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SO I’M JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, REFLECT BACK AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER. WHAT WE REMEMBER FROM THIS TEAM. I THINK YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE THAN THE WINS AND LOSSES. IT’S JUST ALL THE MOMENTS IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CONFIDENT GROUP OF GIRLS. AND IF YOU HAVE A YOUNG DAUGHTER OR YOUNG SON, THIS IS THE TYPE OF TEAM YOU WANT THEM TO EMULATE AND LOOK UP TO BECAUSE THIS GROUP IS, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUS PEOPLE. AND I TRULY MEAN THAT. WE WENT BASKETBALL GAMES BECAUSE WE’RE A TEAM. WE WIN BASKETBALL GAMES BECAUSE WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ONE ANOTHER. WE’RE NOT ALWAYS THE MOST SKILLED. WE’RE NOT ALWAYS THE FASTEST. THE STRONGEST. BUT, YOU KNOW, BEING A TEAM CAN TAKE YOU REALLY, REALLY FAR. AND THAT’S WHAT I’M GOING TO REMEMBER IS GIVE YOU A FEEL FOR THE FIRE FOR FUTURE. ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, I’M LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THIS IS MY LAST TIME WE’RE IN AN IOWA UNIFORM. I, I THINK I JUST APPRECIATE WHAT WE DID HERE AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS SEASON. BUT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THE SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR MYSELF IN THIS PROGRAM. AND, YOU KNOW, IT EXCITES ME THAT WE’RE BEEN WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD THIS AND ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND I THINK IT JUST SHOWS EVERYBODY IN OUR PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO A REALLY TREMENDOUS THINGS. CAITLIN WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF WOMEN’S BASKETBALL? I YOU KNOW, I WAS, YOU KNOW, TAKEN BACK A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE ENTERED. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU GUYS WERE OUT THERE, BUT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY IN BLACK AND GOLD, WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE TO ME. THAT MEANS WAY MORE THAN WINNING A BASKETBALL GAME IS THE LEGACY THESE GIRLS ARE LEAVING AND THE AMOUNT OF JOY WE’RE GIVING TO PEOPLE AND IN THEIR LIVES. YOU KNOW, WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING A LOT OF JOY TO PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH HARD THINGS, MAYBE BATTLING SICKNESS, BATTLING OTHER THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS A LOT BIGGER THAN A BASKETBALL GAME. AND THAT’S WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO ME. AND, YOU KNOW, INSPIRING YOUNG INDIVIDUALS IS THAT BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN BE IN MOMENTS LIKE THESE WHEN THEY’RE OLDER. YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST THAT LITTLE GIRL THAT, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO BE ON THIS STAGE. AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE CONFETTI FALLING DOWN. BUT, YOU KNOW, I STILL HAVE A LOT MORE TO BE PROUD OF AND ACCOMPLISH SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS. SO AND I’M JUST GRATEFUL. HOW BLOWN AWAY HAVE YOU BEEN BY THE IOWA FANS THIS POSTSEASON FROM MINNEAPOLIS TO SEATTLE TO DALLAS, TRAVELING AND JUST ALL THE HUGE NUMBERS OF THESE GAMES? YEAH, I WOULDN’T NECESSARILY. I’VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW INCREDIBLE THEY ARE. I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING, I’M JUST THANKFUL THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, SPEND THEIR TIME, THEIR MONEY, RESOURCES TO COME AND SUPPORT A TEAM THAT, YOU KNOW, LOVES PLAYING BASKETBALL AND PLAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER. BUT I THINK THEY JUST LOVE THE PRODUCT AND THEY CAN SEE THE JOY AND THE FUN THAT WE HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, I’M SO GRATEFUL. I THINK WE’VE MADE SO MANY. