Brenda Frese Quotations

We're going to have even more depth with who we add. The biggest key is going to be how we handle coming back next year. Are we as hungry after winning a national championship? What's our chemistry like?

We wanted to try to turn them into a jump-shooting team as much as possible. And we also wanted them to have to take difficult shots.

We are going to keep competing and we keep getting that margin down. Duke is so talented and so deep.

The fact that it has never been done before in a conference, to have three teams is really special. I think it really validates the three teams and the conference.

Seniors are playing for a lot when it comes to tournament play because they know it's their final shot. But it does ultimately come down to players who can play and I don't think you have to be in a certain class.

She stepped up big in the second half.

Shay wants to take the big shot and always has for us. We called the timeout. We just felt like we had to go to Shay or Crystal.

She is very difficult to defend on the block. She is strong. She is physical. She is aggressive. I thought she really backed us down low. And I thought she was just a beast out there on the glass.

Obviously it was a difficult decision after having a tremendous year.

What makes this team so special is the fact that they don't take any of it for granted. They understand the big picture. There is no guarantee for us next year. They understand that.

Her vision and my vision met. Our goals were one and the same. To have that kind of support from your athletic director and your president, the full package is a dream come true for a young coach.

I think it was like 10 seconds after the game.

It gives us a tremendous amount of confidence. You're not having to use that first 10, 20 minutes in the first half of the game to get used to each other's style. We already know from the tip that this game's going to be a track meet. Both teams love to score, and both teams love offense.

I think that speaks for itself. It's up to the selection committee. But I said this going into the tournament: the biggest thing we can do is win, and put yourself in the championship game. It speaks volumes for this team.

I think that's huge. There's a tremendous comfort level knowing you've played the team before.

I think that shows the sign of a great team when you can pull out wins when you're not scoring a lot of points. We have the utmost respect for Duke.

I think that is truly amazing. It shows how unique the ACC has been this season and what a tremendous conference it has been from top to bottom. I expected the depth, but I'm not sure we expected three teams in the top four.

I thought we were extremely unselfish moving the ball. We attacked the glass very, very hard. I think it was just a really solid overall game by this team.

Kristi was hitting. It was back and forth with her and Kim. I thought they both stepped up with a lot of confidence.

Marissa was a little out of sync with her offensive rhythm, but really stepped up and hit that key shot and then she stepped up and hit some key free throws.

Like we told them in the locker room, I'm extremely proud of this team and what they've been able to accomplish. Everyone's playing their best, playing with confidence and hoping to build on the momentum that we've got here.

That's because of obviously how aggressive (the Tar Heels) play. They're in your shorts the entire game for 40 minutes.

When we're focused, we can go on runs like that. In the second half, we started making more unselfish passes and made things happen.

We're not planning on them getting hit until anytime after Wednesday.

To be able to continue to keep taking steps with this team, they just keep taking us for a heck of a ride. I think you can see by now what makes this team and this group so special.

This season we've gotten everyone's best shot. I'm extremely proud of this team and what it has accomplished. I still think there are bigger things and better things we can go and get.

This team has a lot of confidence in themselves and we probably feel like we have more veteran leadership and experience. We feel like we're playing our basketball.

This team had the heart of a lion tonight. It's hard for me to describe how special this is for our program.

We talked about it watching film. Utah is very well-coached. They're patient. They're going to use the entire shot clock and you've got to be patient within yourself. You've got to be able to defend. If you have a breakdown they're going to score off of you.

When it dropped off when I first took the job, I wasn't going to Penn State until we got competitive. There was an unfair advantage with our program being so down.

Coming up to the arena, most of the players had no idea what we were doing. It showed them what we were playing for.

Anyone who wants to go on the Albuquerque diet and lose a quick five pounds, it's a great way to trim up before you get out on the Final Four stage.

You see the kind of players we're trying to recruit. New Jersey, Philadelphia, New York. It's a tremendous recruiting base for us.

They put more pressure on themselves than they needed to and the expectations of wanting to get to a Sweet 16.

They played like warriors. They played like champions. That's why this team is so dangerous when you see the players and the rotation. ... That's what you have to have to be a championship team.

They have the heart of a lion. They believe in each other ... I'm really proud of them. All season long this team has played with a chip on their shoulder. They've got a lot of believers tonight after the performance they put on.

As you can see by the smile on her face, she had a little to eat for breakfast and I think she will be ready to go.

It wasn't the prettiest game we've played to date. St. John's had a tremendous game plan, and they hit a lot of big shots.

It says a lot that we were able to grind it out. It shows the toughness of this team.

For her to be able to say yes to Maryland, was a huge validation for our program. I really think it opened up the doors to a lot of perspective student-athletes and recruits out there that, hey, as they see these talented players committing to Maryland, that Maryland is definitely a top choice.

it's going to be a fast-paced exciting game.

It's great to finally see this room full.

The biggest thing is we never really treated them like freshmen. From the minute they stepped on campus, they didn't act it or behave like it. They wanted the pressure.

It was a heck of a game on both ends. Not that they need to keep putting our coaches through this, but we really believe in ourselves. Obviously, both teams hate to lose, but we were able to stay focused and remain inspired.

This is just going to help us. Our kids our disappointed. They believed they could come in here and win this game.

I love it when the media continues to hype up the Carolina schools. This team is motivated by any challenge you give them, and they definitely responded.

I liked our poise down the stretch. We hit some big shots when we needed to, especially in a game where we were a little out of sync tonight.

I'll tell you, all season long this team's been playing with a chip on their shoulder, and I really felt like they have had to fight for respect every step of the way. I'll tell you, they got a lot of believers after tonight and the performance they put on.

I just knew they were special players. They had all the heart and obviously all the physical abilities to be two dominant and prominent players.

I didn't have to say a word to them before overtime. They know it's their time. They played with so much confidence.

I'd say, really, late January or early February is when we got our rotation down. I think the most exciting thing about Marissa and Kristi is they haven't played or acted like freshmen.

These kids have shown time in and time out that they belong here. From the moment they stepped on campus they have shown they had a big picture, one goal. And they're one step from achieving that goal.

All season long this team has played with a chip on their shoulder. They keep taking us for a heck of a ride. It was a tremendous game from both teams and the game plan was to hold North Carolina in the 70s.

All season long, this team has played with a chip on their shoulder, and I really felt like they had to fight for respect every step of the way. They made a lot of believers tonight. To be able to continue taking steps with this team -- I think people can see now what makes this group so special.