It isn't often that someone averaging less than 10 points per game wins a conference player of the year award. But that's just what happened this season in the Mountain West Conference. Amy Ewert, a senior forward/guard at the University of Utah, was named the league's Co-Player of the Year after helping the Utes to a perfect 14-0 regular season league record and the school's first trip to the NCAA Sweet 16, where Utah lost to eventual national champion Notre Dame, 69-54.

A native of Vancouver, B.C., Ewert was the mainstay of the Utes' top-ranked defense, which allowed only 50 per points game. Thus it's not surprising that she was also named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. Her 9.6 points per game was third-best on the team, which rode its strong defense and balanced offense to a 28-4 record and the 15th spot in the final ESPN/USA Today poll.

In this interview, Ewert talks about playing defense and her team's success this season.

Gball: How important was it for you and your teammates to reach the Sweet 16 this year?
Ewert: We've always had a really good program at Utah, and the coaches have done a wonderful job here. We just haven't had much success in the postseason. And to be recognized on a national level, I believe your postseason wins are really important. So it was a huge step for our program to win in the postseason and make it to the Sweet 16.

What was it like to be able to play the first round games at home?
It was awesome and such a thrill. We don't average very many fans, but I think we had about 3,000 for the playoff games and the 3,000 that were there were so great. They were loud and they really made us feel at home. Having the home bid helped us with our confidence and knowing we had something to prove to the rest of the country -- that we can win in the NCAA tournament.

Did it make it easier to be able to play at home?
It was more comfortable for us to be at home, but we definitely didn't look at it as an automatic win being at home because of our past record in the tournament. We didn't look past the first team [Fairfield], and we definitely didn't look past the second team [Iowa].

Your team was undefeated during the regular season in conference play, but lost in the conference tournament semifinals. How disappointing was that?
We went a long time without losing. [After starting the season with 11 wins, Utah lost twice, then won 15 straight.] Our losses were in early January and then we went quite a while without losing. So that loss kind of got our minds back to the right place. It was kind of a wake up call.

What did the team get out of that loss?
Just that we have to go hard in every game and it's not for sure that we're going to win. And that we needed to play two halves of basketball. We were up 40-20 in the first half, and in the second half, it was a night and day difference. We were just awful and it was embarrassing for us. After that, we didn't want to lose any more.

Was it tough going into the next practice?
After the loss, we had our mourning period and we were really upset about it. But there was nothing we could do except look forward, because we had more important things to come. It was actually a very good practice. We were all very intense that whole week because we all knew what was coming up.

What was it like getting ready to play Notre Dame?
The coaches came up with quite a few things to shut down Ruth Riley, but she definitely isn't the only player on that team. Their guards are very talented, so we wanted to throw a few different things at them and see what we could do. I think for three quarters of the game we played them hard and it was a good game. But they kind of overpowered us in the last 10 minutes. They were bigger, faster, and stronger. They are a great team and they deserved to win. We were so glad they won the whole thing. We know we lost to the best team in the nation and we played them tough.

You had a couple of long winning streaks during the season. Did those bring any extra pressure on the team?
We went into every game with the same attitude that we had to win. But the long winning streak wasn't a goal, it was just something that happened. What we really wanted to do was win some of the games against teams from better conferences like the Pac-10. So the wins against Oregon, Oregon State, and Iowa were good confidence builders.

Your team was ranked number one in the nation defensively, and you were named the conference Defensive Player of the Year. How important is defense in your game?
Defense pretty much is my whole game. Everything I do for this team is defense. As a one-on-one defender, I was blessed with some good speed for my height -- I'm six feet tall and I'm quick. A lot of the guards I'm matched up against are smaller than me, so I pose a problem for them. And our team as a whole is all about defense. From the minute you get into the program, (Head Coach) Elaine Elliott stresses defense and we work on it every day in practice and drills. It's just something our team is built on. And it's a key to our wins. Sometimes we'd go 10 minutes without scoring, but the other team wouldn't score either and we'd end up winning 42-40.

