Alabama 81, Green Bay 67
KAYLA KARIUS: I'm incredibly proud of our effort today, our team and their performance. You know, this is a really difficult opponent. I think Alabama has a great team, and obviously they have scored at a high level all year and ranked in the Top-25 in the country, and yet I feel like our team came out fearless and I loved our approach to this game.
I think, of course, you want several possessions to go differently, especially in the first half. We felt like our turnovers were creating way too many opportunities for them. Despite all that, just continued to battle on so many possessions, and despite giving up size and athleticism at every position, just showed incredible grit and hard work, and I praised them in the locker room. I think that they showed the entire country what Green Bay Basketball is all about today, and it's something to be very, very proud of.
Q. Obviously you guys were in the tournament last year. How much do you think that you've grown by today's performance comparing to how you played last year against Tennessee?
CASSIE SCHILTZ: I think we definitely grew a lot. Just having a year of experience in the tournament under our belt, I think really helped us prepare for today, and I think our performance was definitely better today than last year.
So we just continued to grow from last year.
Q. Jasmine and Cassie are the two all-time leading games played in Green Bay Women's Basketball history. Can you talk about those two and what they have meant to this program?
KAYLA KARIUS: Yeah, you don't have enough time for me to talk about all that. These two have been incredible leaders for us, two of seven seniors that we have this year. Just, I think, no two -- we just got done crying in the locker room.
I just can't say enough about their leadership, about how they handled this transition. With the coaching training in their senior years, fifth year, sixth year, that is not an easy thing to handle, when you have loved the way that it is and you're scared that everything is about to change.
I think that they just used their leadership in the best way possible. They bought into the coaching staff. They got their teammates on board. They bring incredible work ethic to practice and they have great energy and they know what it takes to win. They love this program.
I can't thank them enough for everything that they have given to us; that they have helped myself and our staff with this year. I think they have tons of little girls, not just back and Green Bay but all across the country growing up and wishing they would be like them. I think that's an amazing hand or to have. I'm really, really proud for them, and thankful for everything they have done for us.
Q. Is anything that you can say to the fans --
JASMINE KONDRAKIEWICZ: Yeah, over the course of my five years, our community shows out every single game. They make every game feel like a home game. They traveled here incredibly well. Huge thanks to them. We try and reciprocate as much support as they give us back to the community, whether it's doing different fund-raisers, or helping out with youth programs. I think the community support has just meant a lot and it makes Green Bay special.
CASSIE SCHILTZ: Going after that, thanks so much. The past six years (tearing up) has meant the world to me. I'm so glad I chose Green Bay because the community is incredible. Our fans are incredible. This place is really special, so thank you.
Q. How tough is the size that Alabama has, especially at the guard position, just trying to defend that and preventing the ball from getting into the paint as often as it did?
KAYLA KARIUS: Yeah, I definitely think that was going to be a factor. We knew that coming in. I think you try to replicate that as best that you can in your preparation.
But I think it did bother us. And you could tell with five turnovers in the first quarter that the passes didn't look as open as maybe they normally do, and that's part of it. That's part of playing against teams like this and getting in the NCAA Tournament. You're playing the best of the best.
I think it took us a little bit to settle in. Even after the first quarter, I felt like we were down two and it really wasn't our best effort. We had handed them a lot of points off of our turnovers.
So I'm really, really proud of the way we settled into the game. That didn't rattle us as much going forward. But they have great guard play.
I thought our effort on Barker today was incredible. I think that's a great, great player. I think these the glue that keeps them going and she's capable of doing a lot of damage. And yet I just think, again, our defensive mentality all year is to take that best player and just try to hold them down, and once again, we did it against one of the best guards in the country.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports