March 14, 1999

NCAA Women’s Basketball – Second Round
Pre-Game Press Conference #1

Kentucky Head Coach Bernadette Mattox:

Obviously we’re excited about the win. It was a hard-fought game. Kubik did a tremendous job. She did everything – she took it to the hole, shot the three. In the second half, we played our style of basketball and took it hard at them. I was very pleased with that.

UCLA is an explosive basketball club – they average 85 points. Maylana Martin has done an outstanding job for their team. Marie Philman also. They have an outstanding supporting cast, and that’s why conference champs. It will be a tough battle.

(On the difference between her team during the first UCLA meeting of the season in November and now): Our lineup has changed. The younger players have matured, and so have the older players. They better understand as a team our system, what the coaching staff wants. Playing in the SEC has matured us. Because of our schedule we had to grow up.

(On the difference between UCLA’s team then and now): UCLA is still wearing and tearing things up. They are a very good basketball team – better than the last time we saw them. They do a lot more running in transition, and others have picked it up. It hasn’t been just Maylana putting the team on her back.

(On UCLA’s frontline): It’s going to be a big factor. They have a tremendous frontcourt and backcourt with good size. They do a great job rebounding and getting out in transition. We have to stop their transition game.

Kentucky forward Brooke Meadows:

It would be real nice to stay another week (in Los Angeles). It’s not a bad place to spend the week.

Kentucky forward LaTonya McDole:

(On playing her first NCAA game): I wasn’t nervous yesterday. But I did get a whole different perspective of the game. It was intense. Everyone goes out there 0-0 and is out there for the last fight.

(Asked if they will be seeking revenge for the Nov. loss): It isn’t really so much revenge as we lost and want to prove something to ourselves. We want to play hard.

UCLA Head Coach Kathy Olivier:

Both teams have improved a lot since the first meeting. Watching Kentucky last night, I felt they were a more confident team. One of their strengths is going to the boards and rebounding. They also show a lot of different defensive looks, like the press, which they did not have in earlier in the year.

In the second half of the Green Bay game, we sent them to the line too many times. When our defense clicks, our offense can look amazing. We were just so tentative, though, second guessed a lot and got into foul trouble. We cannot do that against Kentucky.

There was a key matchup between post players in the Wisconsin-Green Bay game. Kentucky has three or four go-to type players. So it will not be just a match-up of post-to-post. Their perimeter players are very active – they’ll take it to the basket and also shoot from the outside.

(On the Regionals at the Sports Arena): We are taking it one game at a time. But if we get the opportunity to play in the Sports Arena, it will be great.

(On Kentucky): They have so much more confidence and are playing a lot better together. We have to rebound well. It all comes down to defense.

It’s a 40-minute game. If we take any breathers, Kentucky will take advantage of that.

It’s two good teams from two good conferences. It should be a battle.

UCLA Forward Maylana Martin

You always want to advance to the Regionals whether they are at home or not. To have it at home adds something to it. We get to play in front of our parents – who don’t have to fly someplace like Alabama last year. But we are taking it one game at a time. We can’t worry about playing in the Sports Arena when we still have not finished playing in Pauley.

(On Kentucky seeking revenge for the loss in November): They have that extra incentive to come back and beat us. We’re going to have to play hard.

UCLA Guard Erica Gomez:

(On the first meeting with Kentucky in November): It is hard to remember that first meeting. I could tell last night that they were playing with more confidence after getting a lot of games under their belt since November. Kentucky is a real athletic team. It was easy to see that last night because of the contrast in playing styles with Nebraska. It will come down to defense. We must play hard for 40 minutes. We can’t have any lapses.