all right all right let's go ahead we'll open it up with questions on Zoom then we'll come to some in the room Percy start us out and we'll get a box score in the room you can yes there hey Skyler um uh just um hey just um after that first shot uh what it was like I guess less than two minutes into the game and you just hit that shot from the corner there did you know that point think your shot was on um I just shot the ball Percy I just shot it I I don't know I don't base it off one shot I feel like the next one is always going in for me and then just um for like this type of game for like you two like kind of for like you guys to kind of push this team uh it was a five-point game in that fourth quarter just what what what happened there in that fourth quarter mental mistakes mental mistakes and that's the most frustrating part about it is that we hung with them we had great energy but came down to just jogging back on defense first of all and transition things that we can absolutely control so that's what makes this one frustrating there you go thank you guys Jeff brand and then we'll take some questions in the room yeah first for uh Skyler um they between the end of the third and beginning of the fourth they won on a 17-2 run um outside of maybe some turnovers what kind of was happening there when was this uh between the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth transition I thought we lost him a few times transition defense wise we let uh they got some threes off back toback threes um um you know we're a team that usually Prides ourselves on on getting out and wanting to get out in a fast break and we lost 19 to two tonight it's like it's it's frustrating as hell it's frustrating as hell those are things that we can control sprinting back it's effort activity things defensively I wasn't even mad tonight uh defensively outside of transition defense um 192 that's that's where we lost the game and it was that stretch um I didn't know it was as bad as 17-2 um but I but I do remember some transition buckets that they got and um that's that's that's an effort Thing by us we didn't do a good job of matching up we know they're all capable and we were kind of Buddy running instead of just everybody just scrambling and getting somebody until we able to switch back on the second side but they pushed the ball in transition offensively we we didn't get him to fall for a stretch there and um they took advantage of it this is the number one damn team in the league like you cannot make like that you know what I'm saying and so any anytime we make mistakes like four turnovers for me is way too many damn turnovers you know what I'm saying anytime we make mistakes like that they're going to capitalize off of them and so give them credit on that I thought we did a good job on Brianna Stewart I thought we did a good job on Sabrina and um you know it really was the others for them tonight John qu got going early um you know banija hit a few um they got to the free throw L and knocked theirs down we shot six free throws they shot 13e uh Gabby um so between this game and the last game you played against New York that one was more of a higher paced high scoring they they scored 98 in that game you guys scored in the mid 80s this one both you guys score under 80 um do you think this type of game this type of pace maybe is better to counter New York yeah keep them from scoring more points yeah well I mean like just like the pace of the style right one one's 100 point game 0 yeah um yeah we want to defensively that first game was was awful from us I think uh it was a lot of offensive rebound so we tried to emphasize on that yeah um we didn't get going on really uh especially in the fourth quarter we didn't get into our flow offensively today and I think that hurt us and then um but we cracked down on them we made a lot of adjustments um on Sabrina and we and I think we did well on them but like Skyler said it's it's the others that we have to control as well but in any situation I think we are a defensive team I think that is our identity so yeah we do like games like this but we just have to get going on the offensive end as well awesome Gabby Skyler thank you so much let me take one more from the zoom B go ahead and then we'll come to the r hey guys thanks for the time um for either of you you know the last New York game it was pretty easy to identify the rebounds as an issue and what made the difference um what what would you say made the difference today was it the mental mistakes you mentioned just your shots maybe not falling as much what what was that 19 to2 transition 12 to 63 made um 11 made free throws to four made free throws I would say that was that was the difference thanks sorry I was not being factious either I was really being serious about that as simple as that like to two we lost it there got our rebound at 38 to 33 not going to win a lot of games in this league get not rebounded um free throw that they they and then they made 12 threes no I I I appreciate the answer thank you thanks Doug go ahead just for both you I know it's one game at a time but big picture you're in a good spot for the play you already clinched it but what's going take to get over veg get that four seed in the last couple weeks we got to be close to perfect now we got to be close to perfect but uh I've only been here a couple weeks but I know this program I know these players and I think we are better under pressure I think we're going to rise to the occasion um but yeah the the mental lapses that we had today uh can't happen again in order for us to be in a position that we want to be without both of your title winning players every loss is frustrating but you scholar compared to last Friday against them with how you close the rebounding Gap and have blead against them even more than in the last game you feel that next time if you see