March 15, 2008

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

Miami University Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa
(opening statement):
"I've practiced this opening statement about 400 times and haven't been able to give it until now. It feels like this is a dream. I love this team. They committed two years ago to win a championship. We dedicated each day to getting better. I knew that if we did that, we would win it."

On the effect of Ohio's double-overtime victory yesterday
"I don't think the overtime was the reason why we won. It might have helped us. I think our team wanted it more. This team's camaraderie is very strong. We were going to leave it all on the floor today."

On her staff and players
"My staff carries me. I wanted to win for our staff as well as our student-athletes. It's not about me. I just get to be in the press conferences. [The student-athletes] truly deserve this championship. They are the ones who hear that Miami hasn't been in the NCAA tournament or that we finished second in the conference. They deserve this victory."

On the Mid-American Conference
"The conference right now is very strong. There were a lot of close ballgames in this tournament. There are a lot of good coaches in the conference. We are trying to prove to the committee that we are a strong mid-major conference deserving of a second bid."

On defending Ohio today
"We went in with a game plan on how we would guard their ball screens and posts. We wanted to eliminate their easy points, like putbacks and free throws. We were fortunate that our players stayed focused. We were able to play smart, and that helped our defense and rebounding. We haven't been that strong of a rebounding team this year. Markwood and Ford were unbelievable today."

Laura Markwood, Miami senior forward
On the team's tournament performance
"I think these three games showed how each game, we come to play hard and work on getting better. We came into these three games hungry and to show everyone how hard we've worked to get here."

Jenna Schone, Miami junior guard
On her strong shooting performance today
"You come ready to play everyday. Sometimes you have the shot, sometimes you don't. Today I had some good looks."

On the team's journey to the championship
"We all put in hard work in the off-season. We all had one goal and came together. We had to stick together as a team. We knew we had each other but not everyone else."

Amanda Jackson, Miami senior guard
On the effect of Ohio's double-overtime victory yesterday
"I thought we felt fresher out there. We had more time to rest. We were hungry. That makes a difference. I thought that gave us the edge."

On watching Ohio's double-overtime victory yesterday
"We watched the game. It didn't matter if we were to face Bowling Green or Ohio. We were excited for either one."

On earning the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament
"It's definitely exciting and overwhelming to have this accomplishment. It's big for the program and for us as players. It's hard to take in right now."