Is it hard to focus so much on defense when offense is the thing that gets the most attention from fans and the press?
It's not hard for me. I don't mind not being in the spotlight. I know that my teammates and coaches know what I do for the team. As far as offense goes, we don't have a star player on our team. We run a motion offense, so we don't care who gets the shots as long as we get good shots up. I think that was a big key to our team: Opposing teams didn't know how to shut us down because there's no one player to shut down, everybody takes their turn.

What advice do you have for younger players who want to improve their defensive play?
Defensive play in basketball, just like most things in life, comes down to being coachable -- being able to take what people tell you and apply it to your game -- and hard work. If you have those two things you'll be successful.

Were there things you did when you were younger to improve defensively?
I started playing in eighth grade and I was very raw all through high school. I went into college a very raw player, so everything the coaches told me, I tried to do. I guess I have some good anticipation skills and quick feet. And the coaches prepare us really well for each game. We'll know our opponents' strengths and weaknesses and we'll know what sets they run. It's kind of like school; if you study that stuff you're able to take a few more chances because you'll know what's coming.

Does playing defense require a certain mindset?
I take pride in my defense and I don't want other people scoring on me, so I guess it does take that kind of mindset -- being proud of shutting someone down.

What was being a captain like?
I was honored. At the beginning of the year, the team voted on who they wanted to be captain, and I was glad to be in this position. I'm not a very vocal person when it comes to telling people what to do, but I think they saw my leadership in the way I played. They saw where I came from and how hard I worked in the offseason. So, I led by example.

Did you think about setting a good example as a captain during the year?
No, that's just something I've always done. I've never tried to be better than anybody else, I just try to be my best, and I think people saw that. Being a captain was different for me because I've never been much of a vocal person, so I had to step out of my comfort zone and start demanding things from people. It was a tough change from being a teammate who doesn't want to upset anybody and lose friends, but at the same time you want to get the best out of your teammates. It was tough, but I think it went well and it was good opportunity.

Your team has been strong over the past several years. Has it been difficult to be the team in the conference everybody is out to get?
Each season we have a target on our backs and everybody wants to knock us down. I guess we're used to being in that position. Number one is a hard spot to be in, but it's also the best spot to be in. We love to be first and we love to win. The Notre Dame game was different for us because for the first time we were the underdogs. So we had nothing to lose. We just went into that game and gave it our best shot.

The men's team at Utah has also been fairly successful in the past. Do you feel your team gets the attention it deserves or is it sometimes overshadowed by the men's team?
The men's team is a great program and they deserve all the fans they get. It's not that they overshadow us; I just think people in this state don't have a big interest in women's basketball. I hope that changes now that we've gone to a different level.

Have you seen a change since your team has been successful?
Form last year to this year, there was a 65 percent increase in attendance, but we still only averaged about 1,500 this year. It is getting bigger and it will be interesting to see what happens next year, since we did have a good run in the tournament this year.

How did you pick Utah?
Well, they picked me. They saw me in some summer tournaments and they recruited me. They must have seen some potential, because I really wasn't that good. Utah was the best school that was recruiting me. Not many people had much interest in me and Utah has a great program and a great education. I was excited that they wanted me and I was glad to come here. It's been everything I wanted and more.

Was it difficult going from British Columbia to Utah?
It wasn't difficult because people here were so great. The support staff, the coaches, and everybody at Utah were really helpful, and they really made me feel at home.

What advice do you have for younger players who want to play in college?
As I said before, the main two things are to be coachable and work hard. That's what I've done in my career and that's what I recommend to anybody who wants to play at the next level. I never would have imagined this happening to me. It's just been a perfect four years, especially ending with a Sweet 16 appearance. It's been awesome.

Any closing thoughts?
The University of Utah has been an awesome experience. These have been the best four years of my life. I've received a great education, met a lot of people, and had a great basketball experience. I'm really thankful for what they've given me and for the opportunity I had to be here.

Interview conducted by Gball Assistant Editor Dennis Read.

Photos: Courtesy of University of Utah Sports Information.


Check out last year's q&a's by clicking here