:49 and obviously I've been with her,
03:50 so we just have that kind of connection right now.
03:52 But she's just a sophomore and only played one year of college basketball,
03:55 but she's a dynamic little player,
03:57 and her and Quinterly are going to be pretty good, I think.
03:59 Do you worry, I mean, when she comes here, obviously,
04:03 it's a step up in the competition.
04:06 Do you worry about that with her at all,
04:08 having gone from like, you know, the mid-major to the, you know, the high major?
04:11 No, not really, and she was a pretty highly recruited kid.
04:14 We got her over a couple of Power Five schools.
04:17 She played on a big-time AAU program.
04:20 So, Mikaela Williams, who's at LSU, is a freshman.
04:23 Dariana Buggs at Baylor, they were all on the same AAU team.
04:26 There was a couple more.
04:27 So, the kids played with high-level talent.
04:30 And so, no, I wasn't – to be honest,
04:32 I wasn't the least bit worried about that kid.
04:34 She's a tough – she's a tough character.
04:36 You talked about all the thoughts going through your head today earlier.
04:39 What's it like now that you're finally have that first win on the board?
04:43 You know, it's a win.
04:45 It's one.
04:46 You know, I try not to be the guy that gets too high, too low.
04:49 I mean, it's special and I'll always remember it.
04:51 You know, I don't want to downplay it too much,
04:52 but I also don't want it to be about me.
04:54 There's a much bigger picture coming up.
04:56 You know, I'll reflect very briefly, I guess, maybe tonight,
04:59 but it will be right back to watching film
05:01 and figuring out how we can get a little bit better.
05:03 But we've loved it here.
05:04 We've enjoyed it here.
05:05 It was everything that I wanted it to be.
05:08 JJ, obviously you've seen her in practice.
05:10 You've seen her in closed-door scrimmages.
05:12 Is this game-like setting a true game setting?
05:14 Anything different that you saw from her today or about what you expected?
05:17 Yeah, pretty much what I expected.
05:18 I mean, I've seen film on her too, and we've seen her in practice,
05:21 and that's pretty much the kid.
05:22 Now, she shot it really well today.
05:23 She doesn't typically – I think because this was her career high, I believe, right,
05:26 and made threes, I think, so I think she made four tonight, which was her career high.
05:30 But, no, she's just so dynamic.
05:32 She's the fastest kid I've ever coached,
05:34 and her ability to go from zero to 100 and then stop again at zero is just next level.
05:38 I've just never seen a kid that can go so quick and then stop so quick.
05:42 So, yeah, so she's dynamic, and we'll still – she'll get better.
05:45 You know, she just had a good shooting night, but she's been hurt,
05:48 so she hasn't been out there a ton.
05:49 We just got her back a couple days ago, so she was a little tired too, I thought, there early.
05:53 But if she gets her wind and her legs underneath her, she's going to have a phenomenal year.
05:57 Kaya Watson, your thoughts on her as well?
05:59 Yeah, she's a – Kaya, you know, and I say that as an ultimate compliment, so steady, just plays hard.
06:05 She's worked herself in great shape.
06:07 I mean, I keep seeing pictures of her a year ago versus what she looks like now.
06:10 That's a different – you know, she's changed her body and nutrition, and she's explosive.
06:14 She got the 1-3, which I was glad in transition.
06:17 You know, but just covers up so much that sometimes you may not even notice that she does.
06:23 And some things that she – you know, the stats may not show, but I think what she led us in rebounding,
06:27 steals, maybe assists as well.
06:29 You know, didn't score it great, but, you know, she's going to be – she's going to fill it, I think,
06:33 just because that's the kid she is, and I trust her.
06:36 17 turnovers, is that just a result of you guys just still figuring each other out?
06:40 Obviously you said having installed everything, so that just kind of – it'll get better with time,
06:45 I hope so.
06:46 I sure hope so, because there were some bad ones.
06:47 There was some look around, like what in the world was that?
06:50 Some two-on-one, you know, bad choices, turnovers, you know, just some – you know,
06:54 we get a numbered advantage, we have to be better, you never want to turn it over in those.
06:58 A couple where we were just late, you know, I think we dribble it too much,
07:01 so we got to start working on passing.
07:02 And, you know, head goes down to dribble, and then we miss a cut, and then we think we see it,
07:05 but by now it's too late, so I think we had two or three of those turnovers.
07:09 So a lot of it is timing, and we'll get better with the timing, yes.
07:12 But 17 is a little too many.
07:14 You can survive 17 if you force 22, because you're plus five there.
07:18 But we got to be better.
07:19 It needs to be much lower than that.
07:21 Coach, Lauren looked really comfortable out there, starting – you know,
07:24 being in the starting lineup, kind of in more of a defensive role last year at Arizona.
07:29 Are you confident that she can get back to her scoring ways at Oakland State
07:33 with all of her experience thus far?
