Just over a day before their tip-off against the William & Mary Tribe, a few Longhorns sat down to discuss their matchup in the Round of 64. Guards Rori Harmon and Madison Bookers alongside post player Taylor Jones sat down to field questions with the media on Friday, March 21.
From reflecting on past seasons to looking ahead to their matchup, the trio of Longhorns spoke proudly of their program and had a lot of confidence in their futures.
Rori Harmon on coming back from her ACL injury
"Yeah, definitely kind of is an old story, but it's not, at the same time, because I get déjà-vu coming to certain events now. I get certain memories from last year. I was so excited that my team was able to do what they were doing."
But I was upset at the same time because I wished I was playing. But I'm just grateful to be playing with my teammates again. It's just so fun. I think I definitely have that chip -- my personal chip on my shoulder coming into this tournament just being able to play again. I'm just super excited and happy."
Taylor Jones & Madison Booker on motivation for this postseason
TJ: "I would say we're just trying to take it one game at a time. We know the potential that we have when we play the best that we can. We have a chip on our shoulder after our last game, but we know what we can do, and it's really exciting having a bunch of eyes, not only on us, but also women's basketball. I think I can speak for the whole team when I say that we're just thankful to be here. We knew coming into this year, the talent that we had and the potential that we had, so I don't think we're surprised to be where we're at, but the job is not done."
MB: "I mean, I think I would lie if I say our team don't think we could win a National Championship. I think that would be a lie. I think it's always been a thought here. It's been a goal since the beginning of the season. We knew if we put in the work and stay consistent and do our job in games, we could potentially be a 1 seed, too."
Now we're here as a 1 seed, and also, it's being talked about winning the last game of the season, too. But it's like what Taylor says, one game at a time and one possession at a time. You can't take a possession for granted. You now see where a possession is coming down to the last rebound, last shot, just that one last possession that you wish you could have back. I think we come into the tournament with our heads high, humble and hungry and just ready to play ball."
All three on hosting the First Round
TJ: "It's really exciting to be able to play in front of the fans in Moody again. I think everyone can say how electric this environment is, and just being able to potentially have two more home games is really nice and being able to play in front of our crowd. It also is nice being in your same city. We've traveled a lot this year, and so being able to stay home is really nice and refreshing."
RH: "I love our fans so much, so playing here is just awesome. I've done it all since I've gotten here as a freshman. To be in the position that we are, to be on a familiar court with familiar people -- Jeremy said there's about 300 tickets left from being sold out, so we'd better start getting those numbers up because I like that sold-out number, the 10.5K number. We love playing with passion, and our fans definitely help with that."
MB: "We love our fans, like Rori said. I think just us being able to get the home-court advantage just means so much for us, not only to us, but to our fans, showing how much we love our fans and how much we play the season -- we always keep our fans in our head, too, and just knowing that we play hard, we keep winning games, we go out and do our job and be able to host and give back to our fans and let them come back out for another two games to see us play."
Taylor Jones and Rori Harmon on playing in the SEC
TJ: "Like I said earlier, the last game sort of leaves a chip on your shoulder. I know I got a bad taste left from that game. But I also know that our team is a lot better than what we showed in that last game. Still being able to accomplish winning the regular season, it being the first year that we were here was a great accomplishment. I'm just really happy for us and just proud that we were able to make history. Of course, I know Texas is going to continue to go on and, hopefully, win a lot more SEC Championships, but we do have a chip on our shoulder coming into this tournament."
RH: "Yeah, to be in this conference, SEC conference that we're in, is very challenging. It was a lot different for a lot of us, but to also be named the champions of the conference is a pretty big deal. I'm so proud of my team to be able to do that in the first year. Like Taylor's saying, just going down in history, our names are going to be on that team when you see SEC champs of Texas. Yeah, I think what she said about the chip, of course, but we're on to the next game, and this is a new set of games and a new tournament that we can earn more championships."
Rori Harmon and Taylor Jones on Madison Booker being named an AP All-American
RH: It's kind of obvious. Okay, I'll make it a longer answer. No, I mean, I think one of the things that we talk about is having an impact on the team no matter what the numbers look like, even though her numbers are incredible, but just being able to have an impact. When you're playing against teams and you're like the No. 1 thing on their scout, that should tell you a lot."
That should tell you that she probably deserves to be on that first team. I think we're all just super proud. But she would say herself, when you play for the name in front of your jersey, the name on the back, it comes with and it's handled. So I think she has that type of mentality, and us as teammates, appreciate that because she's just a team player, and that has a lot of impact on our team and makes our team go."
TJ: "Yeah, I don't think anyone was really surprised by her being first-team All-American. I might be a little biased, but I do think that she is the best player in the country. I think the impact that she has on our team, even if she isn't scoring the ball, is tremendous. I have to remind myself that she is only a sophomore, and just really excited to see what she does with her career."
It didn't happen by accident. Her work ethic is very rare. You don't see it hardly ever at all, and that's why she's gotten to where she's at. She's extremely talented, but she's worked hard for it, and I think that she's a great leader, and I think the accolades will continue to go on for the rest of her career."
Rori Harmon on playing in the NCAA Tournament before
"I just tell them that everything, almost like the intensity and the urgency, almost picks up. It's not that it's -- it is on purpose, obviously, but these are the games where you can't get back. You lose one, that's it. That's your season. You go home."
During the conference, you can't just, all right, let's just fix this mistake and go into the next game. These are the games you can't get back; it's one-and-done, which they completely understand and they're going to figure it out, obviously."
Throughout our practices, they understand our preparation is a little bit more intense because you can just be able to lose one game and be done. I think we're just harping on that and remaining leaders and making sure they're an important part of this next game that we have. But they're really coachable, and they're starting to understand what's at stake."
Madison Booker on Rori Harmon being named to the SEC all-defensive team
"I mean, you see it. We all see it. She's definitely pressing off her feet. That's what gets our defense started. I think we're a great defensive team, honestly, and you talk about who's the impact, is Rori. Just the pressure she puts on the ball handler, just the passes she deflecting, just being in the help side, the steals she gets. I mean, so much to say. But wow.
"Just her energy on that end, like, you don't see anybody exerting all that energy, and she wants to play defense. A funny thing happened today in film. We were talking about who we might guard for tomorrow's game, and Rori wants the best player. Like, you don't see that a lot. She wants the best player. When she's not on the best player, she gets mad. You don't see that a lot. She wants to guard the best player. She wants the challenge.
"Just that energy and just that mentality she has, it really just keeps this team going on defense because you don't want to see -- a lot of players don't want to play defense, and I was one of those players before. But when I got here, seeing that she wants to play defense, man, I want to play defense now. So just that mentality she has, it really impacts the whole team wanting to get better at that end and be a great defensive team."
Rori Harmon describing their hunter mentality
"Yeah, I like that he said that. Like yeah, we can easily be the hunted, which makes sense. Everyone wants to beat Texas or even that 1 seed. But we can't be victims. We have to go out and put our foot down and punch first, and that's when we start turning into hunters.
"Yeah, we can't wait on anybody. We can't just be passive-aggressive. I think that's one of the things that we kind of harped on these last couple weeks of not playing a game. We just talked about, basically, just being aggressive, and I think that's kind of what we're trying to say as being hunters. But yes, we definitely are hunted quite a bit."
Texas and William & Mary are scheduled to tip off at 8:10 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 22, in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Round of 64.