Before the Michigan basketball team’s NCAA Tournament first-round showdown against Kansas, head coach Kim Barnes Arico talked with reporters on Friday.
On Saturday afternoon, U-M takes on the Jayhawks at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. ESPN News will broadcast the game between the No. 9 and No. 8 seeds, which is slated to go off at 2 p.m. ET. About the confrontation, Arico stated the following:
Introduction: KIM BARNES ARICO: I am quite happy to be here. adore visiting California. It’s a great weather day. Ann Arbor received snowfall this morning, which we are thoroughly enjoying. However, we are ecstatic about the chance for our team to compete in the NCAA Tournament, about the matchup with the formidable Kansas squad at USC, and about getting back on the court. Our team’s last game was a few days ago, and I believe we are prepared for this one.
Q. This Kansas squad is very similar to the one you guys were when you won the WNIT and were trying to make a name for yourself in the NCAA Tournament five years ago. What are you most anticipating from the two programs, and what parallels do you find between them?
KIM BARNES ARICO: They’re a fantastic team, and many people have drawn that analogy, but I think they were an NCAA Tournament team the year before last year. They are, thus, a highly skilled squad. They have a terrific rookie, two seniors, and three fifth-year guys, I believe.
hence only having experience. possess firsthand experience. won the WNIT. With that experience, you now have the opportunity to return to the NCAA Tournament, and there’s really no better replacement for it, in my opinion. They have two guards and one player that made the first team of the conference, which is always a great combo.
However, the parts surrounding them are incredibly, incredibly balanced. I believe that most individuals who see our team have a similar impression. You know, Laila is a fantastic player for us and had a wonderful Big Ten Tournament. However, we also have a balancing attack in her vicinity.
Q. You’ve said all season long that this team is still developing. Now that you’ve made it to the NCAA Tournament, how do you think the season has gone thus far and what have you learned the most about this group?
KIM BARNES ARICO: Yes, only from my perspective. Even though I’ve been doing this for a while, it seems like I was just starting off last year, but time flies and you’ve been here for a while.
However, going into the year, there were a lot of unknowns and little program experience. We had three graduate transfers who, since they had not participated in the NCAA Tournament, desired to come to Michigan in order to have a chance to go. In addition, we had some amazing return players, including Cameron Williams, a senior, Laila, who has undoubtedly had an amazing year, and Jordan Hobbs, who truly advanced in her development. However, the program as a whole was in a different place than it had been in previous years.
Therefore, I always tell you guys after a game that we’re still a work in progress.
As a coach, I believe what excites me most about our team’s progress is that it means we can compete every single night, as we shown in the Wig Ten tournament. I also believe our players are eager for this chance. They are not interested in being done. Many of them, our transfers and freshmen, have never been here before. They were aching to be allowed to participate in what we refer to as the “Big Dance.”
Thus, as a coach, I suppose I would say that I’m just proud. Just pleased that we persisted. Throughout the year, there may have been moments when we thought we wouldn’t receive a bid or that we wouldn’t know if we would, but they persisted and fought through it, and now here we are.
Speaking of your transfers, what do you think is most crucial for Elissa Brett going into this match, given that her parents are traveling for the first time this March Madness season?
KIM BARNES ARICO: Elissa Brett holds a unique position in our team. While we were getting ready for the tournament, I was watching, you know, every Kansas game, and I was wondering when they were watching ours, if they would be thinking the same thing I do every time I see Elissa Brett: “Man, Elissa Brett.”
She’s so unique to our program, in my opinion, and you know, outsiders might not recognize her contributions. I recall the first time I met her parents—they did visit the Bahamas—and how amazing she was during those few games there. It was a huge victory for our program because we defeated the Middle Tennessee team who upset Louisville today.
Elissa’s box score wasn’t particularly high, but I can’t recall what it stated. Afterwards, I asked Elissa’s mother, “Do you realize how much of an impact your daughter had on our team today, even though her numbers on the box score weren’t great?”
Her sisters are Australian professionals, and her mother coaches basketball. She responded with a “Uh-huh.” Yes, okay, they get how she’s affected our program, I said.
However, in my opinion, this year will see the end of both of those guys, whether it’s her or Lauren Hansen. They are in their fifth year. Their relatives have come to celebrate their chance to be on this platform and to be a part of it.
I’m going to advise Elissa to simply take a deep breath and be confident, as I usually do. They are excellent baseball players. Their season has been fantastic. We’ll be alright if they just go out and be themselves.
Q. You noted that you saw a number of movies set in Kansas. At one time, they were 10-10, but it got hot later. Have you observed anything in the final stretch that has allowed them to reach their full potential?
That’s a really good question, Kim Barnes Arico. They had a really demanding timetable to play, and I believe they were making some progress toward understanding. About us, I could say the same thing. They had one-point and eight-point games in their early games against Connecticut and Virginia Tech. They had intense rivalry. They simply didn’t win, and I believe they were attempting to help the returning players get along with one another as well as having a standout freshmen enter and sort of learn what her position is in the context of a returning class.
They are an extremely skilled and knowledgeable crew. They may have experienced similar feelings to ours a few years ago, with a lot of pressure to do well and a shift from their usual roles. They were, in my opinion, picked very highly in their league to compete. We’ve discussed this, but I believe they likely believed that when Naz’s gang returns, holy cow, we’re in a different situation than we’ve ever been in.
