JIM FLANERY: Thrilled to be here. Really proud of our group. 25-5 is a testament to the work that they've put in and the connectedness that they have and just the consistency has really been there all year.
We know we have a big challenge tomorrow with UNLV, a program that they're in their third straight NCAA Tournament, so they know how to win, and only lost twice this year. It's a great challenge for us.
We've had a week to prepare. I think we'll be ready to go.
I know our players are excited. When your name gets called on Selection Sunday, there are few things better when you're doing what these guys do or what I do.
We'll be ready to go tomorrow.
Q. You guys are the first student-athletes to qualify for three consecutive NCAA tournaments at Creighton. I know the season is not over and you still have more to play for, but has that sunk in yet that in this program's history you're the first to do that?
LAUREN JENSEN: Yeah, it's really cool. It's an honor to like this program is great. There's been so many great players and great teams that have come before us, and to be the first team that has done it three years in a row, it means a lot.
EMMA RONSIEK: Yeah, kind of just what Lauren said. I think coming into Creighton, we knew that this class especially was going to be special, but then just learning from past players and then having really great underclassmen, yeah, it's just been awesome, and it's an awesome reward to be doing this three times.
Q. Emma, have you talked to your sister a lot in the last week since you got the reveal for UNLV?
EMMA RONSIEK: Yeah, I've talked to her a few times on the phone, just catching up, seeing what UNLV is all about. But yeah, UNLV is going to be a really good game. They're going to be challenging us on all ends of the floor. We're really excited to just get this game going.
Q. How much do you draw from your run two years ago, the early exit last year? How much do you think about these last two runs and then what you can use that for going into this one?
LAUREN JENSEN: Yeah, we've definitely had both sides of it. Two years ago we went to the Elite 8 and then last year had an early exit in the first round.
Drawing on that experience, we've been here before, and leaning into that and leaning into each other is going to be important.
EMMA RONSIEK: Yeah, I also think that's what makes basketball such a special sport is that on any given day any team can beat anyone especially when it comes to the NCAA Tournament because every team has earned a spot here. I think that's what makes what we did our sophomore year really special, but then also looking back at last year it was a one-and-done situation for us.
But I think we're still proud of what we did last year, and we're still looking to grow this year even more.
Q. Flan, how much have you been able to take in on what UNLV does? What do you know about them? Looking at your common opponents, what have you learned over the last week?
JIM FLANERY: Sure, well, honestly going in I didn't know a lot. I had not seen them play earlier. But they did play two common opponents, Seton Hall and Wyoming, who they played twice. Leaned into those films a little bit.
But I knew about how good Desi-Rae Young is, was, because I had heard her name quite a bit. Actually Scoggin had played at Nebraska, so we were familiar with her and knew that she was here.
Yeah, they're a really balanced team. It starts obviously with Young in the post but really impressed with their point guard, Jackson. She's a really good player in a lot of ways, and they shoot it well. They can score inside.
I like their rotation. They seem to have continuity there, and they have a freshman who's really -- you can tell has kind of blossomed over the course of the year, Kimpson, and like I said, they're used to winning.
Yeah, the nice part about it is we got the news Sunday night, and we're not playing until Sunday, so that's plenty of time to prep both ways. They're going to be prepared for us and we're going to be prepared for them. Whether they had any idea what they were like before, when you do have that almost a full week, you feel a little bit better.
Coaches like to be prepared, and I think -- and players, especially this group. So I think we'll have in all the necessary things that we need to have in, but I also think in the tournament there are in-game adjustments that you have to have because there is -- even with all the prep that we've had this week, there's still a little less familiarity than you get in the league when you know the coaches, you know the teams as well as you do.
I feel like there has to be just enough -- just a little bit more in-game stuff because you're not necessarily quite as familiar.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports