TicketsUC women's basketball coach Michelle Clark-Heard
On the outlook of the AAC this season:
"I feel like across the board the league is going to be very tough. With us having 20 (league) games and everybody playing everybody twice, you're going to have to prepare and be ready. In the midst of everything going on with COVID, you just got to be ready and prepared to make sure that anything can happen at any moment."
"With (UConn's) departure now, every team in the league feels like they have a chance to win the championship and that's what it's all about. My focus as a head coach, I feel like I've have the opportunity to understand and know what it looks like to win championships. That's a big deal for us and things that we do talk about. "
On IImari Thomas being named AAC Co-Preseason Player of the Year:
"I think it really speaks volumes for who she is. When we arrived here as a coaching staff we knew how special IImar'I was. Her ability to understand the game, her ability to score in different situations. How much she has grown these past two years is incredible. Right now, where she is at, people are going to be surprised to see her level of fitness and how she has expanded her game. I'm proud of her commitment. We lost four seniors. It was a big group. To be in a situation where she's leading now is pretty awesome to see every day.
"IImar'I has always had a high IQ, understanding the game and knowing when she's getting doubled and when she is having to face certain defenses. Now her confidence in her face-up game has really improved. Her ability to shoot the three and her ability to put the ball on the floor has changed. She has really worked on those things over the summer."
On having greater expectations this season:
"We're all excited about it. When you walk into a program, we wanted to be in a situation where people were talking of Cincinnati women's basketball being one of the top programs in this league.
"I think the biggest thing is understanding and knowing that if you want to win a championship you're going to have to show up every day no matter what. We don't shy away from that. We talk about our expectations, the things that we want. Expectations come along with those things. We're excited about it. We're excited about the growth of our program.
"I want to take my hat off to those seniors that graduated (last year) and the other seniors in the first year that I came here because building that foundation is what it's all about. We're really working to continue to build our culture."
No. 23 IImar'I Thomas, F
On being named AAC Co-Preseason Player of the Year:
"It feels great. I'm happy to bring that type of recognition to the school but I know there's still a lot of work to do."
On what she worked on over the summer:
"First and foremost, it was definitely my conditioning. I know that I'm going to be in a different role this year, so I wanted to really harp on that. I also worked on adding more skill. I face a lot of double teams, so being able to face up and being able to knock down the three and now, play the guard has really helped me. That was something I really wanted to work on."
On her mindset looking at league play without UConn:
"I feel like they were a super great team, so of course coming into every year we knew they were going to be a lot to tackle. Now, every program (in the league) thinks the championship is up for grabs. Coming in we know we have to fight every day to get better and know that it's going to be a dog fight every game we play. We have to be prepared."
On the expectations for the team after being picked fourth in the preseason poll:
"Within the program we always have certain expectations for ourselves and that's to win a championship. It's great to be placed there from a respect level but I think within the program we know every day we want a championship and we want to be first place in this league."
On the outlook on this year's team:
"We're going to continue the Bearcat culture here which is to work hard and to switch up our defenses and to get up and down in transition. Regardless of our new faces, we're still going to have that same mindset in the game. Of course we're adding new pieces. We're replacing a lot, but we're still going to be very strong and still excel in Coach Heard's system."
On the outlook of the AAC this season:
"I feel like across the board the league is going to be very tough. With us having 20 (league) games and everybody playing everybody twice, you're going to have to prepare and be ready. In the midst of everything going on with COVID, you just got to be ready and prepared to make sure that anything can happen at any moment."
"With (UConn's) departure now, every team in the league feels like they have a chance to win the championship and that's what it's all about. My focus as a head coach, I feel like I've have the opportunity to understand and know what it looks like to win championships. That's a big deal for us and things that we do talk about. "
On IImari Thomas being named AAC Co-Preseason Player of the Year:
"I think it really speaks volumes for who she is. When we arrived here as a coaching staff we knew how special IImar'I was. Her ability to understand the game, her ability to score in different situations. How much she has grown these past two years is incredible. Right now, where she is at, people are going to be surprised to see her level of fitness and how she has expanded her game. I'm proud of her commitment. We lost four seniors. It was a big group. To be in a situation where she's leading now is pretty awesome to see every day.
"IImar'I has always had a high IQ, understanding the game and knowing when she's getting doubled and when she is having to face certain defenses. Now her confidence in her face-up game has really improved. Her ability to shoot the three and her ability to put the ball on the floor has changed. She has really worked on those things over the summer."
On having greater expectations this season:
"We're all excited about it. When you walk into a program, we wanted to be in a situation where people were talking of Cincinnati women's basketball being one of the top programs in this league.
"I think the biggest thing is understanding and knowing that if you want to win a championship you're going to have to show up every day no matter what. We don't shy away from that. We talk about our expectations, the things that we want. Expectations come along with those things. We're excited about it. We're excited about the growth of our program.
"I want to take my hat off to those seniors that graduated (last year) and the other seniors in the first year that I came here because building that foundation is what it's all about. We're really working to continue to build our culture."
No. 23 IImar'I Thomas, F
On being named AAC Co-Preseason Player of the Year:
"It feels great. I'm happy to bring that type of recognition to the school but I know there's still a lot of work to do."
On what she worked on over the summer:
"First and foremost, it was definitely my conditioning. I know that I'm going to be in a different role this year, so I wanted to really harp on that. I also worked on adding more skill. I face a lot of double teams, so being able to face up and being able to knock down the three and now, play the guard has really helped me. That was something I really wanted to work on."
On her mindset looking at league play without UConn:
"I feel like they were a super great team, so of course coming into every year we knew they were going to be a lot to tackle. Now, every program (in the league) thinks the championship is up for grabs. Coming in we know we have to fight every day to get better and know that it's going to be a dog fight every game we play. We have to be prepared."
On the expectations for the team after being picked fourth in the preseason poll:
"Within the program we always have certain expectations for ourselves and that's to win a championship. It's great to be placed there from a respect level but I think within the program we know every day we want a championship and we want to be first place in this league."
On the outlook on this year's team:
"We're going to continue the Bearcat culture here which is to work hard and to switch up our defenses and to get up and down in transition. Regardless of our new faces, we're still going to have that same mindset in the game. Of course we're adding new pieces. We're replacing a lot, but we're still going to be very strong and still excel in Coach Heard's system."