QU Women’s Basketball Speaks with Media on NCAA Second Round Practice Day

STORRS, Connecticut – Almost 24 hours removed from defeating No. 8 Miami in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, members of the No. 9 seed Quinnipiac women's basketball team addressed members of the media prior to the team's practice at Gampel Pavilion in the lead-up to their NCAA Tournament Second Round matchup against host No. 1 seed UConn.

Head coach Tricia Fabbri, senior guard Carly Fabbri, junior guard Brittany Martin and junior forward Paula Strautmane all fielded questions from members of the media.

Quinnipiac defeated No. 8 seed Miami 86-72 on Saturday, March 17, to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program-history and second season in a row. The game was close for the entire first three quarters, and then the Bobcats used an 8-0 run to turn a 60-59 deficit into a 67-60 lead with 5:18 to play. Junior guard Edel Thornton contributed the final five points during the run on her way to 14 points, one of six Bobcats to score in double figures, the first time this season that the Bobcats have had six players with 10 or more. Junior guard Aryn McClure just missed a triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds and nine assists

Quinnipiac (28-5) won its 23rd game in a row and knocked out Miami for the second straight NCAA Tournament, after also beating the Hurricanes in Miami last year to advance to the Sweet 16. This year's win moves the Bobcats into the Round of 32, where they will meet No. 1 UConn on Monday at 6:30 p.m. in only the second-ever meeting between the in-state rivals. The first was way back in 1998-99, Quinnipiac's first season in Division I. Fans in can watch live on ESPN2 while the game can be seen nationwide on WatchESPN and the ESPN app.

For the NCAA Second Round preview, click here.

Notable Quotes:

Coach Fabbri
"We are excited to be here on Sunday getting ready for the second round. We are looking forward to the competition and the game tomorrow night with UConn. Tomorrow's a nice instate match up that a lot of people were looking forward to this. We held up our end of the bargain and are ready to go."

"Last year I left it off with saying his unveiling of our t-shirt was the exclamation on a great season. Geno has just transcended this game. He and Pat Summit in so many ways allowed this opportunity to happen and for the growth of the game to happen. It was said to me that six midmajors that are double digit seeds won yesterday in the women's side of the tournament. His vision to not only make women's basketball important but matter and create that rivalry with Tennessee has grown and evolved the game in just the past 15/20 years. I liked the fact that he respected how our kids played down in Miami last year and that he went back to his 1991 team and just saw where it all started. He saw that in us and there was that respected. When someone asked 'what does yesterday's win mean', well I woke up with one word in my head, validation. This program is validated. It wasn't like we were a one hit wonder or that we got lucky with some good match ups on the way to the Sweet 16. Here we are back again, we beat another team we had to beat for the second year in a row in the NCAA tournament, which isn't easy, to now face the top team in the country. This team wouldn't have it anything other way."

"I have to disagree with underdogs with an eight/nine seed, it's a push. We didn't go in (against Miami) as an underdog and we didn't approach it as the underdogs. Certainly tomorrow we are the underdogs and are but this is about taking steps in a program and about winning two games last year as a 12 seed. Now it's about getting the nine seed and winning that game and that's what we did. Again it's validation of the program that we weren't just a flashing pan of wow good matchups. This has been built, you have seen the steps and we were no underdog yesterday. The game was an eight vs nine matchup on a neutral court and we took care of business."

Carly Fabbri
"140 points is a lot of points but they're the top team in the country and they obviously proved that yesterday against Saint Francis but we're excited. Like we said, it is an in-state rival and a lot of people are looking forward to it including us. Last year we played South Carolina and they were the national champions and this year we have the opportunity to play the number one seed again at their place. I think we are going to have a really great crowd showing up, but you know 140 points is a lot of points but we're excited we're going to play basketball and hopefully out work them and we will see what happens."

Brittany Martin
"They also said that about our conference. Everyone said we would not be able to beat a team you are playing in the championship three times in a row but that is exactly what we did. So, coming in we prepared for Miami and they prepared for us. They were looking for a bit of revenge on us but we knew we had to keep a bit of composure and play our basketball and that was able to get us the win."

Paula Strautmane
"We're probably going to play our usual defense, how we play at Quinnipiac, and do our best to cover those top posts"

Schedule

QU Women’s Basketball Speaks with Media on NCAA Second Round Practice Day

Players Mentioned

Carly Fabbri

Brittany Martin

Aryn McClure

Paula Strautmane

Edel Thornton

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