TCU defeated ACU 77-60 on Tuesday to improve to 9-0. The Horned Frogs led 37-33 at halftime and outscored the Wildcats 40-27 in the second half.
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00:00 Now we have TC head coach Mark Campbell following tonight's victory over Abilene Christian.
00:07 We'll start with an opening statement from the head coach and then open the room for questions.
00:12 Well, first off, watching the men's game, that was an unbelievable shot, unbelievable finish.
00:19 It felt like March Madness watching that game.
00:21 So, just want to give a shout out to those guys in finding a way to win a tough road game.
00:27 Super proud of our team tonight. Abilene is a really good ball club, really well coached, really skilled, three good guards, great post.
00:37 And so we knew we were in for a battle and just want to give a lot of credit to those guys and their staff.
00:44 Well, proud of our team, found a way to win.
00:47 Kind of had a slip up in the second quarter where we lost focus on both ends of the ball.
00:53 I think our player of the game, Agnes, is spirit and heart and toughness on the defensive end and all those offensive rebounds that she gobbled up for us was incredible.
01:05 And then Sedona had 10 blocks and did just an amazing job protecting the rim for us all night.
01:11 So, really good win, pumped and excited to be 9-0, but we still got a long ways to go.
01:19 You talked about that second quarter where things kind of started to slip away.
01:24 Going into the Big 12, you have a quarter like that, things can unravel even quicker than they did.
01:31 Was it good for the team to kind of have something like that in a game where you could still find a way to win it?
01:37 Yeah, just learning this group, we haven't had many close games.
01:41 Most of them have been double-digit wins.
01:43 So, you start out the first quarter 26-7, you're up 19.
01:48 Human nature is to take your foot off the gas a little bit and you've got to fight against that.
01:53 It almost came too easy for us and they lost focus.
01:58 Give our team credit in the second half, they'll bounce back, scored 40.
02:02 I think I was scoring 40-27 in the second half.
02:05 It's just all part of the journey, understanding that and keeping that focus for 40 minutes.
02:12 Coach, United 0, how do you fight complacency setting in through the rest of the non-conference?
02:17 Yeah, I'm thankful for the leadership on this team.
02:21 There's a group of women that have played late into March.
02:27 Madison's played in a national championship.
02:30 Sedona's been a part of a Final Four team.
02:33 Agnes has won a national championship and played in multiple Final Fours.
02:37 There's some upper classmen. Jaden has been on some really good teams.
02:42 They're playing high stakes. They get what we're trying to do, which is prepare yourself for March.
02:49 There's great leadership there.
02:52 Then our staff, as you go, educated half of our roster.
02:56 Hasn't played in March Madness, more than half.
02:59 The net just came out this week.
03:02 Teaching them what the net is, what it means, how each one of these games is our resume.
03:07 That is going to be looked at later on by the committee.
03:11 You try to instruct and teach and take it game by game.
03:15 This group has always had a little chip on their shoulder.
03:19 Our staff makes sure we remind them of that.
03:22 You talk about Agnes, especially in that third quarter.
03:26 She was getting all those offensive rebounds.
03:28 It just allowed you guys to find a little bit of a rhythm after that second quarter.
03:33 Her impact is immeasurable.
03:36 I think I said it in another after one of these games.
03:39 Agnes is truly our backbone.
03:41 Her maturity, her toughness, her ability to impact the game in every area.
03:47 There's defense, there's rebounding, there's offense.
03:50 Agnes guards the other team's best guard every night.
03:54 Agnes is a monster rebounder.
03:57 Agnes sticks open shots and dropped 26th on a night when one team dared her.
04:03 She truly is the backbone on the court and off the court as a leader for this group.
04:09 It's incredible.
04:11 Each one of these games presents a different lesson to be learned.
04:14 What was the lesson learned out of tonight's game?
04:16 The second quarter.
04:18 How special this group can be.
04:21 You scored 26th to open the quarter.
04:23 How easy it is to be an average team and not focus.
04:29 The takeaway from this game is you've got to play all four quarters.
04:34 We've got to be locked in.
04:36 That's part of a collective focus of this group.
04:40 That's forming their identity.