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TURN INTO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FANS AND TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY. AND I THINK THEY CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH FUN THESE NEXT FEW YEARS ARE GOING TO BE FOR THIS PROGRAM. AND THE REST OF THE TIME COACH VOTERS AT IOWA AND WHAT SHE’S BEEN ABLE TO BUILD. SO I’M JUST GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL SERIOUSLY TO EVERY SINGLE HAWKEYE FAN THAT WAS HERE TODAY FROM, YOU KNOW, NEAR OR FAR. I KNOW IT TAKES TIME AND MONEY TO COME TO EVENTS LIKE THESE AND, YOU KNOW, IT MEANS A LOT TO US. AND WE WANT TO BE IN THIS POSITION. IF IT WASN’T FOR THEM. RIGHT. I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO SAY. I THINK JUST, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS SAY TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE IS A TEAM THAT’S TOGETHER AND PLAYS FOR ONE ANOTHER. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST WAVED TO OUR FANS THAT CAME AND TRAVELED ALL THIS WAY AND WON OR LOST. WE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, BRING IT DOWN TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, AND I WAS JUST TRYING TO ENJOY EVERY SINGLE SECOND, ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, MINE AND MACKENNA, TWO PEOPLE THAT I’VE STARTED 93 GAMES WITH. SO IT DOESN’T IT HASN’T SUNK IN THAT I’LL NEVER GET TO PLAY WITH THEM EVER AGAIN. BUT JUST YOU KNOW, RELISHING EVERY SECOND THAT WE HAD OUT THERE, YOU GUYS WERE DOWN BIG 12 RUN IN THE THIRD QUARTER. TWO QUESTIONS. WHAT WAS THE HALFTIME SPEECH OR HOW DID YOU GUYS KIND OF PICK IT BACK UP? AND ALSO AT THAT MOMENT, WHAT WAS THE BELIEF LIKE IN YOU GUYS? YEAH, OBVIOUSLY WE DECIDED TO GO ONE OF TWO WAYS IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND I THINK THAT JUST SPEAKS TO THIS TEAM AS NOBODY WAS COMPLAINING, NOBODY WAS POUTING. IT WAS JUST A CONSTANT BELIEF ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO. I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT OUR OFFENSE IS AND WHAT IT CAN BE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST KNOW WE GOT TO GET ONE STEP AT A TIME AND GO GET A SCORE AND I THINK THAT SHOWED A LOT OF FIGHT, A LOT OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS WHEN WE CAME OUT THERE IN THE THIRD QUARTER. AND YOU KNOW, CUT IT TO, I THINK, SEVEN POINTS. AND OBVIOUSLY COULDN’T QUITE GET OVER THE HUMP. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT SHOWED, YOU KNOW, WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE’RE ABOUT. AND WE WERE NEVER GOING TO GIVE UP. I THINK EVERYONE IN FOUL TROUBLE. HOW MUCH OF THAT IMPACT THE WAY YOU PLAY THE GAME? I KNOW. YEAH. YOU HAVE TO KIND OF DIAL IT BACK A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, CAN’T BE AS AGGRESSIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, I’M JUST BUMMED FOR MCKINNON. MONICA, THEY BOTH HAVE TO END THEIR CAREER ON THE BENCH, AND THAT’S NOT SOMETHING I REALLY THOUGHT THEY DESERVED. AND I THINK THERE WAS 37 FOULS CALLED TONIGHT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT. AND I THINK IT’S A TERM AT RECORD FOR HOW MANY FOULS WERE CALLED. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY’RE CALLING IT TY BOTH WAYS. AND SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE REALLY HARD TO ADJUST TO, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, COMING OFF A GAME THAT WAS SUPER, SUPER PHYSICAL. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS. AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT CAME IN AND PLAYED PLAYED REALLY HARD. