TCU women's basketball (14-2 overall, 1-2 Big 12) lost to Oklahoma State on Saturday. Madison Conner led TCU with 20 points. The Horned Frogs shot 29.8% from the field and committed 15 turnovers.
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00:00 Everybody good? All right, thanks everyone for being here. We have TCU head coach Mark Campbell following tonight's game against Oklahoma State.
00:09 We'll begin with an opening statement from coach and then open the room up for questions.
00:14 Well, proud of our fight tonight. Obviously, we got dealt a tough blow with Sedona's injury and you can't replace a player like Sedona Prince who impacts the game on both sides of the ball.
00:36 We're about seven months invested in a style of play and system that she anchors and is built around.
00:45 It's going to take some time to figure out a new identity, a new style of play that can allow these kids to be successful.
00:56 I'm proud of the fight, especially in the second half, but we've got to go back to the drawing board and that's not an easy thing to do at this point in the year.
01:08 Would you say that was your team kind of shell shocked that first half or so? It seemed they had more turnovers and they were missing some open shots without Sedona out there.
01:20 Yeah, I can't speak for them, but sometimes with good intentions you feel you want to make plays because you're trying to help and you're pressing too hard and you're forcing stuff with good intentions.
01:36 I think in the third quarter we settled down and played some good basketball in that third quarter. But that first half we were all out of sorts, not surprised.
01:49 I credit Oklahoma State for playing a good basketball game. But I thought we played a really good third quarter. I thought we were out of sorts in the first half and the fourth quarter.
02:01 You're kind of in scramble mode trying to find a way to catch up.
02:06 In that fourth quarter, you kept cutting the lead to five points, some of that range, you just can never quite tie it. What do you think kind of contributed to not quite being able to get there?
02:16 Yeah, a lot. I mean, you don't have a low post scoring threat and trying to figure out our defensive system. There's just a whole bunch of variables.
02:30 On a day and a half prep, it's really hard to uproot your entire style of play. I'm just really proud that the kids played their heart out and competed and tried to find a way to win. But we just couldn't get it done tonight.
02:46 Well, Deja, she came in and looked like she played some pretty good defense. She had that and one there in the fourth quarter. Just talk about the way that she kind of stepped up tonight.
02:54 So proud of Deja. She hasn't had a very big role in her TCU career. This is her third year here. To her credit, she has stayed in shape. She has worked hard. She has been preparing so if her number gets called, she's ready to contribute.
03:15 So beyond proud of Deja. Beyond proud of how hard she competed. Deja doesn't need to try to be Sedona. Deja needs to be the best version of Deja. So we're going to invest in her and help her grow and develop.
03:31 Tonight, she started her first time in a Big 12 game. We have a great group of kids that are going to work hard to figure this thing out. Obviously, we weren't good enough today.
03:48 Fifteen turnovers today. Nineteen against Baylor. What do you think has led to that turnover bug these past two games?
03:57 I can speak on today. You're trying to figure out how to play. We had a center that we pumped the ball into and played through and now that's removed.
04:11 So everybody's trying to figure out how to make plays. And then at Baylor, you guys, for the people that worked, that was just an unbelievable basketball environment. Six thousand people, incredible crowd against a really good basketball team.
04:26 You have to be so dialed in and drum tight. So we are loose to their credit. They make pressure and force a lot of turnovers. So those last two games are uncharacteristic of our DNA. But it makes sense why we had some turnovers more than usual the last two games.
04:46 Speaking of Baylor, do you have a response to Coach Nicky Cullum's comments on a radio station after the game saying that your squad was showboating and taking personal shots at her Bears that you all kind of poked the bear before the game?
05:03 No, I, you guys, I just pour myself into our team and our program and I try to coach our group as best I can. And they have a really good program. They've been really good for a long time. And I don't spend any time or energy focusing on another team or another coach.
05:23 I spend all my time and energy on our program. I don't really even know what you're referencing. But yeah, I'm not aware and I don't know. I know I haven't said anything unprofessional and nor will I. And so, yeah, that's all I have for that.
05:45 This is kind of the first time the team has really faced adversity this season. Two losses, like you had talked about losing Sedona. How do you kind of help the team get back on track? What's that approach now?
05:57 Yeah, great question. You guys, this is year one of inheriting a team that went one in 17 a year ago in the Big 12 and won eight games on the year. And we're 14 and two. Adversity is going to hit in life, in basketball. It's common. You don't know when it's going to come.
