RALEIGH, N.C. – Head coach Gary Blair and members of the 14th-ranked Texas A&M women’s basketball team met with members of the media today to talk about tomorrow’s game against Maryland in the regional semifinal of the NCAA Tournament.

As the No. 3 seed in the Raleigh Regional, the Aggies return to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in five years. A&M faces No. 2 seed Maryland on Sunday, March 25 at PNC Arena. Tipoff between the Aggies and the Terrapins is set for 11 a.m. (CT) on ESPN.

2012 BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
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March 24, 2012 REGIONAL SEMIFINALS TEXAS A&M
HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
Opening statement
It’s really great to be here. Raleigh has many positive things to offer and obviously has a great basketball tradition with Jim Valvano and Kay Yow at NC State.
Many people asked if Texas A&M was just happy to be here. I’ll tell you we expected to be here and we played accordingly in the first two rounds. Arkansas gave us a great game, but we have reached the Sweet 16 four of the last five seasons.
It was a long road getting here, especially with new players playing key roles. We have played a tough schedule which has prepared us for this tournament run. We certainly have not ducked anyone, having played Baylor three times, at Connecticut and at Purdue.
Our matchup with Maryland will be a great one if we can keep them off the glass. They are the best rebounding team we have and will see all season except maybe Baylor.
On what winning a national title can do for a program
It definitely gives you credibility. Looking right across at our opponent, (Maryland head coach Brenda Frese) stepped in and rejuvenated the program after it went through a bit of a drought. Since winning that national title in 2006, she has elevated Maryland to the level it can finish first or second in the ACC every year.
When recruits visit Texas A&M now, we no longer have to say ‘This is where our football team plays’ or ‘This is where the baseball stadium is located’ since we have made a name for the program.
Many people think we were a ‘Cinderella’ team last year but that is not the case. Like Maryland this year, we were ranked in the top eight the whole season and played very well under pressure. We just went on a tear during the NCAA Tournament and now you are able to watch me doing the ‘Dougie’ on Sportscenter at 8 a.m. each morning.
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NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY HOST
Along the way to winning a national title, our fans were able to learn how to travel and I am certain we will have a great contingent of Aggie fans here this week.
On his thoughts about the toughest region in the tournament
When we sat down and looked at the four regions, we felt that the (Raleigh) and Des Moines Regions would be the toughest. It is certainly to our advantage to avoid Baylor in the Elite Eight. I like to prepare for coaches as well as players and there are some good ones here in Raleigh. I watch coaches coach as much as I watch players play. There are definitely some coaches I like to emulate.
On seeing some blowouts in the first two rounds of the tournament
There were definitely some lopsided scores in the first few rounds but I do not expect that in these games. When you get to this point in the event, there is so much parity. You have to save your best basketball for March, beginning either in your last home game or the conference tournament. We played really well in the Big 12 Tournament. I want us to be a happy and loose team that can also make plays under pressure. I attempt to keep myself calm during the game so the players will take on the same attitude. I do not have a young team like Maryland had last year but I don’t think Maryland is that young this season so it should be a really good matchup.
Certain teams just get on a roll at different times. Look at Connecticut, they beat us by 30 earlier and it was an easy 30. I just do not believe scores like that will occur from this point forward.
On matching up with Maryland on the glass
I always say that rebounding is all about attitude. We work on it every single day. You should expect a miss, not wait for a miss, and put yourself in position to grab the ball. Maryland has a great player in Alyssa Thomas that I believe is WNBA-ready. She is one of the best players I have seen in a long time. It will be key to keep them off the glass and limit easy buckets.
On Alexia Standish
Alexia is one of the quieter point guards I have coached. What is great about her is she can shoot from deep since we have seen more zone defenses from opponents this season. I am really encouraging her to shoot more off transition.
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I personally recruit my point guards and they are an extension of me on the court. It is a love/hate relationship and that is magnified with Alexia being a freshman but she has taken all of it in. I have other options on the team so she knows I will pull her out early if need be. I have had quite a few point guards enter the WNBA and she is just the next one.
On if reaching the Final Four is a realistic goal
I believe the Final Four is very realistic for us. We know what it takes to get there. Getting on a roll in the Sweet 16 is everything. I really expect a high-scoring game with Maryland with a lot of highlight-reel plays. They do a great job with their eight-man rotation but again the key will be keeping them off the glass. Maryland is a lot like us last year in that they have played the schedule and have beaten some great teams.
Senior Guard Sydney Carter
On the difference between this year’s team and last season’s squad
I do not think there is really much difference. Yes, we have a few new faces, but that is not the reason we have struggled some this year. I think one issue we have had is keeping the switch on all the time. I do think we have developed great chemistry on this team, however, and that is why we are still playing.
On having won a national title and using that experience this year
Winning it all really tells you about the attitude you need to have to be successful. It is all about finding what motivates you and harnessing that. You need trust in your teammates. If you have that, you can go really far.
On the stifling defensive style Texas A&M brings
We really do not let people get comfortable with what they usually do. We want to be in your face, screaming and yelling. It is not an easy style to play but everyone on the team is committed to playing that way. I relish the challenge of playing defense and find pleasure in making people uncomfortable. I just have to keep embracing that role.
