Arkansas Razorbacks players recapping big loss at home to UCLA Bruins on Sunday afternoon in Bud Walton Arena.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 like about, you know, that fourth quarter,
00:01 the way the team, you know, fought and got it within,
00:04 I think, 14 was as close as it got.
00:07 - I think we came out, we fought hard.
00:10 We never gave up.
00:11 We didn't put our heads down when we make mistakes.
00:12 We just sprinted back, did what we needed to do.
00:15 And also, our press kind of gave us more intensity
00:20 in speeding them up and turning them over,
00:22 and that's what we did.
00:25 - Yeah, we fought until the end,
00:26 and I really credit this team for doing that.
00:28 We had a lot of energy down the stretch,
00:30 even though we were down big at one point.
00:32 And it just shows that we're fighters
00:34 and willing to compete for four quarters
00:36 with the best teams in the country.
00:38 And so I applaud this team for that.
00:40 - And, you know, on the same note, that was a real,
00:43 I mean, the ranked number two, a really good team y'all played.
00:44 What do you think that experience does for y'all
00:46 now that you've gone against a team like that,
00:48 that's got a lot of height too?
00:50 - I think it gets us ready for the SEC
00:53 and just our game before,
00:55 or game before the few games we have before the SEC.
00:57 And just challenges us in our competitiveness
01:01 and just getting us ready for those moments like that again.
01:04 - Yeah, it allows us to compete against great players
01:08 that we know we're going to see in the SEC,
01:10 and then also when we make it to the tournament.
01:13 So getting us ready for that,
01:14 instead of playing some of the teams
01:15 that we have been playing that aren't as challenged,
01:17 as ranked as UCLA.
01:20 And so I feel like it gives us different looks,
01:22 shows us what we need to work on
01:23 to be able to beat these better teams
01:25 that we will have to beat later in the season.
01:28 - And last thing I got,
01:29 is I know Coach Nabors likes to break y'all's schedule up,
01:31 like in a little part.
01:32 So I don't know if this is exactly how he did it,
01:34 but this four game stretch y'all had with Fort Myers,
01:36 and then the past two that you played,
01:37 just what do you think with that real gauntlet
01:41 that y'all went through,
01:41 that y'all have learned about the team
01:43 through playing those four games?
01:45 - It shows us how we're fighters, we never give up.
01:48 And when we play together, it shows a lot.
01:51 And just how we did in Florida State,
01:53 and then also in the fourth quarter of this game,
01:55 it just shows how competitive we are
01:57 and ready to fight whenever we play together.
02:00 - Yeah, it shows that we don't care who we play against.
02:03 We're going to fight, we're going to battle.
02:05 It's not going to be easy,
02:06 and they're not just going to run over us.
02:08 I feel like we show a lot of fight,
02:10 especially when we play these really good teams.
02:12 And so I feel like that's what we learned
02:14 from these four games.
02:15 - Obviously you have to play some really good teams,
02:19 but you say that's the most complete team you have played,
02:21 best team you have played,
02:21 and just what makes them so good.
02:23 - Yeah, they have posts, they have shooters,
02:25 they have guards that can handle the ball.
02:26 Everybody can handle the ball.
02:28 They have a huge inside presence.
02:29 They play an inside and out game.
02:31 They're just a full, complete team.
02:32 They play both sides of the floor, play defense,
02:34 they play offense, they get to their spots, run their sets.
02:38 So yeah, that's probably one of the best teams
02:39 that we've played so far.
02:41 And they're just, they have every piece
02:44 that you would need to win a national championship.
02:46 - How difficult was their length inside?
02:51 I know you guys missed some layups tonight or today.
02:54 Just, you know, what's it like going against a team
02:55 that just is that long on both sides of the floor?
02:58 - It just shows us how we need to use our body
03:05 or like finish on two feet,
03:07 like Coach Todd always says in practice.
03:09 And just don't go in there expecting the ref to bail us out
03:11 and just finishing on two feet, like I said.
03:14 - Yeah, I mean, like, especially as a guard,
03:18 as a smaller guard, going up against Lauren Betts,
03:20 who's 6'7", it just shows like,
03:23 maybe you might not be able to score at the rim as much
03:25 and it opens up drives, open up kickouts,
03:27 drives open up easier shots for other people.
03:29 So not necessarily driving to score for yourself,
03:31 but driving to create for other people.
03:34 - Just real quickly, you know,
03:36 they kind of had a huge run in the second and third quarter
03:39 and then in first and fourth, you guys were right there.
03:41 I mean, what kind of led to them creating that separation,
03:44 you think, in the middle of two quarters?
03:46 How did they kind of build their lead?
03:47 - Yeah, we just, I felt like in the second
03:49 and third quarters, we turned the ball over quite a bit.
03:52 So they got, they capitalized off our turnovers.
03:55 That's the biggest thing that they did
03:56 in that second and third quarter.
03:58 And I feel like our shot selection can get better
04:01 across the board, it can get better.
04:03 And I feel like some of the shots that we took
04:04 led to those easy runouts
04:06 or easy three-pointers in transition.
04:10 And so I feel like it was just shot selection
04:12 and turnovers that led to them being able
04:14 to go on their little run.
04:16 - And a little bit of more fight
04:18 on the defensive rebound aspect, so.
04:20 - For Mariam, what's it like?
04:25 I heard you coming in talking about Betts
04:28 and how she's about as tall of a player
04:30 as you've played against, I know,
04:31 Camila Cardoso's up there as well.
04:33 What challenges does she present
04:35 trying to defend her in the paint?
04:37 - I just felt like she just, she was every bit of 6'7"
04:41 and just going against her was hard,
04:44 but we just, we just had to fight
04:46 and just make sure to get her out of position
04:49 and have her turn the ball over more consistently
04:52 than she did in the past few games.
04:53 And that was what we prepared for, I hope.
04:56 - Talia, you mentioned this team's balance.
04:58 They have one of the best guard groups
05:00 in the entire country.
05:01 Just as a competitor, how much fun is it?
05:03 And, you know, to take on a challenge like that
05:05 against the group of guards like that.
05:07 - Yeah, it's always fun.
05:08 Being able to compete against the best of the best,
05:11 that's what I came here to do, you know,
05:12 compete against those good players.
05:14 That's why I chose to play in the SEC,
05:16 to be able to compete against guards
05:18 who have been here four or five years
05:19 and that know how to play, can play.
05:22 There was a draft pick that's going to be,
05:24 she's going to be a first round draft pick out there.
05:25 So it was fun competing against all of them.
05:28 And then just showing,
05:29 just seeing where I measure up against them,
05:31 you know, and be able to compete against them
05:33 and show them and prove what I am against them.
05:36 - Yeah, talking about showing what you are,
05:39 I know no discredit to like the teams
05:40 y'all played early in the year,
05:43 but you were scoring in those games.
05:44 You just got done proving three straight games
05:46 against ranked teams that you can score against anybody.
05:48 Just where's your confidence at right now
05:50 with your abilities?
05:52 - Yeah, my confidence has always been high,
05:54 even if we lose, win,
05:55 the confidence always has to be high.
05:57 We can't waver.
05:58 It can't drop low.
05:59 And so my confidence has stayed high.
06:01 I know I get in the gym.
06:02 I know I work.
06:03 I know I have teammates and coaches that believe in me
06:05 and believe in what I do.
06:06 And so my confidence, it doesn't drop.
06:09 It stays high.
06:11 And I credit that to everybody around me,
06:13 my support system I have around me,
06:14 and then the work that I put in.