06:16 And you can't build a program in one offseason. It typically takes years to do what this group has already accomplished to get a program going in the right direction. Ideally, we could have skated through the season with no injuries.
06:33 And I think we have one of the better teams in college basketball. Everybody's healthy. I think that group had been proving it. And we didn't. We got the injury bug got us. But part of building a program is creating depth, creating a culture that can withstand adversity.
06:50 And those things, there's no quick fix to that. You got to be in the battles together. You got to walk through the adversity together. You got to navigate all those things. And this is part of it. This is part of it. And we had this thing rocking and rolling.
07:07 Before the season started, I knew depth was an issue. And so we're going to get this thing built right. I know we have a great group of kids that are going to compete each night and battle for each other. But I'm not chasing a certain amount of wins.
07:24 You're just trying to max out the talent that that group on the court has. And our first year at Sacramento State, we went 14 and 16. You took over a three-win team and you went four. That group gave us everything they got. And that is a successful year.
07:42 And so this group got off to a fantastic start. We got dealt a tough blow. This group fought tonight. We didn't have enough to win tonight. But we're going to max out our teams, our programs. We're going to max out the talent that we have.
07:59 However many wins that ends up being, it is. But we are going, this year, it's all about laying a foundation for years to come. And establish a culture for years to come. And create an identity for years to come. And so we're going to keep chipping away at this thing.
08:17 Is this where the next couple weeks you'll really lean on your veteran leadership in Jaden and Agnes?
08:23 Yeah. And even Sedona still is just an incredible leader, even though she's not going to be on the court right now. But Agnes and Madison and Jaden and Sedona are these old veterans that are great leaders for us.
08:37 And they've been through these battles and the highs and lows of college basketball. It shows you how fragile winning is. How fragile at this level winning is. And I mean you're talking one injury changes historic season.
08:55 On one play, on one pass. And so, you guys, this is all part of it. When you win, be graceful. When you lose, be graceful. And it teaches young people, you've got to handle adversity right.
09:10 And so we will. We will. We're going to keep working. But we came here to build a program. We didn't come here to just win this year. We came to do this thing right. And build something for years to come.
09:24 Back to the game. How hard is it for Madison now that Sedona's not there? Teams are really going to be keying in and crashing two, three defenders on her every time she touches the ball.
09:35 Yeah. I mean this year is all about growth for Madison and a lot of kids on our team this year is about growth. Again, Madison is a kid that's never been in this role.
09:48 Where she's the number one kid on the scouting report of your opponent. Where she gets every single night to other team's best defender. And it's night after night and you have to still deliver.
10:00 She's done one heck of a job doing it so far but this is all new to her. But that's the story of our team is growth. And Sedona had not been put in this role in what she did.
10:13 And Agnes had not been in this role before. And so we have a whole roster full of these kids. And this team and this program, it's about growth and development.
10:24 And so Madison's doing an unbelievable job. I'm so proud of her. She has a competitive spirit. We're what, 16 games in? That kid has brought it every single night.
10:37 And that doesn't mean she plays amazing. But her competitive spirit, her motor, her toughness, she leaves everything she's got on the court every time she's stepped on the court.
10:49 And that's what makes Madison special. I think going through this, you know, with teams keying in on her, will serve her well going into next year and if she has WNBA aspirations?
11:00 Absolutely. It's what attracted a lot of these players to come here. Where we're at as a program, there was a huge opportunity to come and have a huge role.
11:13 And there was a lot of playing time that was available if they earned it. And so Madison, I mean, what she's going to do this year and build upon next year,
11:24 it's going to be a fun evolution to watch her grow and develop. She is one of the best players in college basketball. And she's still figuring this thing out.
11:34 She has a high ceiling that she hasn't tapped into yet.
11:39 Speaking of WNBA, a former TCU head coach was named general manager of the LA Sparks. Do you think that both shines well on this program to have that kind of WNBA/TCU connection furthered?
11:52 For sure. I don't know Reagan personally very well. I know she's highly thought of and is a great person.
12:01 It's really cool as a program that she got the opportunity to go to the WNBA. There's only 12 teams. And so those jobs are hard to get in any capacity.
12:12 Whether you're on a coaching staff, I think she's in the general manager role. And so happy for her in her career and her evolution.
12:22 I think it's really cool that, like you said, I think it bodes well about our school, our department, our women's basketball program.
12:31 Anything else for coach? Good. Alright, thanks everyone.
12:35 Guys, thank you for coming. Appreciate the support.