them in the playoffs that you have the formula if you cut off the men mistakes or any mistakes against them that you can be able to overcome them and Gabby you had 17 tonight as well as your defense feel even more that you're even getting more comfortable with the rhythm of the team and being back in the dep yeah I definitely forgot the first part of your question sorry about that to the frustration on Friday same frustration we lost there's no moreal victories you know I don't have any more victories yeah I think we did some things well um but I also think uh you know we lost the game so we we obviously made some mistakes there but yeah I mean it's an improvement but I don't I hate I'm not negative about it but I'm not just GNA be like yay we stuck with the number one team in the league like ultimately our goal is to compete for a championship and we have to raise our level of play I I think Gabby this is who Gabby is this is who she's been this is who she will will be for us you know this is who we need her to be this is what she's capable of like this level of play she's been playing at this level all year and for years and um you know it's carrying over now and that's exactly what we've been missing her intensity defensively um her attention to detail her basketball IQ and then her ability to attack we saw it all today and the last few games to be honest and she's a great addition to our team three minutes left uh you know the guys spoke about some things you did positively you know holding sabr a little bit tonight understanding that she you know you're going up against that's your match up one of the best CS in the league um you played tonight with a ton of energy did you Embrace um taking on you know taking on that challenge tonight and what at any point was this uh game you know kind of a point to prove for you guys uh absolutely like Skyler said we want our goal is to compete for a championship so we have to we have to like want those challenges we want to have those every day because that's what we're preparing for so of course we embrace it uh that's again why this is so frustrating because we kind of like accomplished a lot of goals tonight but then things that we normally do well we didn't do well at all so it's just about tweaking those things um but yeah this is this is the level that we want to be at that we want to compete at because that's what our our goals are for this season um stee had 230 uh point games back to back and for coming into this match up um you guys helped there two for1 at the beginning of the fourth was that the plan on coming into the game to be aggressive defensively against Stewie and a little bit about the others um what's a positive you can take away from this game on how to control those or how to make those adment when it comes to others um Well everybody's a pro yeah when you say others we're talking about not those you still talking about Allstar talking about MVP Allstar you know I mean you talking about great Shooters um and so yes a lot of talent a lot of Talent on this team [Music] um so I didn't know what like you get what I'm saying you know sorry I just like yes they're number one for a reason they got 28 wins and single digit losses nobody else has that this year um so when I say the others I mean that very respectfully I mean other than them you know what I'm saying uh but at anytime anybody could get 20 they're capable of it um like I said defensively I thought we did some good things um the threes and transition really hurt us yeah one last question over here first of all sorry to go your we tonight uh Gabby my first one's for you congratulations on your thousand career points um I know points is are something that you really look at as being a really unselfish player who can do a lot but you know you play a different role uh can you just talk about how it's been you know transitioning after coming back after taking some time off and then my last one for Skyler um Skyler after a pretty um you know you you had a boisterous uh press conference um I forget which game it was but after that uh conversation that you that it seems like the team really like the play really stepped up especially your offensive play just want to talk about that a little bit um yeah it's always nice to have uh these kinds of accomplishments especially in a league this is the best league in the world so it's nice to I don't know have have that behind me um would have been a lot more fun if he would have gotten the win tonight but uh just super happy to be here and have teammates and a staff that has this much confidence confidence in me and everyone has just been like even when I started slow everyone has just been really like keep going keep being you and it's made my transition really easy yeah I mean I'm the dramatic one I'm the anal one I'm the one that's bothered all the time I'm the elevated one I'm in a locker room with a lot of cool chicks you know um and so I know I know I know me I know I know people don't like the Antics the message is right there it's it's how we do things that bother me sometimes and and because I know it's in that locker room I know what we work on and I see it in spurts and I just want us to put it together on both sides for 40 minutes and that that's I guess that's why I'm optimistic about it um because we have not painted that Masterpiece yet and I've said that and and the time is now to do it like you said six games everybody fighting for position everybody's fighting for something um I've been on teams that have been out of playoffs by now I've been on teams that have are still fighting for position I've been on teams that had nothing to play for but wanted to mess up somebody else's season I've on every type of team I have not been on a team with this much talent and so I I want to maximize that this year and I know I get frustrated when I don't fulfill my