04:42 This group is truly game by game still forming our identity.
04:47 On the idea of forming our identity,
04:49 what do you think this group learned about themselves tonight?
04:53 They're learning they're a really good ball club as the season's unfolding.
04:58 That's what they're learning game by game.
05:01 They knew that this team was talented.
05:04 We had to defend the three-point line.
05:06 We had to do this.
05:07 We had to do that.
05:08 They know all that.
05:10 After the game, they keep checking the box right now.
05:12 So far, nobody's been able to knock these guys off.
05:15 They haven't been able to solve the riddle yet.
05:17 But this group, as this is going,
05:19 there's a confidence that they're gaining as a group that they're tough out.
05:24 Once it gets close to the Big 12 play,
05:27 would you like to see Jayden drive the lane a little bit more?
05:30 Jayden is a magician, so I don't tell her to do anything.
05:34 Her IQ and understanding how to make plays for our team, she has a gift.
05:43 She truly is.
05:44 You guys enjoy Jayden Owens while she's here
05:46 because what she's doing is really hard.
05:48 How she's orchestrating this whole group that's never played together
05:52 and doing it seamlessly, I mean, you're kidding me.
05:55 She had 11 assists, three turnovers tonight.
05:57 I mean, she has got to be one of the best,
06:01 if not the best facilitators in college basketball.
06:04 And you take what's going on, a brand-new team, a brand-new system,
06:09 and she's making it look easy.
06:12 And she is incredible in transition.
06:16 You know, 22 assists on 28 made field goals tonight.
06:20 What did you like about the ball distribution?
06:22 That's been a theme, a common theme of every game.
06:26 It's nothing that we do.
06:27 It's just who these kids are, our style of play, our system, and sharing the ball.
06:33 But it's every game now.
06:35 I don't know what percentage on the season our baskets come from assists,
06:38 of creating for each other, but gosh dang, it's got to be really high.
06:42 And so we preach it, but it's a credit to these kids
06:45 of making simple plays and creating for each other.
06:49 Well, that looks like they really care about each other.
06:51 You see on the court, you see that afterwards in the press conference,
06:53 things like that.
06:55 I would imagine that it just kind of helps when they're trying to build
06:57 all those things together.
06:59 Yeah, and our staff deserves a lot of credit.
07:02 As we put this thing together in the portal,
07:04 you're adding pieces, and you're trying to put this puzzle together.
07:08 It's come together really well, and it's kind of all the pieces
07:12 kind of complement each other, which is why I think we are a tough out.
07:15 We're so balanced with shooters, with playmakers, with post-presidents,
07:19 and there's an unselfish spirit to the group.
07:23 And so they've been hard to slow down.
07:25 What we shoot, we shot 48% from the field, 38% from three.
07:30 I mean, these guys are efficient.
07:39 I forgot the question I was going to ask.
07:41 I had a real good one for you.
07:43 Well, you guys, I hope this community, it's been neat.
07:47 Each game, the crowd keeps getting a little bit bigger, a little bit bigger,
07:51 a little bit bigger.
07:53 So I'm excited for Fort Worth to really get to see this group
07:57 and come out and really give us a home court advantage
08:00 because this group is special.
08:02 And then the last question from me is, do you have an update on Sydney Harris?
08:06 Do you think she'll be back?
08:08 Yeah, that's just the medical staff that are walking through
08:12 different kids and their injuries.
08:14 I don't have any involvement in that.
08:17 There's doctors that are way smarter than me and trainers that are way smarter
08:21 than me, so I just let them run with it.
08:24 When the kids are ready, they let me know.
08:26 Is that the final piece, kind of your depth puzzle?
08:30 Oh, there's a couple kids.
08:32 I mean, KG was performing at a high level before she got injured.
08:39 Sydney Harris has a very unique skill set and is an offensive weapon
08:46 and a very versatile basketball player.
08:49 So there's a couple kids that can really help us,
08:52 but you've got to get them in shape and get them back in the flow of things
08:55 and get them back in the system.
08:57 So it'll be fun to get those kids back.
09:01 Anything else for Coach?
09:03 All right, thanks everyone for being here. See you Sunday.
09:05 Thank you, guys.