KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper and seniors Lou Brown and Kamera Harris met with members of the media Tuesday afternoon ahead of UT’s Thursday matchup with Ole Miss that will mark the final home contest of the season and Senior Night.
Harper talked about the impact the seniors have had on the team, and the players discussed their time on Rocky Top and the experiences they’ve had.
Thursday’s contest against Ole Miss is set for 7 p.m. with Senior Night presentations taking place on the court at beginning 6:40 p.m. The game will be available for streaming online (SECN+) and broadcast on Lady Vol Network radio stations.
Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper
On how seniors Kamera Harris and Lou Brown have helped her in her first season:
“Any time you have transition, I think it’s tough on student athletes. The newness, the change… it’s hard, and (it’s hard) for coaches as we inherit a group. I was talking about it the other day that Kam and Lou have been just terrific for us. They have done what we asked them to do; they have been low maintenance. They are good people. They have just welcomed us, and I am very grateful for them.”
On memories of her Senior Night:
“Back then it was a little bit different. The way the tournament was structured and setup, we knew we would have another one or two games at home. But Senior Night is always special or the last time you take the court. I know I actually kissed half court my last game in Thompson-Boling. You give so much to the program, and you love it so much, and it’s a celebration for you, but it’s also a stark reminder that it’s coming to an end. I loved my time at Tennessee as a player, and I hope these two ladies can walk out of their Senior Night with a win and with great memories of not just the game but of a great career.”
On her message to her seniors getting ready for life after college:
“We aren’t just coaching basketball, turning them loose and hoping they succeed. We try on a daily basis to help these young people be prepared for life, and so many people here at Tennessee provide resources for our student athletes when they leave here. So, when they leave, I want them to be productive. I want them to be happy, and I want them to look back fondly at their time here at the University of Tennessee.”
On the respect shown to her from Harris and Brown and hearing them talk of the impact she has had on them:
“It’s special. Sometimes you forget – you’re working on a scouting report, a play in practice, meeting with players to try to help them get better. And you know the big picture is that you have an opportunity to affect young people, and you hope they are affected in a positive way. When you have those moments where you know you had a breakthrough or that there’s been a special connection, it’s extremely rewarding as a coach.”
On Kamera Harris’ increase in minutes this season and what she has shown:
“In practice, Kam does what we ask her to do. Defensively, I think she plays like a senior, and just having that maturity and that extra year or two under her belt definitely matters, I think. We have asked her to do some things – how she needed to defend, how she needed to box out. And she did those, so we wanted to make sure we rewarded her. And then she was knocking down shots. So again, when you do what we ask you to do, we want to try to reward you with playing time.”
Redshirt-Senior Lou Brown
On what senior night means to her after being here two years:
“It’s pretty special. It’s pretty surreal, to be honest. I kind of can’t believe how fast it’s gone. Looking back, even this time last year, looking to this day now, I didn’t really see it in my future quite as clear, but it’s special. It’s pretty amazing. I’ve had such a great experience. I’ve had so much fun playing this year. I’m excited for what’s next.”
On what it has meant to be a leader and Kellie Harper referring to her as the ‘glue’ of the team this season:
“That’s pretty high praise coming from Kellie Harper, so I’m very thankful for that. I’ve always tried to take pride in my positivity and just not letting much shake me, whatever it is, on or off the court. I try to relay that to my team as well, just letting them know that we perform our best when we’re positive, when we’re behind each other, when we don’t let things that we can’t control affect us. I’ve really tried to lead by example in that aspect and just show them that. I think they’ve responded really well to it, myself as well. That’s something I hope can continue with this team in the future.”
On what the fan base has meant to her in the past couple of years:
“I’ve never played in a place that’s had this type of support, this type of energy and electricity in a stadium during a game. It’s been absolutely surreal. I’m just so thankful and grateful to have had this experience here and to be able to play in TBA and play on The Summitt in front of so many incredible supporters and fans. It’s something that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life, because I may not get the opportunity to play in front of such big crowds again. I may or may not. To have this experience here has been once in a lifetime.”
On her mom’s reaction (who was in attendance for Sunday’s win over Vanderbilt) upon seeing the crowd in Thompson-Boling Arena:
“She said when she walked in she actually got a bit emotional. She couldn’t believe it. They’ve been watching it online as much as they can, but to actually come in here and experience it firsthand was something else for them. We don’t get anything like this in Australia, at all. Just to see how far I’ve come as well, was a huge moment for her. It was pretty cool.”
Senior Kamera Harris
On how the program has developed during her four years:
“I think our group has been through a lot. I think every team goes through things, but I kind of feel like I’ve been through it all. It makes me proud, and it makes me grateful. I’ve learned so much about myself throughout my time here. Honestly, I’m just happy I’ve been through it here. I wouldn’t have picked anywhere else.”
On what it has been like to help guide some of the team’s younger players:
“We have a young team, but their future is bright. They work hard. They’re smart. I think, of course we have some things to clean up on, but I think next year this team is going to be a tough team to beat. I know what they do behind closed doors, so I’m looking forward to seeing them.”
On what Coach Kellie Harper has meant to her this season:
“She’s meant a lot. She helped build my confidence a lot, and she put a lot of trust in me. She put me in some situations, and I haven’t been challenged like that before, so I appreciated Kellie, and she means a lot to me.”
On what she will miss the most about playing in Thompson-Boling Arena:
“I might actually cry… but just the fans. When we travel to all these games, you always see orange and no fan support shows up (better) at any other arena than they do here. I’m going to miss that and the fan support and just looking up in the stands and seeing how many people support you through everything.”
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