part like I want to um I'm very positive very optimistic about this team the frustrating part is knowing how much we have in there when we don't play to our full potential and um everybody it's no shame losing to anybody in this league um but you know you want to put your best out there and and I don't feel like we've done that yet um but but credit to them tonight you know for for the fourth quarter finishing off in the fourth quarter and and um you know we just got to get ready to go back home and take care of business but we if we want to compete for a championship we have to be a better team on the road right that's all time we got thank you ladies uh we'll go ahead and start with Percy um and then Jeff and then we'll go to Christian take some questions hey coach um obviously there's no such thing as a more Victory but just what did you see in your team's performance uh tonight that was different from last Friday's um I don't know what the score was uh that lost and uh defensive effort I thought that we were very physical I thought that um we were uh mindful of the schemes and executing that um early on in the game the rebounding the offensive rebounding still wasn't as um their offensive rebounding um was an issue but I thought that we locked into that um but overall to keep as the number one team to 77 points at one point I feel like we were um just kind of battling out defensively um I'm proud of our effort it was a five-point game there um late in the fourth uh then you guys let well not let but then Stewie then hit uh two shots there to get some separation just what happened during that period of just not being able to kind of keep Pace with them down the stretch uh I don't remember I have to take a look at the film um I know even prior to that uh we our transition defense we just kind of got lost and got some open shots I thought her tough and one if I remember her an was pretty tough um it was um just a matter of I feel like momentum and um you know not not great offensive execution and them kind of running with some PA but um overall I thought we did a a very good job defensively and if I can get your thoughts on us Skyler um particularly how she's played since returning from the Olympic break tonight she had the big night from three but uh since the Olympic break we've seen her really Step Up um uh in her first year with the storm uh she took maybe a few days off if that um during break and she was locked in to um wanting to feel comfortable wanting to be better for the team wanting to be you know who she wants to be and so um she worked a ton on her shooting her mindset she's in the weight room all the time um getting her body to where she wanted to wanted it to be and you're seeing the dividends of that uh that investment has is paying off at this moment um she's a hard worker um and now you see some comfort and and you know her three ball tonight but the way she's been playmaking the way she's getting downhill and finishing around the paint um these are all things that we're used to seeing at a high level you know throughout her career and um now she's finding some comfort with it and um putting stringing stringing along some some really good games very go thanks coach appreciate it thanks Percy Jeff go ahead and then Christian yeah first coach I was wondering um between last game against New York where they scored 98 and you guys scored in the mid 80s uh versus today which was kind of a slower Pace more defensive battle do you think this game is maybe your better like chance against New York like the style of play depending on if our defense remains this physical and um committed to um what we have to commit to when we are playing New York um points in the paint I know we talk about the threes and you know I don't think that we can combat that but if you look at their 26 points in the paint if you look at how they perform when their points in the paint aren't as high I think this is a key stat so um the physicality Nets that um I think that gives us a chance now do we have to be better with certain parts of the game transition defense making sure we're matched up not giving them open looks yes um but I think um if we're hanging our head on defense um and we are able to get stops um I think that we give give give give ourselves a good opportunity to to win games and uh in this game juel had less than uh or she had six points and less than 10 shots uh which is kind of unusual if that anything New York was doing or is it more um obviously Gabby really had it going and Skylar so is it more about that yeah I think it was more about that sometimes the game lenss um finding the hot hand especially you know when we think about who was guarding Gabby and trying to attack that matchup so um I think you know having having Gabby kind of find a Groove and and and find some Rhythm obviously those are shots that other players aren't getting but it was good to see Gabby in a rhythm um and I know you know we'll get we'll get Joel back on track uh next with our next opponent and um Skyler just mentioned right before she left that uh you guys accomplished a lot of the goals that you wanted to but then she was a little frustrated because maybe other things didn't get done what were some of those goals that you're hap were happy about with this game uh keeping them below their points in the paint average um so that was one uh we didn't win the rebounding battle but the 4517 didn't happen um uh making sure that you know it wasn't it was a a scheme goal to make sure we're physical and into bodies and I thought that we did that for for majority of the game without being disconnected um from their Shooters um and can't tell you the rest of our Scout but um those things um happen today and it g us it gave us a chance yeah awesome thanks coach uh safe flights back home I'll see you Saturday thanks Jeff let's go to Christian and