07:34 Yeah, no, Lauren has settled in really well and very quickly here.
07:37 But, yeah, she had two completely different roles at her previous stops.
07:40 You know, she averaged, I think, over 15 a game at Oklahoma State, was an all-big 12 kid,
07:45 goes to Arizona, kind of was a corner spacer, as you alluded to, a defensive kid.
07:49 Now she can guard.
07:50 She's an elite-level defender.
07:52 She can shoot it.
07:53 She can drive it.
07:54 You know, so I think you'll just get a mix of probably both.
07:57 We've challenged her to just be a little more efficient.
07:59 You know, she was a little volume at Oklahoma State and then didn't get as much volume,
08:02 but was fairly efficient at Arizona.
08:04 So let's package this and see if we can't get the complete season from her.
08:08 You mentioned the 22 turnovers and a lot of pressure even until the last minute.
08:12 So what did you see from that?
08:13 Was that what you liked or still more room to grow there?
08:16 Yeah, no, I think there's some more room to grow.
08:17 Honestly, that probably was a little low for what I was expecting, you know.
08:21 And we're just, again, maybe the top two in our press we're really getting after it,
08:25 and then the forward or the next line maybe not as much, you know.
08:27 And so we've just got to get in sync.
08:29 We can't have some working hard in it, you know,
08:31 and then the other's not or it doesn't all come together.
08:33 So, guys, yeah, it's an all of it's a work in progress for us right now.
08:37 But, again, we'll keep getting better from it.
08:39 They gave us some different looks that we hadn't seen or we don't, you know,
08:42 from a press offense we don't do some of the things that they do,
08:45 and I thought we adjusted really well to that.
08:47 But we'll keep getting better at it.
08:49 Yeah, we can turn that up another level.
08:52 Coach, bringing Jayla off the bench, just a different look there,
08:57 or is that something you guys, you know, talked about in the preseason?
09:02 Just the thoughts there.
09:04 Yeah, no, good question.
09:06 We feel like we have six starters.
09:07 I've told Jayla that.
09:08 It wasn't -- you know, she hadn't done anything.
09:10 She's a fantastic kid.
09:11 She settled in.
09:12 She's going to do a lot for us.
09:13 I hope our team identity is wrapped up in Jayla.
09:16 Like, I really -- it needs to be that.
09:18 I still think she'll have the best year that she's had.
09:20 I don't know that it's permanent.
09:22 This is just, you know, kind of the way we were, you know, right now,
09:25 and then just kind of let them play it out.
09:27 But there's six kids that all have started all of their careers.
09:30 You know, somebody was going to have to come off the bench.
09:32 For now, it's Jayla.
09:34 But, you know, we'll see if that sticks or not.
09:36 Just want her to settle in and be the best version of herself.
09:39 But she took it like a champ
09:40 and said she just wants to -- whatever it takes to help the team win,
09:43 and that's what you would expect from a senior leader.
09:45 So I was proud of her for that.
09:46 But she's a huge piece to this.
09:48 And then as far as getting prepared for Saturday,
09:52 I mean, you're kind of an outsider to the whole Morgantown scene,
09:56 but how much did you get immersed in the West Virginia Pitt rivalry?
10:01 I got all I wanted and more from the football game a month and a half ago.
10:04 So I walked through that blue lot on purpose and stayed for that whole game,
10:08 was down on the field a little bit.
10:10 So, yeah, no, I took it all in.
10:11 I'm fully aware.
10:12 You know, we haven't had a basketball version of it yet,
10:15 but I'm fully aware of what that looks like
10:17 and what it is and what it means to our state.
10:19 And so -- and our kids know.
10:21 I mean, we haven't really talked about it much, but we briefly brought it up.
10:24 And they know.
10:25 And, you know, they have a West Virginia kid from Fairmont,
10:27 so she'll be pretty excited, a transfer that played here at West Virginia.
10:30 So, I mean, yeah, there will be some emotion I would imagine.
10:33 And I was going to ask about that.
10:34 I mean, I don't think anyone in the program has played against Pitt, you know,
10:38 currently.
10:39 So how do you go about teaching that, you know,
10:41 the rivalry versus its game number two in a long season?
10:44 Yeah, I think, well, once the ball is tipped, it will just be basketball,
10:47 you know, from there.
10:48 I don't think we'll have to talk too much really about it.
10:50 They know.
10:51 I don't want to overemphasize that.
10:53 It is game two.
10:54 It's two new coaches.
10:55 We don't know a ton about them.
10:56 They probably won't know a ton about us.
10:58 They played tonight as well.
11:00 You know, so we'll learn as much as we can,
11:02 and we'll get our kids ready and prepared as we always would like it's any other
11:06 game, you know, and hopefully we play a little bit better.
11:09 But we need to learn.
11:10 This is our only true road game in the non-conference,
11:12 so we need to go up there and learn how to win on the road.
11:15 So that will be important.