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT’S HARD TO COME IN OFF THE BENCH AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE MINUTES WHEN YOU HAVEN’T BEEN GETTING THEM. SO I’M JUST PROUD OF OUR GROUP. YOU KNOW, WE NEVER COMPLAINED WHO NEVER HUNG HER HEAD. IT WAS JUST A CONSTANT BELIEF THAT WE COULD GET BACK IN THE GAME. THE REACTION I’M SORRY, THE ACTION THAT LED TO THE TACKLE AND THINKING ABOUT IT WAS IN FRUSTRATION. WERE YOU SHOCKED THAT IT WAS? YEAH, I WAS SURPRISED. IT WAS CALLED A TECHNICAL JUST FOR YOU KNOW, I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST FOR THROWING THE BALL INTO THE BASKET, YOU KNOW, ROLLING IT UNDER THE BASKET WHERE THE REF WOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THROWING THE FREE THROW. BUT, YOU KNOW, I’M NOT THE REF. THAT’S WHAT SHE CALL THAT IS WHAT IT IS. AND OBVIOUSLY, I’M NOT GOING TO GO BACK IN TIME AND CHANGE. IT’S NOT REALLY WHAT I CARE ABOUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. YOU GOT YOU GOT REALLY EMOTIONAL UP AT THE NUMBERS. IS THAT UNCOMMON FOR YOU TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF PLAYERS? I KNOW, YEAH. YEAH. I’M NOT LIKE A HUGE, HUGE, EMOTIONAL PERSON. I THINK LIKE THE QUESTION YOU ASKED OR WHOEVER ASKED IT, I THINK THAT SOMEBODY ELSE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND MY IMPACT AND WHAT I’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR THE STATE OF IOWA, I PROBABLY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND WHAT THIS TEAM’S BEEN ABLE TO DO. BUT I’M JUST SO GRATEFUL, LIKE IT’S SO SPECIAL, SERIOUSLY. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN’T WAIT TO GET BACK HOME AND TO THE STATE OF IOWA AND TO CELEBRATE EVERYTHING THAT WE DID BECAUSE WE DID A LOT OF AMAZING THINGS. AND THERE’S STILL SO MUCH TO BE CELEBRATED. BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST AND I CAN’T COMPREHEND HOW MUCH JOY AND, YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW, INSPIRE PEOPLE TO DO WHATEVER THEY DREAM. AND THAT TO ME, THAT’S WHAT MEANS SO MUCH FOR REAL. AND I’M JUST GRATEFUL THAT I’VE HAD THE PLATFORM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK BY WHAT PEOPLE SEE? I THINK THE IOWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AND ALL OF THE SPORT, YEAH. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT SHOWS WHAT COACH VOTERS, BILL. AND THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF AMAZING PEOPLE THAT COME BEFORE ME I’M BEGGING GUSTAFSON SAM LOGIC. PEOPLE HAVE BUILT A PLATFORM FOR ME IN THIS TEAM TO THRIVE ON. IT’S NOT LIKE WE JUST BUILT THIS THIS PROGRAM FROM THE GROUND UP COACH VOTERS BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND SHE DESERVES THIS MORE THAN ANYBODY. AND I’M JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT SHE BELIEVED IN ME SO MUCH TO LEAD THIS TEAM AND, YOU KNOW, HAND THE TEAM OVER TO ME TO HELP US GET TO THIS POINT. SO, YEAH, I THINK IT JUST SHOWS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS BET ON YOURSELF, TAKE A CHANCE ON YOURSELF. AND ONCE YOU GET A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU THAT HAVE THE SAME GOAL AS YOU, YOU’RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH REALLY AWESOME THINGS ABOUT HOW YOU WENT OVER TO HER. DID YOU SAY ANYTHING TO HER IN THAT MOMENT TO WANT TO JUST I LOVE HER SO MUCH AND, YOU KNOW, I’M SO PROUD OF EVERYTHING THAT SHE’S BEEN ABLE TO DO. BUT ALSO THERE ARE STILL 6 MINUTES LEFT IN THE GAME. SO I DIDN’T WANT TO START CRYING OR ANYTHING, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED IT APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. MONICA HAS DONE FOR THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE IT’S BEEN TREMENDOUS AND SHE HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN ONE TO GET ALL THE CREDIT THAT SHE DESERVES. YOU KNOW, I THINK SHE’S VERY UNDERRATED. SHE’S BEEN DONE A TREMENDOUS THINGS, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, SHE’S BEEN A TREMENDOUS FRIEND TO ME AND ALWAYS HAD MY BACK, WHETHER IT’S ON THE COURT, OFF THE COURT. AND THAT’S WHAT MEANS THE MOST TO ME. OKAY. THANKS F