then we'll take some questions here in the room hey coach uh you were talking just about New York's efficiency in the paint but throughout most of the game they only had like a handful of shots directly at The Rim but really everywhere outside of that they shot about 44% from 4 to 14 and around like 40 I think from three but also the ample amount of shots they had from that area though was that was just kind of the breakdown because everything as far as the defensive plan was kind of solid up just like the last three minutes yeah um when when when you're doing the coverage that we showed today you're got you got to live with contested tools off the dribble you got to live with um that and so that was the plan to live with long contested to um we have to do a better job of defending the three-point line and I think um those were coming with breakdowns more so than those two so yeah when we're aggressive and in bodies where the reality of it is um those shots are going to be available um and we have to live with that um I mean they shot 38% I don't know what they usually shoot um overall their twos but um if you look at their tools you said they're shooting 40 44% but I mean that's the toughest shot in basketball and that's what we're what we're going to give up and as far as kind of just overall surviving that 20 a four run going from the third into the latter part of the fourth yeah I know it's not pretty but I know there also no moreal Victory but knowing that you kind of help them almost 20 points less to the previous meeting that's something that you kind of like you know pat yourself on the shoulder for because so that's a TT task how talented this team is yeah it's a tall task for the number one team on the road you know and I thought that we were very focused and locked into that um there is you know I talked about it a few days ago this want to this yearning for need to um that urgency I feel like is there um now we have to Now find ways to score a basketball but if we can have the defensive mindset and effort that we have again we'll give ourselves a chance to to be in games thanks coach you have a question sure go ahead apprciate that appreciate it coach um Scott was saying like they're so dous because it's not just Ste sad I mean shut down half guessing you okay we did a great job yet you're still down how dangerous is the team that they need more in sync this year and just the chemistry is better and there are five people who can score couple off the Ben can also for yeah they're very dangerous because um like you said everyone has a capability to score but also they're long and they present a lot of matchup problems you think about fee on the wing her ability to post up but also you can contest her at a high high high Championship level contest and she's shooting over you um at an efficient rate um so they have a lot of you throw I know Thorton isn't playing a ton but you throw her in the mix she's a vet she can play D um they're very deadly in a lot of ways and you you got to think about the amount of reps that they've had from one season to the next um the chemistry the uh the feeli that they have for one another um they're very in sync and I I talked about this the first time we played I feel like they're in warm that early in the season so look at you know what they're doing now they're able to sustain that but you you you look at that roster everybody is a threat everybody you know so um but kudos to us um to to being very locked in and and staying the course and making this game competitive coach just want to ask you after this road trip against these two top teams who are long physical um do you feel even more strong about your team in terms of the lessons that you learn getting that second getting that victory over Connecticut in the middle game where if you see these two scenes in the playoffs how dangerous your squad is that could be something different there you guys ending up on top yeah I for sure we we learned a lot on this road trip um you know you think about from the one game to the next game with Connecticut the adjustments that we had to make in um how the team executed those adjustments you think about just playing New York a few days ago and coming and making the adjustments that we did and and able to execute um now we just have to uh continue on this level of focus and intentionality behind what we do um because it's going to come into play in the playoffs um the Reps that we continue to get with one another with this particular team in this particular season is going to be very valuable um and so um to to get those um that feel of it is going to give us confidence and um familiarity when we see see it again time for one more py go ahead and we'll wrap up hey coach um I know that uh on Tuesday it was sades who gave you really uh good minutes uh there uh against the Sun but uh uh in the past three games you've gotten just 15 points from your bench um is that a concern and if so how can you coax more uh scoring from your reserves can I ever get a positive question from you what's up you started the day started the day like that all right our bench um I'm not concerned uh they're Pros every game is different because of matchups so you know you know I thought Tory I kind of use it a little bit more in this game because um they went small ball a little bit but I'm I'm I believe in my bench I I believe in um their capabilities but it just every game lends something different um you know we're getting to the point of the season end of the season playoffs um rotations get tight anyway um so um it's a matter of staying sharp saying locked in and when the opportunity comes I know that they will take advantage of that but concern no um just got to keep them confident um stay positive with it and I know I know that um we will be better for it there you go thank you coach have a back I appreciate