SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper and senior forward Rennia Davis participated in a Zoom media availability on Saturday in advance of Sunday’s NCAA First Round game vs. Middle Tennessee.
The No. 3 Lady Vols and No. 14 seed Lady Raiders will meet at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin at 2 p.m. ET (1 CT). The contest will be televised by ABC and carried on the Lady Vol Radio Network.
Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper
Opening Statement:
“This game feels like it is a long time coming. We’ve been off for a long time and have been down here in San Antonio for a few days now. So, we are excited to be getting closer to game day and game time, and our team is looking forward to it. We’ve got a tough opponent that knows how to win, and they’ll be very disciplined and have a game plan that they’ll come out and execute. So, we have to be locked in. You don’t just walk out here and win, you have to walk out and be a really good basketball team to continue to advance.”
On what her reaction is to the NCAA tournament differences between the men’s and women’s as far as swag bags, weights, etc., and how does she make sure her team is focused for what takes place tomorrow on the court:
“Well, I think there is a lot there. On the way down, we didn’t know what it would look like. We talked to the team about handling whatever it is. It’s not going to look normal, and we knew it wouldn’t look normal. It’s not been perfect. There have been some things, obviously, that we would like to change, but our players have really handled everything well. They have moved from event to event very well, they’ve been flexible, and for us, we’re handling things. It is disappointing when you see the pictures and you see the discrepancies between the two tournaments. I think it’s really disappointing. But when you’re around our team here, they’ve been grateful. They have been wonderful to deal with, and I think they are just excited to play basketball.”
On what life has looked like inside the NCAA tournament bubble:
“Well, the practice times have been a bit all over the map, in terms of what times they have been. You might have an early one, and you have a practice then a COVID test. With the COVID test, you’re allowed an hour-and-a-half to two hours from door to door to get that finished and finalized. So, that has taken up quite a bit of time. Once we were out of quarantine, we were able to move into a meeting space, where we can kind of watch film, the players can come do treatment and they can have study halls. Meals have been, basically for the most part, delivered, so they come in boxes and you’re having meals in your room by yourself. We did have to travel over to Austin to practice on Friday, and we had to leave here at 6:30 in the morning on Friday to go over and practice. So, that was after coming off a late-night practice, and we walked off the court at 9 p.m. on Thursday night. So, logistically, things haven’t been the easiest, but we’ve handled it.”
On what she has seen from MT in preparing for them this week, and what is at the top of her priority list for this game:
“Well, there are a couple things, obviously. Annie (Anastasia) Hayes is a terrific and dynamic scorer for them. She does a great job getting to the basket and getting herself to the free-throw line. Their system is set up for her to do that, because they are putting four shooters behind the three-point line and they are going to spread you out. Basically, it is saying, pick what you want to do. Do you want to help off on to her, and she’ll kick to threes, or do you want to let her go one on one, and she’s a 26-point scorer going one on one? So, I think that is where they present a challenge to anybody they are playing, and you’ve got to decide how you’re going to guard. I think, defensively, they’ve got some players that’ll get after you, and they’ll try to pressure the ball a bit and try to deny some passes. Then they are going to play hard, they are going to be very well disciplined, and they’re going to play hard and not back down.”
On how big this match-up is for the state and her program for the high-profile nature of it:
“Well, I think you’re right, and Coach Insell has meant a lot to girls’ basketball in the state of Tennessee, and obviously women’s basketball on a national scale as well. Growing up in the state in the time he was coaching a powerhouse in Shelbyville, you knew who he was, and you know he was consistently producing All-Americans and national championship teams. I had an opportunity to play for him in AAU for a few summers, I loved playing for him, and he does a great job motivating his players. I really have a lot of respect for him in how he coaches and what he’s been able to do. So, I think it’s such a winning program, and he has a lot of respect in our community. I think that it is a big game for the state of Tennessee.”
On how much she thinks her team will try to play to their strengths in this game Sunday, with how they can use their board play to their advantage from Coach Insell’s comments on their rebounding strengths:
“Well, the good thing is, we are not going into this game saying, ‘Let’s get the offensive boards, we haven’t done that this year, so let’s try that.’ We’re going in to do what we’ve done all year long, and I think that’s important. 100 percent, I think I could’ve answered that question for him, and I would’ve known that’s what he would say, just because of size and stats to be honest with you. But they’ll be disciplined, they’ll box out, and we will have to be really good on the boards to be able to continue to outrebound our opponents.”
Senior Forward Rennia Davis
On navigating freshmen and sophomores through the tournament for the first time:
“It’s going to be tough but attainable. I feel like I haven’t competed in a tournament since my freshman year because that was the last time it felt like we got far enough, so this is new for all of us. We’re all going to have to help each other out, and we have coaches that have been there, so we need to listen to what they say, adjust on the fly and be ready all the time.”
On how important it is to go far in the tournament:
“It’s important and attainable for us, because we believe we can do it. That’s the most important aspect of it is believing that we can do it and having confidence in ourselves that we can make a run in this tournament. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, we’re going to do whatever it takes to win the game, and I think we’re going to get it done.”
On what needs to be done to beat MT:
“Limiting threes is the biggest thing I’ve seen on film. To put it in perspective, one of our coaches said that they shoot six more (per game) than Arkansas, who we’ve played against, and they shoot a lot of threes. That’s going to be a big thing for us, guarding the three, making them put the ball on the floor, and also use our size on the offensive end.”
On whether she will attack the basket on Sunday:
“I want to attack the basket, get to the free-throw line and create easier opportunities for my teammates, especially in the post. I know we have an advantage in size, so I just want to drive when the defense collapses and get some easy assists. I’m going to do whatever my team needs me to do and not settle for the three.”
On avoiding the upset:
“I always have the same mindset. I know we have the higher seed, but I still feel like we’re the underdogs in this tournament. Not a lot of people think we’re going to get much done after this first game, but we have a lot to prove, and I want to come out with the mentality as if we were the lower seed.”
On the team’s focus, while being mostly isolated while they’ve been down in Texas:
“I can only speak for myself on this, but I enjoy the isolation and the time I have to myself to recharge. I get to do certain stuff alone that I don’t get to do around large groups, so I enjoy and need this time for me so when tomorrow comes I’ll be ready to play.”
Harper Presser | Davis Presser
-UT Athletics