Thus, it could have been merely a matter of trying to decipher those nerves, and they succeeded. They had a fantastic year-end performance, they play incredibly well together, and they can score from a variety of positions.
Q. How do you believe the recruiting process and the transfer portal have altered now that you’ve truly established this program as a competitive March Madness team, attracting those players to Michigan?
KIM BARNES ARICO: Yes, that is a really good question. You know, with the introduction of the transfer site in recent years, college athletics has clearly undergone a complete transformation. However, we frequently discuss how, at Michigan, we are a little bit unique. For a variety of reasons, you know, we don’t really use the gateway as much as we used to.
One, academically speaking, the University of Michigan is quite demanding and tough. Thus, you have to be a fantastic fit for Michigan intellectually and as a basketball player. As a result, we use the gateway very selectively.
However, the other aspect of that is that, as a program, we take great pride in player development, and I believe that to be really significant. Our assistant coaches are excellent, in my opinion. We create a plan as soon as they get on campus, and from then, it’s all about their personal and basketball-related development during their time at Michigan.
Now that we’re back to the past, I can’t help but think of Emily Kaiser, who left recently after playing for that fifth year and earning an All Conference roster spot despite not playing for more than ten minutes a game until her final year. That, in my opinion, is something that matters greatly to us. You mention our recruiting, and we consider ourselves really lucky. This year, we signed a class of five students that are outstanding in every way.
However, two of them have been named McDonald’s All-Americans, and our class of recruits was arguably the best in program history.
We really believe that, when combined with the incoming recruiting class and Naz’s class, which truly made an impact on our program by qualifying for two Sweet 16s and the Elite 8, we can accomplish amazing things inside our program.
Q. I wanted to ask because I know that traditionally, as the seasons have gone on, the head coaches at Michigan have been incredibly supportive of one another. Before this run, have any head coaches gotten in touch with you? If yes, who was it, what advise did they give you, and what did you take away from it?
Kim Barretto says, “They really—you know, we have a really close-knit group.” I also convey this to our recruits. But you expect to be surrounded by quality when you attend the University of Michigan. Excellence everywhere: in the community, on the court, in the field, and in the classroom. The chance to work with so many amazing coaches, especially women’s coaches, was one of the things that pulled me to the University of Michigan. I have a soft spot in my heart for women’s coaches, even if I adore men’s coaches.
Coach Harbaugh left during this period of time. Though he’s with the Chargers, he did make contact. He was someone I had hoped to see at our game tomorrow, but I believe he is back on campus because of Michigan’s Pro Day.
The majority of the women’s coaches in the athletic department and I get along pretty well and hang out frequently. We use one another’s knowledge. We call one other during happy times and during difficult times when we need to be encouraged.
Carol Hutchins oversaw our program—indeed, the entire athletic department, I would say—and was among the first persons I met the day I was hired. We became neighbors after I enrolled in her softball academy, and she immediately embraced me. From there, our relationship flourished. She attends most of our events. The lacrosse coach is fantastic, as is our tennis coach, soccer coach, volleyball coach, and gymnastics coach. She’s always contacting me afterwards, though. As I read the banner, my niece coaches the lacrosse team at USC; my daughter, who is a senior in high school, will play for them next year. The matchup was between Michigan and USC. I adore them both, but now that she’s attending Michigan, I’ll be able to watch more games.
Thus, in my opinion, all of the coaches—including the women’s coaches—are truly outstanding. However, it’s good to have such a core group of individuals to talk about both the positive and negative aspects of being in this position.
Q. I’ve also heard that a few former students will be cheering the team on tomorrow from the stands. What does it suggest that those women have come back and will keep supporting the program in the same manner?
KIM BARNES ARICO: Well, I’m happy because in a minute, I’ll see several of our former players for the first time.
California is home to a large number of Michigan alumni. In terms of students, I believe it to be about the second-most represented state at the University of Michigan. I could be mistaken, though, and it’s probably quite close.
All right, so many of the players who came from California are back here. Last night, Danielle Williams paid a visit to the motel. I think Shannon Smith is out there. You know, Sierra Thompson used to play with Danielle Williams. I could go on and on. Sierra Thompson was in my first University of Michigan recruiting class.
But from the lowest of my lows—when we weren’t picked for the NCAA Tournament—to the highest of my highs—when they got to cut down the nets in triple overtime in the WNIT Championship and hoist the first women’s basketball banner ever in Chrysler Arena—that class with Jillian Dunston, who is currently an assistant coach, was a part of both. We are arguably the only team at the university without a banner hanging up—you talk about the other great coaches. That squad will be here supporting me tomorrow when I get to see a lot of them.
However, they will always be Michigan Go Blue. We often remark that the Michigan family will always hold a particular place in our hearts and minds because of what they have personally meant to our program and the legacy they have left behind.
I also hope, and I’ve been considering this all day. I hope they get a chance to speak with our current team because I’m sure they don’t even realize how much I talk about them and the legacy they’ve left behind, and how often we glance up at that banner to celebrate their legacy and what they meant to our program.
It would be awesome if they could take a moment to speak with our team as well.
