>> Laila Phelia really nice to sit down with you here for "Gamechangers."

How do you feel the team is coming together at this point in the season?

>> I definitely feel really good about it.

We have been doing great.

This group is so close.

I feel like our chemistry is great on and off the court, and I always tell them, like this is like the root to how teams win.

If like our chemistry and everything is good on the court and, what else?

I would say hard work.

Hard work, our effort, diving on the floor for a loose ball.

Putting your pride aside and being able to really like, we are trying to win this game.

We are going to do whatever it takes to win this game.

And I feel like this team is very open to all of that.

And I always tell them, like we can be very successful.

I've seen what it looks like to go to the elite eight and I've seen what it looks like to go to the final four.

And this team can do it.

I strongly believe that.

I get the chills thinking about it because it's like we can really make it happen.

>> You've seen it.

You believe it, you know, that's great.

>> Yes.

>> It will be a welcome sound and sight for Syracuse fans for sure.

>> Exactly, yeah.

>> Your basketball journey from the college era, started at Michigan.

You go to Texas.

You end up here at Syracuse.

Tell me more about that journey.

What has led you up to this point to represent the orange?

>> So love Michigan, started there.

Then, of course, venturing out to Texas.

Had the retinal detachment.

So after that, it was a whole chain of events and it was more like I was put in a position of, you know what?

The best thing for me to do right now is to go my separate ways, I guess you could say.

And of adjust talking with coach Jack, hearing her passion, talking to coach Casey, and just hearing their confidence in me, after like sitting out a year-- and I feel like a lot of players don't talk about how hard it is to sit out a full year.

It's like your confidence, your mental state, it's really difficult.

So coming here to Syracuse and coach Jack was going to help me gain that confidence back.

And I have already noticed such a big jump in my confidence level with even just shooting the three.

If you watch my Michigan clips, probably three 3s in one game was too much for me.

I was like, this is too much.

So just being around her, being coached by her, it was like this is exactly what I need.

>> You and Dominique, we'll you have a funny back story we'll tell another day.

How do you mesh so well together.

>> We communicate together a lot on and off the court.

Every day after practice, she usually has to leave for class.

By the time I get done getting treatment, I get a text, Laila, let's talk about practice.

Okay, yeah, let's go through it.

What do we need to do?

What are you saying?

And we vent to each other about each practice.

And I feel like that has been very helpful.

And the fact that we have been to other schools before here, we really connected with that.

And of course like our back stories, so when I first got here, she was just like-- we went through the same thing.

Like let's talk about it.

She has definitely helped me a lot with that.

So just being able to have someone that was like right off the bat, like I'm here for you, like I got you and everything like that.

So it has been amazing.

>> It feels like one of your overarching goals for this year and this chapter in Syracuse has been getting your confidence back.

>> Yes.

>> And so far it looks like you've really accomplished that, watt way that you've played and the comfort you've shown on the court.

What are some of your other goals?

>> I would say right now my number one goal is to really continue to help my teammates.

There are so many of them with so much potential, and just watching them going through practice and even when they have their ups and downs and their struggles, just continuing to stay in their ear because I see the potential.

And each one of them can be great.

It's funny because, like even seeing how like shy plays, it reminds me of myself all the time.

And I'm like, girl, okay.

When do you want to get in the gym?

We can work on some stuff?

And jello and I, a funny thing we have is see who can get the jump first.

Practice is at 7:00 in the morning, we get treatment at 6:00 in the morning.

Jello and I are checking each other's location.

Who can get there first.

Our coaches are like telling me like they never used to get to the gym this early.

So trying to find the way to get everybody motivated and get everyone going.

That is another goal of mine, that I just want to be able to leave that mark on my teammates and just being able to help them in any way that I can and then of course, making history and winning an ACC championship.

But that's long-term.

>> I like it.

I like the slate that you got ahead of you, thank you for your time.

>> Of course, appreciate it.