>> COACH JACK, AS WE START THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR, WHAT EXCITES YOU THE MOST ABOUT SYRACUSE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL IN 2026.

>> CAMARADERIE.

OUR ONENESS, OUR ABILITY TO TELL THE TRUTH TO ETCH AUTO OTHER, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY CAUSE A LITTLE FRICTION BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS WHAT REALLY SETS YOU FREE.

AND FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW ON OUR TEAM IS REALLY INVIGORATING I LOVE OUR TOUGHNESS.

I LOVE OUR PHYSICAL PLAY, AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO ADJUST BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO CALL CAUSE AND STUFF BUT I LIKE TO BE AT THAT END OF IT OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR WE HAD TO WIND THEM UP TO BE TOUGH.

WE ARE ALREADY TOUGH AND WE ALREADY UNDERSTAND THEIR STORY AND WHAT REALLY MATTERS MORE SO THAN THE GAME IS HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME RIGHT NOW IS WHAT IS GOING TO SUSTAIN YOU FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

AND THIS TEAM GETS IT.

AND I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL THAT I'M ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

I DON'T SLEEP A LOT BECAUSE I'M SO EXCITED.

I'M NOT NERVOUS ABOUT ANYTHING.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT I GOT TO GET THIS AND TELL THAT.

SHOW THEM THIS AND I WANT TO BE A PART OF IT AND I'M LIKE A KID IN THE CANDY STORE AND I'M SO GRATEFUL AND HUMBLE.

>> A LOT OF EXCITEMENT TO COME WITH CONFERENCE PLAY COMING IN, WAKE FOREST, VIRGINIA TECH, VIRGINIA.

EYE KNOW IT'S EARLY TO EVALUATE THEM AS OPPONENTS BUT TELL ME ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE STATE OF CONFERENCE PLAY AS A WHOLE?

HOW IS THE ACC SHAPING UP HERE IN THE EARLY GOING?

>> AS I SAID IN THE PAST, I THINK THERE IS SOMEBODY IN OUR CONFERENCE THAT IS GOING TO GO TO THE FINAL FOUR.

I HEARD ROOT CONFERENCE SAY THINGS LIKE IT'S NOT LIKE THE ACC WHERE YOU CAN HAVE TEAMS NOT AS GOOD.

EVERY TEAM IS GOOD.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN A CONFERENCE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU PLAY AT UNIVERSITY X AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE LOWER END OF OUR CONFERENCE, YOU GOT TO BE READY BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOUR SYSTEM PROBABLY THAN YOU DO.

AND SO EVERY CONFERENCE IS GOING TO PRESENT AN ISSUE AND A CHALLENGE.

AND ONE THING I WOULDN'T PUT MYSELF IN THE SITUATION IF I WAS ANOTHER CONFERENCE SAYING, OH, THIS IS JUST AN ACC TEAM BECAUSE I AM TELLING YOU, MY COLLEAGUES ARE THE REAL DEAL AND I'M EXCITED TO BE PART OF IT AND OUR GOAL AT SYRACUSE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ONE OF THE TOP TEAMS IN THE CONFERENCE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TO PLAY IN POSTSEASON.

>> WHO IS ONE PLAYER THAT YOU WANT TO SEE GET GOING IN THIS COMING WEEK?

>> YOU KNOW, SOPHIE IS MY GIRL, MAN.

I JUST REALLY KNOW DEFENSIVELY SHE IS ASSISTING THE BALL, DEFENDING THE BALL BUT SCORER NEEDS TO SEE THE BALL GO THROUGH THE TWINE AND I NEED THAT BALL TO GO THROUGH THE TWINE FOR MY GIRL BECAUSE SHE HAS WORKED ON HER GAME RELENTLESSLY AND I NEED HER TO SCORE BUCKETS BECAUSE WHAT SHE SCORES BUCKETS, THE FREEDOM THAT COMES THROUGH HER BODY, IT TOUCHES OUR SOUL AND I'M HOPEFUL SHE IS GOING TO SHOW HERSELF IN