On having a target on their backs having won the national title last season
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We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard every day. We cannot at any point get complacent or satisfied. There is still a lot of work to do. Teams are going to give us their best shot and fight our aggression with aggression. We still have very capable players so we have to embrace the challenge.
On Maryland’s height advantage
We have to play big and remember that no one likes pressure when handling the ball. I love playing defense. It will be important for me to defend players outside of the paint if they are bigger than me.
Junior Center Kelsey Bone
On what it will take to be successful against Maryland
It will definitely be a challenge to keep Maryland off of the glass. We did a good job of limiting Arkansas but (Blair) was not happy when Albany out-rebounded us. Maryland has a great height advantage in the game but like Sydney said, we just need to keep the switch on all the time. We want to keep this season going for our seniors.
On the team’s struggles at times this season
Losing players like Sydney Colson and Danielle Adams would be tough for any team, but we are not about just one of two players. Like (Carter) mentioned before, we need to keep up the intensity every minute of the game. We cannot take any plays off.
On switching leagues to the SEC next season
The Big 12 plays a deliberate style of basketball but the SEC has teams across the board which are big and athletic. We will see a lot more transition styles night in and night out. However, when it all comes down to it, it’s just basketball.
On if Maryland reminds her of a team Texas A&M has played this season
That is a hard question, but I would say Maryland reminds me a little of Baylor since they have threats at every position. We have to stick to our playing style and dictate the tempo.
Senior Forward Adaora Elonu
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On matching up with Maryland
It will definitely be key to stop Maryland’s transition game because they can get up and down the floor quickly. We also need to match their intensity for the whole 40 minutes.
On the Texas A&M style of defense
We play in your face defense and attempt to make people turn the ball coming up the floor. We have to do a great job of help side defense and limit our opponents’ court vision.
Kelsey Assarian
This could be your last game; does that ever go through your head when you play these games?
I think it always goes through our seniors’ heads; it could be our last time practicing and being with this team. I know for a fact that none of us want this to be our last game. In some way it’s a motivating factor that we don’t want it to end and when it has to end, we want it to end on a high note.
Couple of things stacked against you, it’s in ACC country where Maryland could have a lot of fans and they’ve played in this gym before a few times, do you think that will matter at all?
Honestly that didn’t even cross my mind; we’re not really thinking about home advantage or anything like that. We have a lot of fans that travel with us. We play well away from home so were not really thinking about that, we’re just thinking about going in playing how we play, and go from there.
Kelsey Bone has spent some time in this part of the country, has she told you about the Carolinas and the people around here and the places?
Not really actually, like I said we haven’t thought about where we’re playing. It doesn’t really matter to us as long as we’re here, we’re in the NCAA Tournament and we’re playing where we want to be. It doesn’t matter we could have been in California, Rhode Island, North Carolina, it doesn’t matter.
Skylar Collins
When you see a school like St. Bonaventure, have you even heard of St. Bonaventure much before this?
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No I haven’t, but it’s always great to see an unexpected team in the tournament because it mixes things up. Hopefully no one underestimates them because those are the ones that always sneak up on you and obviously they are a great team to have made it this far. Hopefully no one has any doubts in their minds about St. Bonaventure being capable because they have proven that by being here.
It’s got to be good for women’s basketball to have a small school come down here on this big stage?
Yes I think it definitely sends the message that no matter what school you come from, anyone can be successful here and hopefully it gives smaller schools the confidence that they can make it to this stage in the future. It gives girls who aren’t top recruits the confidence that they can play with some of these big Division I schools. It doesn’t matter who you are it’s just about how you play when you step on the court.
Karla Gilbert
How excited are you to be here, with your first chance to come up here and practice?
Very excited, it’s always wonderful coming into the gym and finally getting to see how everything looks like and then getting into your routine.
Maryland has played here before and they probably have more fans here because they are a lot closer than Texas, do you think those are advantages that favor them?
In a way, yes, because of course they will have more fans and everything else but I think we will be OK.
Do you think they have played anyone like your team and how do you see the rebounding stacking up in this game?
I think they possibly could have played teams just as big as us, I think the rebounding of course will be a challenge because I think we are pretty much one and one together. It will be a fun and challenging game.
Tyra White
What’s the team’s mindset coming in? You got to have a lot of confidence in this eight-straight tournament games in a row that you guys have won?
Just coming in with the mindset of rebounding and playing hard because knowing that Maryland is a good team and they’re just like us. They have big guards so for us, to offensive rebound and push in transition.
2012 BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
RALEIGH REGIONAL
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY HOST
Do you think it’s a shocking thing for the other team when they see how much pressure you put on them in defense?
Yes probably because they are not used to people pressuring them a lot in full-court pressure and trying to deny them the ball and keep them out of their offense, so it will be a good game tomorrow.
What about them stands out, I know they score a lot of points?
Their three, four and five are averaging like 20 offensive rebounds so that’s good. So me, Adaora, and Kelsey, that’s our mindset coming in just to limit their offensive rebounds.
We’re in ACC country here, their neck of the woods, they have played in this arena before, does that matter at all?
No it doesn’t matter, when it comes down to the tournament it’s just about who executes the best.